What is the term for the written document that creates a corporation?

The written document that creates a corporation is called the articles of incorporation.

This document, also known as a corporate charter, is filed with the appropriate state authority during formation. It supplies the legal foundation for the corporation and commonly identifies its name, purpose, registered agent, share structure, and incorporator. Once accepted, the filing establishes the corporation as a separate legal entity under state law.

Terminology varies by jurisdiction. Delaware and some other states commonly use “certificate of incorporation,” while many states use “articles of incorporation.” Those labels generally describe the same foundational filing, so the stored answer is the standard nationwide quiz answer.

Articles should not be confused with bylaws. Articles are filed publicly and establish the entity’s basic legal structure; bylaws are internal operating rules covering matters such as meetings, officers, and board procedures. A certificate of good standing is different again: it confirms that an already formed entity is current with state requirements.