These kinds of documents contain what are known as the "articles of incorporation," which are pieces of information that establish a corporation as separate business entity from an individual. The articles describe the corporation: its name, who owns it, contact information and any details around its shares of stock.
Depending on what kind of business you own, the incorporation documents you'll need will vary. See below for the following.
For S Corps
- You'll need to have Form 2553 - this is the form you file to be elected as an S Corporation for federal tax purposes.
- You'll need to have Form CP261- this form indicates that the IRS has accepted your S Corporation election per Form 2553, Election by a Small Business Corporation
For S corps, the incorporation document and state registration would be the same, so you can combine them.
For Sole Proprietors
- You'll need either an EIN (Employer Identification Number) which is a nine-digit number assigned by the IRS. The IRS uses the number to identify taxpayers who are required to file various business tax returns. Employer Identification Number, or you can use your social security number.
- Or, you may use your social security number.
For PLLC or LLCs ( that aren't filing taxes as an S Corp)
- You'll need an EIN Letter
- State incorporate document, which is what you file with your home state in order for your business to be recognized as a corporation.