In Wyoming, proof of standing can cost nothing. The Business Division of the Wyoming Secretary of State lets anyone view and print a Certificate of Good Standing from WyoBiz, its online filing system, free of charge.
The same document goes by three names in Wyoming: Certificate of Good Standing, Certificate of Existence and Certificate of Evidence. If a bank asks for one name and the form says another, they mean the same thing. The Wyoming office guide covers the rest of the Business Division.
Free online or $20 on paper
The online certificate costs nothing. The Business Division charges $20 when you need a signed paper certificate instead.
| What the state calls it | Certificate of Good Standing (also called Certificate of Existence/Evidence) (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee | Free online; $20 for a signed paper certificate (Certificate of Existence/Evidence/Good Standing)Free at the state (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Where to order | wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/ViewCertificate.aspx (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
Ask the person who wants the certificate which kind they accept before you order. If they want on a signature, request the paper version from the Business Division in Cheyenne and allow time for mail.
Printing it from WyoBiz
- Open the certificate page on WyoBiz, linked in the table above.
- Search for the company by name or by its Filing ID.
- Check that the record shows Active.
- View the certificate and save or print it.
- Note the date on it. If someone wants a newer copy later, printing another costs nothing.
Wyoming statuses and your standing
The Secretary of State uses status words that track the annual report closely. Only Active means the company is in good standing.
Every status word Wyoming uses is explained in our Wyoming office guide.
Delinquent is a warning: the report did not arrive by its due date. Inactive with Administratively Dissolved follows if the report is still missing 60 days after the due date. Inactive with Revoked can also show in search results, though the Secretary of State does not define it on its pages. Once an inactive record gets the Archived sub-status, its name is free for someone else.
Bringing a Wyoming company back to Active
The annual report is due on the first day of the month the company was formed or qualified in Wyoming. You can send it up to 120 days early. It carries the annual license tax: $60 at the least, or a small share of the assets the company holds in Wyoming if that is more.
If the report is late but the company is not yet dissolved, file it at once. If the state has already dissolved the company, reinstatement for the tax costs $100 for an LLC or corporation. That route is open only within two years. After the record turns Active again, go back to WyoBiz and print the certificate.
A report with a license tax above $500 cannot be e-filed. If your company is in that range, ask the Business Division how to send it.
Who asks for a Wyoming certificate
Banks ask when you open an account or borrow. Other states ask when your Wyoming company registers there as a foreign business. Our certificate of good standing guide explains what each one checks.
Sources
- sos.wyo.gov/faqs.aspx?root=BUS: good standing certificate. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Business/Docs/BusinessFees.pdf: certificate fee. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Business/: certificate ordering. Checked .