The certificate most people want from a Michigan company is the Certificate of Good Standing. Banks, buyers and other states ask for it as proof that the company is current. The Corporations Division at LARA issues it, and you order it online. Searching, formation and contacts are in our Michigan office guide. This page sticks to the certificate.
How do you order a Michigan Certificate of Good Standing?
The process runs through the MiBusiness Registry Portal. Follow the state's steps.
- Go to the portal and log in with your MiLogin for Business account. Your user ID is not an email address.
- Search for the entity by name.
- In the slide drawer, select Request Certificate.
- Find the Certificate of Good Standing Request and complete it.
- Pay the fee by debit or credit card.
The certificate is then sent to the email address linked to your MiLogin for Business account. Nothing arrives in the post.
| What the state calls it | Certificate of Good Standing (michigan.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Where to order | michigan.gov/corpentitysearch (michigan.gov, checked ) |
What does it cost?
The fee is $10 for a corporation or an LLC. LARA's fee schedule shows a second figure beside it for expedited handling, but the table is hard to read, so look at the current schedule before you order a rush copy.
If the other side only needs to confirm that a certificate is real, LARA has a Certificate Verification Search. That saves you from ordering a second copy.
What stops a company from getting one?
A certificate shows the company as in good standing, so a company that is not in good standing cannot get a clean one. In Michigan the cause is nearly always a missed annual filing. Failing to file results in dissolution, revocation or loss of good standing after a two year grace period, depending on the entity type.
For LLCs the annual statement is $25 and is due February 15 each year after formation. An LLC formed after September 30 skips the next February 15. For profit corporations file an annual report by May 15, and nonprofits by October 1. A corporation that is late pays a penalty that starts at $10 for May 16 to May 31 and rises to $20 for June.
How do you fix a lapsed LLC?
File a Certificate of Restoration of Good Standing in the portal, with every past due statement. For an LLC, the restoration fee is $50 and the annual statement fee is $25 per missing year. If you file on or after February 15, you also owe the current year's statement.
Professional LLCs follow the same path with different amounts, so read LARA's restoration notice if yours is a PLLC. Pay by card and wait for the portal to show the new status before you order the certificate.
Who asks for a Michigan certificate?
Lenders, landlords and buyers often want a recent one. Another state may require it when your Michigan company registers there as a foreign entity. A foreign government may ask for it too. If that happens, you may also need an apostille, and our Michigan apostille page explains that step.
Our certificate of good standing guide compares how other states handle it. For help with the order, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can order from LARA yourself.
Sources
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/frequently-asked-questions: good standing certificate, certificate ordering. Checked .