根据商业银行法规定，申请成立一家金融机构所需要的法律文件之一是章程。章程的内容因国家的法律规定不同而有所差异，内容和格式也不尽一样。但一般都分为若干章、条。

范例之一    美国银行章程
APPROVED                                 ____________
_____, 19XX                                 ENDORSED    
(signature)                                 FILED in the office
Superintendent                          of the Secretary
   of Banks                                 of State of CA
 State of CA.


ARTICLES OF lNCORPORATlON
                   OF
        ________________BANK
ONE： NAME
       The name of this corporation is________Bank.
TWO： PURPOSES
       The purposes for which this corporation is formed, the specific business in which the corporation is primarily to engage being set forth in Paragraph (a) below, are:
      (a) The specific business in which the corporation is primarily ro engage is the business of banking.
      (b) Commercial Bank. To engage in, conduct and transact the business of a commercial bank as defined and provided for in the Banking Law of the State of California, and as permitted in the Certificate of Authority Issued by the Superintendent of Banks of the State of California, and to assume all the duties and to have, exercise, enjoy and possess all the functions, rights, powers, franchises and privileges which a commercial bank may now or hereafter be authorized or empowered by the Banking Law or any other law of the State of California to assume, exercise, enjoy or possess.
     (c) Savings Bank. To engage in, conduct and transact the business of a savings bank as defined and provided for in the Banking Law of the State of California, and to assume all the functions, rights，powers，franchises and privileges which a savings bank may now or hereafter be authorized or empowered by the Banking Law or any other law of the State of California to assume, exercise, enjoy or possess.
    (d) Safe Deposit Business. To engage in and conduct a safe deposit business, and in the conducting of such safe deposit business to store and hold for others securities and other personal property and to maintain vaults, safes and receptacles for the storage, safe depositing and safekeeping of securities and other personal property, and to rent find hire such safes and receptacles to others upon such terms and conditions as the corporation may deem advisable.
   (e) Branches. To establish, maintain and conduct branches as and in the manner authorized by law.
   (f)General. And generally to do any and all acts and things that a banking corporation organized under the laws of the State of California lawfully may do.

The foregoing statement of purposes shall be construed as a statement of both purposes and powers, and the purposes and powers stated in each clause shall, except where otherwise expressed, be in no way limited or restricted by reference to or inference from the terms or provisions of any other clause, but shall be regarded as independent purposes and powers.