What legal document identifies the basic characteristics of a corporation?

The articles of incorporation serve as the foundational legal document that establishes a corporation's existence in the eyes of the state. This document outlines essential details about the corporation, including its name, purpose, duration, and information about its stock and shares. It is a formal requirement for a business to function as a corporation and provides the structure of governance by defining the roles of directors and officers.

While bylaws also play a significant role in corporate governance by detailing the internal management rules, they are usually adopted after the articles of incorporation and help guide the operational procedures of the corporation. An operating agreement is primarily associated with limited liability companies (LLCs) and not typically with corporations, focusing more on the structure and management of an LLC rather than the formation of a corporation. A charter can be synonymous with articles of incorporation in some jurisdictions, but it is less commonly used in everyday terminology, making articles of incorporation the more precise choice in this context.

Therefore, selecting the articles of incorporation accurately reflects the document that characterizes the establishment and legal foundation of a corporation.