Authorized shares is the maximum number of shares that the board of directors is "authorized", or allowed to issue. Outstanding shares are shares of stock that have been issued.They are "authorized" because they fall within the maximum number of shares a company can sell according to its corporate charter. A) What is the number of authorized shares per the charter? B) What is the number of issued shares? "Authorized shares" refers to the number of shares the corporation is allowed to issue under its certificate or articles of incorporation. Complete the following statements. Part A What is the number of authorized shares per the charter? Validation of certain share authorizations.