Certificate of Good Standing

Quickly obtain your certificate

A Certificate of Good Standing (also called a Certificate of Status, a Certificate of Existence, or a Certificate of Fact) is a document issued by the state’s corporations division evidencing that your business is authorized to do business in the state.

We can obtain certificates from any state and D.C. We verify your company's good standing with the state, carefully complete all paperwork on your behalf, expedite your order as requested, and promptly email or mail your certificate to you. Our friendly staff has earned a BBB A+ Rating and is waiting to assist you!

We're here to help.

Questions? Contact us to talk with a specialist.


What is a Certificate of Good Standing?

Sample certificate

A Certificate of Good Standing is a document issued by the state’s corporations division evidencing that your business is authorized to do business in the state.

The certificate can be presented to banks, vendors, licensing agencies, and others to prove that your business has satisfied all the requirements for "good standing". Having a designation of "good standing" typically means that your business has:

  • Registered the LLC, corporation, or other entity with the state
  • Filed required annual reports
  • Paid franchise taxes and other filing fees due

Needing to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from time to time is a normal part of conducting business.

In my opinion, their "Human Touch" element is what really makes this company stand out! I wouldn't go anywhere else!
JanaeLaw Offices of Donald W. Hudspeth, PC

How Our Service Works

Obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing from time to time is a normal part of conducting business, so we make this process as easy, fast, and cost-efficient as possible for you. We can obtain certificates from any state and D.C. We make the request to the state agency on your behalf within 1 business day, help you navigate state expedite options, and offer hand delivery for urgent requests.

As soon as we receive the certificate back from the state, we return it to you promptly. In most cases, we will email you the issued certificate. In states like Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, and New Hampshire, the state certificate contains a raised seal, so we must mail the certificate to you (let us know if you need expedited mailing).



Friendly Support

Our staff is available to assist you before, during, and after your purchase. Contact us to speak with a knowledgeable specialist any time.

Rush Service

We can expedite your order to meet your needs. Our local offices in all 50 states and D.C. can pick up your certificates by hand as needed.

Are you expanding your business to a new state?

As part of expanding your business, you will probably need a Certificate of Good Standing from the state where your business was formed. Purchase our foreign qualification service for help with the whole process, including obtaining needed certificates of good standing and certified copies for your certificate of authority application.

Common Questions

Our service is an up-front flat fee. Please contact us, so we can calculate your filing fees, which include state fees and any expedite fees based on the speed with which you need the state to process your order.

Our standard service includes requesting your certificate of good standing right away, and returning it to you right away as soon as the state issues it.

We frequently serve clients who need their certificate(s) fast and we are here to expedite your order as quickly as you need it - please contact us to order.

We cannot guarantee state processing times because they are outside our control (state agencies sometimes suffer from computer outages and unexpected closures). However, we do everything in our power to proactively minimize state delays. We track your order, file with the forms and methods we have refined in our experience, escalate immediately with our contacts at the state's office to resolve issues, and more. Your satisfaction is our top priority, so even when there is an issue outside our control, we do everything we can to make it right.

We will need your basic contact information, the name of your company, and to understand from your if there is any urgency to get your document back from the state quickly. You can contact us anytime to learn more or place an order.
Yes, we are compliance specialists and have a lot of experience helping businesses who are out of compliance regain good standing. We serve you throughout the process of diagnosing the cause(s) of losing good standing, filing the paperwork to recover good standing, and navigating multiple state agencies on your behalf. Please contact us so we can help.
If you have questions about our service, please contact us to speak with a knowledgeable sales representative.

Education

A Certificate of Good Standing (also called a Certificate of Status, a Certificate of Existence, or a Certificate of Fact) is a document issued by the state’s corporations division evidencing that your business is authorized to do business in the state.

A certificate of good standing is needed during business or legal transactions that require you to formally demonstrate that your business is in good standing. A few examples:

  • Registering your business in another state (also called foreign qualification or obtaining a certificate of authority)
  • Obtaining or renewing licenses
  • Opening a bank account, obtaining a business loan or line of credit, or as part of other financial transactions
  • During a merger, acquisition, or buying/selling a company outright
  • Tax matters
  • Demonstrating the business was suspended/dissolved

Finally, some business owners prefer to regularly request certificate of good standings for their company records, as it provides historical evidence that the business was in good standing at a point in time.

As soon a business has satisfied all registration requirements in a given state, it received a designation of "good standing" in the public corporate records. The business can lose good standing for a variety of reasons, which vary by state. In general, the issues of noncompliance that can cause loss of good standing are:

  • Failure to file an annual report and pay the associated fee
  • Failure to renew a state-required business license
  • Failure to file or pay taxes, especially franchise tax

Good standing is the designation by the state that your business is authorized to transact business. Maintaining good standing is critical as it shows compliance with state law.

Without good standing, your business may face penalties from the state (fines and even dissolution), lose contracts, not be able to open a bank account or obtain a loan, or apply for or renew licenses to operate. What's worse, loss of good standing can result in loss of limited liability protection.

If your business is trying to restore compliance, please contact us for help.


© 2012 - 2021 Harbor Compliance. All rights reserved. Harbor Compliance does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice. Use of our services does not create an attorney-client relationship. Harbor Compliance is not acting as your attorney and does not review information you provide to us for legal accuracy or sufficiency. Access to our website is subject to our Terms of Use and Service Agreement.