Board meeting minutes template (formal format)
In short: Board meeting minutes record the meeting details, which directors attended and whether there was a quorum, declared conflicts of interest, approval of the previous minutes, a summary of each item, the exact wording of each resolution with the vote, action items, and the signatures of the chair and the secretary.
The template
Minutes of the board of directors
- Company or organisation:
- Meeting type (regular / extraordinary):
- Date, time and place (or call link):
- Chair:
- Secretary:
- Recording: board informed and agreed? yes / no
- Directors present:
- Directors absent (with or without apologies):
- In attendance (non-directors, and for which items):
- Quorum confirmed: yes / no
- Meeting called to order at:
- Declarations of conflicts of interest:
- Minutes of the previous meeting (date): approved / approved with changes
- Item:
- Papers presented and by whom:
- Summary of discussion (main points and reasons):
- Resolution text (exact wording):
- Proposed by:
- Seconded by:
- Vote: for / against / abstained
- Result: passed / not passed
- Action / Owner / Due date
- Next meeting:
- Meeting closed at:
- Chair signature and date:
- Secretary signature and date:
Minutes of the board of directors Meeting details - Company or organisation: - Meeting type (regular / extraordinary): - Date, time and place (or call link): - Chair: - Secretary: - Recording: board informed and agreed? yes / no Attendance and quorum - Directors present: - Directors absent (with or without apologies): - In attendance (non-directors, and for which items): - Quorum confirmed: yes / no Opening - Meeting called to order at: - Declarations of conflicts of interest: - Minutes of the previous meeting (date): approved / approved with changes Matters discussed - Item: - Papers presented and by whom: - Summary of discussion (main points and reasons): Resolutions - Resolution text (exact wording): - Proposed by: - Seconded by: - Vote: for / against / abstained - Result: passed / not passed Action items - Action / Owner / Due date Close and signatures - Next meeting: - Meeting closed at: - Chair signature and date: - Secretary signature and date:
When to use it
Use this template for meetings of a board of directors, a board committee, or any formal body that passes resolutions, such as a school board or a charity’s trustees. The company secretary or board secretary normally writes the minutes, and the chair signs them once the board approves them at the next meeting.
Board minutes are a formal record, so check your articles of association, internal bylaws and the rules that apply where you are registered; they may set what must be recorded, who signs and how long minutes are kept. Ask your legal advisor if you are unsure. Record decisions and the reasons behind them, not a word-for-word debate. If the meeting is recorded to help the secretary, the board should agree to it first. For the basics of any minutes, see how to write meeting minutes.
Filled-in example
Quarterly board meeting, 15 October
- Company or organisation: a Dubai-based logistics company
- Meeting type: regular quarterly meeting
- Date, time and place: Thursday 15 October, 16:00, head office boardroom
- Chair: Ahmed
- Secretary: Noor (Company secretary)
- Recording: yes, the board agreed at the start, for the secretary’s use only
- Directors present: Ahmed (Chair), Fatima, Khalid, Mariam
- Directors absent: Hamad (apologies sent)
- In attendance: Layla (Chief financial officer) for items 2 and 3
- Quorum confirmed: yes
- Meeting called to order at: 16:05
- Declarations of conflicts of interest: Khalid declared an interest in item 4 (a relative owns the proposed supplier) and did not take part in that discussion or vote.
- Minutes of the previous meeting (9 July): approved
- Item 2: Management accounts for the third quarter, presented by Layla. The board asked about the rise in fuel costs and asked management to present options to reduce them.
- Item 3: Proposal to open an office in Riyadh, presented by Layla. Directors discussed hiring timelines and lease terms.
- Item 4: Contract for a new warehouse supplier, presented by Mariam. Khalid left the room.
- Resolution 1: “The board approves the management accounts for the third quarter as presented.” Proposed by Fatima, seconded by Mariam. Vote: 4 for, 0 against, 0 abstained. Passed.
- Resolution 2: “The board approves opening an office in Riyadh, subject to final lease terms being approved by the Chair and the Chief financial officer.” Proposed by Ahmed, seconded by Fatima. Vote: 3 for, 1 against (Khalid), 0 abstained. Passed.
- Resolution 3: “The board approves the warehouse supplier contract presented under item 4.” Proposed by Mariam, seconded by Fatima. Vote: 3 for, 0 against, 0 abstained; Khalid did not vote. Passed.
- Present fuel cost reduction options / Layla / next board meeting
- Finalise the Riyadh lease terms for approval / Layla / 30 November
- Sign the warehouse supplier contract / Mariam / 31 October
- Next meeting: Thursday 14 January, 16:00
- Meeting closed at: 17:40
- Chair signature and date: ____________
- Secretary signature and date: ____________
Tips
- Write each resolution in its exact final wording, read it back to the board, and record the vote straight after.
- Record every declared conflict of interest and note when that director left the discussion or did not vote.
- Summarise the discussion and the reasons for each decision, not who said what, unless a director asks for their view to be minuted.
- Check your articles of association and the rules that apply to your company for what the minutes must contain and who signs them.
- If you record the meeting to help write the minutes, get the board’s agreement first and agree who keeps the recording.
- Circulate the draft quickly, then have the board approve it at the next meeting and the chair sign it.
Frequently asked questions
What must board minutes include?
At a minimum, most board minutes record the date and place, who attended, that a quorum was present, any conflicts of interest, the resolutions passed with the vote, and the signatures of the chair and secretary. Your articles of association and the law where you are registered may require more, so check them or ask your legal advisor.
How detailed should board minutes be?
Detailed enough to show what the board decided and that it considered the matter properly, including the main points raised and the reasons for the decision. They should not be a transcript. A short summary of the discussion, the papers considered and the exact resolution is usually the right balance.
Who approves and signs board minutes?
The secretary drafts the minutes and circulates them to directors. The board normally approves them at its next meeting, with any corrections, and the chair then signs them as a true record. Some organisations also have the secretary sign. Follow the process set out in your own rules.
Can Echo help write board minutes?
If the board agrees to the recording, Echo records the meeting on iPhone, Android or Mac and writes a transcript, a summary with key points and decisions, and a to-do list. Its Standard template lays the note out as minutes, which gives the secretary a first draft to check against this format and export to PDF or Word. The free plan allows up to 15 minutes per recording, so long meetings need Echo Pro.
Echo writes these notes for you from a recording. Free for 30 minutes a month.
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