Which document demonstrates that a corporation has been duly incorporated?

• A. A charter from the city clerk
• B. A certificate of good standing from the Secretary of State
• C. A copy of the certificate of incorporation filed with the Secretary of State
• D. A local business license

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that legal formation of a corporation is established by the state filing that creates the entity. In New York, the certificate of incorporation is the document that officially creates the corporation when filed with the Secretary of State. A copy of that certificate filed with the Secretary of State serves as proof that the corporation has been duly incorporated.

The other options don’t show incorporation: a charter from the city clerk isn’t the standard formation document for corporations; a certificate of good standing simply indicates ongoing compliance, not formation; and a local business license authorizes operating locally but does not prove that the corporation was legally formed.