Washington does not use the words "good standing" as the formal title. The Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Existence, listed on the fee schedule as the Certificate of Existence/Good Standing. People use it whenever a bank, buyer or another state wants proof that a company is active.
Corporations and Charities, a division of the Secretary of State, handles the order. Searching records, forming and contacts are in the Washington office guide.
The Washington certificate and its price
Two forms are on the fee schedule. The Certificate of Existence/Good Standing is $20. The Certificate of Existence/Long Form is also $20. Both cost the same, so pick the one the requester names. If the requester only says "good standing," ask which form they will accept.
| What the state calls it | Certificate of Existence (short form is the good standing certificate) (sos.wa.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee | $20 (sos.wa.gov, checked ) |
| Where to order | ccfs.sos.wa.gov (ccfs.sos.wa.gov, checked ) |
How to order in CCFS
The Corporations and Charities Filing System is the state's online portal. To file online or request records you need an account. Search for the entity by name or its UBI number, which is the business identifier assigned by the state, open the record and look for the certificate request.
Check the entity record first. If anything looks wrong, fix it before you pay.
What blocks a certificate
A certificate describes an active entity. A company with a status of administratively dissolved or terminated is not active. Washington moves a company to that status when it does not file or pay its annual report.
The annual report fee for a profit entity is $70. If you file after the deadline, the report with the delinquency fee costs $95. The due date is the last day of the month in which the business was first formed or registered. You can file up to 180 days before it, and an early filing does not change the date.
Fixing the record, step by step
- Open the entity in CCFS and read the status.
- File the missing annual reports. A reinstatement requires a report fee for each year not filed.
- Pay the $140 penalty that comes with reinstatement.
- File within 5 years of the administrative dissolution date. Domestic entities that wait longer lose the option.
- When the record shows active, order the certificate.
A foreign business registration that has been terminated is handled by requalifying. The window for that has no limit.
Who usually asks for a Washington certificate
Banks opening accounts and lenders ask for it. So do buyers of a business and public agencies. Another state may also request one when your company registers there as a foreign entity.
If the paper is headed abroad, you may need an apostille. The office issues those, and the certificate must be ordered at the same time. See our Washington apostille page for that process. For other states' names and prices, see our certificate of good standing guide.
If you would like help, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can order from the state yourself.
Sources
- www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/frequently-asked-questions-faqs/fee-scheduleexpedited-service: good standing certificate, certificate fee. Checked .
- ccfs.sos.wa.gov/: certificate ordering. Checked .