If a bank, a landlord or another state asks your Alabama company for a certificate of good standing, the paper to order is the Certificate of Existence. The Business Entities Division of the Secretary of State issues it from Montgomery. It shows that the company sits on the state record and has not been dissolved.
The label confuses people, since the words good standing do not appear on the Alabama request. Ask for a Certificate of Existence and you will get the right document. This page covers the price, the order steps and what to check on the record first. For everything else the office does, see the Alabama office guide.
What the Alabama Certificate of Existence costs
The price turns on how you send the order. A request by mail costs $25. An online order costs $28, because the company that runs the state's filing portal adds a charge on top of the state fee.
| What the state calls it | Certificate of Existence (sos.alabama.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee | $25 (sos.alabama.gov, checked ) |
| Where to order | sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/business-files/sosfdf-2.pdf (sos.alabama.gov, checked ) |
The office does not promise a set turnaround. Its forms say that processing depends on volume. When a loan closing or a meeting is already booked, place the order well before that date.
Ordering a Certificate of Existence step by step
- Look up the company in Business Entity Records and copy its 9 digit entity number. Older 6 digit numbers appear with three zeros in front.
- Read the status on the record. It should say Exists.
- Pick a route. By mail, complete the certificate request form linked in the table above and send it with $25 to the PO Box in Montgomery. Online, use the state portal and pay $28 by card.
- Type the legal name exactly as the record shows it, including LLC, Inc. or Corp.
- Ask the person who wants the certificate how recent it must be, and order close to that date.
The status your Alabama record needs
Alabama shows only two defined status words. Exists means the formation papers were processed and the company remains on the register. Dissolved means the office processed papers to close it.
Every status word Alabama uses is explained in our Alabama office guide.
A Certificate of Existence is about a company that Exists. If your search shows Dissolved, the record says the company has closed, so it cannot serve as proof that the company is still trading. You may also see words such as Inactive or Revoked in results. The office does not define those on its pages, so call before you pay for a certificate.
The privilege tax sits with Revenue
There is no annual report to the Secretary of State in Alabama. The yearly duty is the business privilege tax, filed with the Alabama Department of Revenue. For an LLC or other limited liability entity on a calendar year, the return is due March 15. A C corporation on a calendar year files by April 15.
The Secretary of State points out that a company showing Exists is subject to that tax. Questions about the amount go to Revenue, not to the Business Entities Division. Keep both sides in order, so that whoever asked for the certificate does not find a tax problem later.
New Alabama LLCs and the probate office
A domestic LLC in Alabama is filed first with the county probate office and then indexed by the Secretary of State. The certificate reflects the state record. If you formed the company only recently and it is not in the search yet, wait until it shows before you order.
Who asks for a Certificate of Existence
Banks ask for one when you open a business account or apply for credit. Another state wants one when your Alabama company registers there as a foreign entity. Buyers and investors may ask too. Our general guide to the certificate of good standing explains what each of them looks for.
Sources
- www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/2021FeeSchedule.pdf: good standing certificate, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/business-files/sosfdf-2.pdf: certificate ordering. Checked .