You will be asked for proof of good standing when you open a business bank account, take a loan, register the company in another state, sell the business or bid on a contract. The certificate comes from the office that holds your company record, and only a company that is current with its reports and fees can get one.
What each state calls it
Florida and California issue a Certificate of Status. Texas issues a certificate of fact from the Secretary of State, and its Comptroller issues a separate certificate of account status for franchise tax. Pennsylvania issues a subsistence certificate for its own companies. Delaware offers a short form and a long form certificate of status. The table below uses each state's own words.
| State | What the state calls it | Fee | Order it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Certificate of Existence | $25 | Order |
| Alaska | Certificate of Compliance | $10 | Order |
| Arizona | Certificate of Good Standing | $10 | Order |
| Arkansas | Certificate of Good Standing | $25 | Order |
| California | Certificate of Status | $5 | Order |
| Colorado | Certificate of Good Standing | Free online (official version) | Order |
| Connecticut | see the office | see the office | see the office |
| Delaware | Certificate of Status (short form) / Certificate of Good Standing (long form) | Short form certificate of status $50; long form $175; online status check $10 (status only) or $20 (status, last 5 filings, tax due) which is not an official certificate. Expedited: short form $40 (24-hour) or $50 (same day); long form $60 or $80. | Order |
| District of Columbia | Certificate of good standing or status certificate | $50 | Order |
| Florida | Certificate of Status | $8.75 | Order |
| Georgia | Certificate of Existence | $10 | see the office |
| Hawaii | Good Standing Certificate (Certificate of Compliance) | $5 | Order |
| Idaho | Certificate of Existence | $10 | Order |
| Illinois | Certificate of Good Standing | see the office | Order |
| Indiana | Certificate of Existence | $15 electronic, $30 non-electronic (statutory). INBiz enhanced access fee adds $11 per the Regulatory Analysis. | Order |
| Iowa | Certificate of existence (or registration) | $5 | see the office |
| Kansas | Certificate of Good Standing (CGS) | $5 | Order |
| Kentucky | Certificate of Existence or Authorization | $10 | Order |
| Louisiana | Certificate of Good Standing (also Certificate of Existence, Certificate of Registry) | $25 | Order |
| Maine | Certificate of Existence (Good Standing), short form or long form | $30 | Order |
| Maryland | Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | Order |
| Massachusetts | Certificate of Good Standing (also a Certificate of Legal Existence on some forms) | $25 | Order |
| Michigan | Certificate of Good Standing | see the office | Order |
| Minnesota | Certificate of Good Standing (called Certificate of Existence and Registration for some entity types) | $5 mail or in person, $15 online | Order |
| Mississippi | Certificate of Good Standing | $25 | Order |
| Missouri | Certificate of Good Standing | $10 | Order |
| Montana | see the office | see the office | see the office |
| Nebraska | Certificate of Good Standing | $6.50 for the online electronic certificate; $10.00 for a mailed paper certificate | Order |
| Nevada | Certificate of Existence (with or without status) | $50 for a certificate of existence that does not list previous records (NRS 78 fee) | Order |
| New Hampshire | see the office | see the office | see the office |
| New Jersey | Certificate of Standing (Corp and LP); Short Form and Long Form Standing (LLC and LLP) | Corp and LP $25; LLC and LLP short form $50; long form $100 | Order |
| New Mexico | Certificates requested through 'Request Certificate' on the business record in the portal | see the office | see the office |
| New York | Certificate of Status (also called Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Existence) | $25 | Order |
| North Carolina | Certificate of Existence (LLC: Certificate of Existence or Authorization) | $15 | see the office |
| North Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | Order |
| Ohio | Certificate of Good Standing | $5 | see the office |
| Oklahoma | Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | Order |
| Oregon | Certificate of Existence | $10 | Order |
| Pennsylvania | Subsistence certificate (domestic) / Certificate of Registration (foreign) | $40 online (subsistence or registration certificate); record search listing $15 | Order |
| Rhode Island | Certificate of Status (Good Standing) | $22 online (non-profits $7); $20 in person, by phone or by mail (non-profits $5). Long-form and name change/merger certificates $30. | Order |
| South Carolina | Certificate of Existence (also called Certificate of Status / Fact of Existence) | see the office | see the office |
| South Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing/Existence | $20 online (color PDF, immediate download); $35 on paper | Order |
| Tennessee | Certificate of Existence (copies and certificates) | $20 | Order |
| Texas | Two items. SOS: Certificate of Fact (Certificate of Existence or Status). Comptroller: Franchise Tax Account Status (formerly called good standing) / Certificate of Account Status. | SOS certificate of fact $15 (long form with filing list $25; certified copies $1 per page plus $15). Comptroller Certificate of Account Status and the online account status search are free. | Order |
| Utah | Certificate of Existence | see the office | see the office |
| Vermont | Certificate of Existence | $35 (Application for Certificate of Existence, LLC listing) | see the office |
| Virginia | Certificate of Good Standing (corporations) | $6 for each certificate issued under Va. Code 13.1-1067 or 13.1-1099 (corporation provisions) | see the office |
| Washington | Certificate of Existence (short form is the good standing certificate) | $20 | Order |
| West Virginia | Certificate of Existence (domestic) / Certificate of Authorization (foreign) | $10 standard (5 to 10 business days by mail/phone/fax; online credit card version is instant). Expedite adds $25 (24 hours), $250 (2 hours) or $500 (1 hour) | Order |
| Wisconsin | Certificate of Status | $10 | Order |
| Wyoming | Certificate of Good Standing (also called Certificate of Existence/Evidence) | Free online; $20 for a signed paper certificate (Certificate of Existence/Evidence/Good Standing) | Order |
How to order one
- Search your company in the state's business search and check its status. If it is not active or in good standing, fix that first.
- Open the certificate page linked in the table or on your state's office page.
- Choose the type: short form for most banks, long form if the request asks for the filing history.
- Pay the fee and download the PDF, or ask for a paper copy if the requester wants a signed original.
When the request comes from another state
If you are registering your company in a second state, that state usually asks for a good standing certificate from your home state, issued recently. Check its age limit on the foreign registration form before you order, so the certificate is still fresh when you file.
Need the certificate for use abroad? Read the apostille guide for the next step. Lenders also check records with a UCC search.