A Certificate of Good Standing is a document issued by the state agency that handles business entity registration (commonly the Secretary of State or Department of State). This document is used to show the official existence of a registered entity (Corporation, Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) and Not-for-Profit Corporation) and that it’s legally registered and authorized to operate in the business’s home state. Most states use the term Certificate of Good Standing, but other states may Letter of Good Standing, Certificate of Authorization, Certificate of Status, Certificate of Existence, or Certificate of Compliance, but all are referring to the same thing.
Why do you need a Certificate of Good Standing?
This certificate is occasionally needed for the verification of a company. The most common reasons include: Registering as a foreign entity in order to operate in other states Opening a business bank account or merchant account Applying for a business loan Signing up with vendors and suppliers to purchase inventory Registering or renewing a business license.
Requirements
Certificates of Good Standing are only available to business entities that are registered with the Secretary of State’s office. A Sole Proprietorship or Partnership is not able to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing. To prove their existence, a Doing Business As registration (DBA) is typically requested. In addition to being a registered business entity, the Annual Report filing must be up-to-date and all state fees and franchise taxes paid.
Cost of a Certificate of Good Standing
The cost of a Certificate of Good Standing varies by state and sometimes by the requesting entity. While a few states don’t charge for a certificate, the fee is usually between $10 and $50. Depending on the requestor, a screenshot or printout from the Secretary of State’s website may be sufficient.
How long is a Certificate of Good Standing valid?
In most states, there isn’t usually an expiration date on a Good Standing Certificate. The length of time a certificate is valid varies by the requestor but is generally accepted within 30-90 days of purchase.
How can a company lose its status of Good Standing?
A company’s good standing status is typically lost by not filing its annual report on time, timely paying taxes, or maintaining a registered agent.
How long does it take to get a Certificate of Good Standing?
In most states, a copy of the certificate can be made off of the Secretary of State’s website; however, a paid certified copy will sometimes be required.
The certified copy is available to download immediately in some states, while it may take up to two weeks to be sent by mail in other states.
How to request a Certificate of Good Standing
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming