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Certificate of good standing
Proof that your company is in good standing.
Banks, payment providers and partners sometimes ask for official proof that your company exists and is up to date with the state. We order the certificate with you.
At a glance
What is included.
Status check
We check that your company is in good standing before ordering.
Certificate order
We request the certificate from the state with you.
Delivery
The certificate is added to your company file.
If something is overdue
We tell you what has to be filed first to restore good standing.
The basics
What a certificate of good standing proves
A certificate of good standing is an official document, issued by the authority that registered your company, stating that the company exists and is up to date with that authority on the day of issue. Your formation certificate proves that the company was created. This certificate proves that it is still on the register and compliant today, which is the question most counterparties actually care about.
The name varies. US states call it a certificate of good standing, a certificate of existence or a certificate of status. Companies House issues a certificate of good standing for UK companies. The Hong Kong Companies Registry issues a Certificate of Continuing Registration. All three serve the same purpose and are accepted internationally, sometimes with an apostille or legalization added for use in another country.
Online businesses are asked for one more often than they expect. A bank may request it when you open an account for a company that is more than a few months old. A payment provider may ask during a review. It is also commonly required to register in another US state, to open a foreign branch, to sign with a large supplier or to sell the business.
By jurisdiction
How the certificate works in each jurisdiction
| United States | United Kingdom | Hong Kong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | Certificate of good standing, existence or status, depending on the state | Certificate of good standing | Certificate of Continuing Registration |
| Issued by | Secretary of State or equivalent office in the state of formation | Companies House | Companies Registry |
| What it confirms | The company exists and is current with the state | The company exists and its filings are up to date | The company remains registered on the date of issue |
| Condition for issue | Annual reports and state taxes paid; registered agent in place | Confirmation statement and accounts not overdue | Company still on the register |
| Format | Electronic or paper, depending on the state | Electronic or paper, on request | Electronic or paper, on request |
| For use abroad | Apostille from the state where needed | Apostille from the UK legalization office where needed | Apostille through the Hong Kong High Court where needed |
Government fees are set by the state or the registry, are the same whoever files, and are shown separately from Atiko’s own fee.
Why delegate
Why founders hand this over
The certificate is simple to describe, and the details are where time is lost.
Each authority has its own procedure
Every US state, Companies House and the Companies Registry has its own portal, forms and options.
The request is usually urgent
A certificate is typically requested by a bank or provider with a deadline attached. A wrong or incomplete order costs days that the application may not have.
Standing may need repair first
If a report or return is overdue, the authority will refuse the certificate or issue one that shows the problem. We check the status before ordering and tell you what has to be filed.
Recipients have specific wording in mind
Some ask for a short form, some for a long form listing filed documents, some for named directors or shareholders.
Use abroad adds a second step
When the document is going to another country, an apostille or consular legalization is often required, through a separate office.
From you
What we need from you
For a company already in Atiko’s care, most of this is on file and the request takes a few minutes.
The process
How the certificate is obtained
You send the request
Tell us which company needs a certificate and forward the recipient’s instructions. We confirm the exact document that matches them.
We check the company’s standing
A specialist reviews the company’s status with the state or registry. If a filing or fee is outstanding, we tell you at once and prepare what is needed to clear it.
We order the certificate
We submit the request to the Secretary of State, Companies House or the Companies Registry and pay the government fee on the company’s behalf.
The authority issues it
Many electronic certificates are issued quickly, sometimes the same day. Paper certificates and some states take longer, and the authority sets the pace.
Apostille or legalization, if needed
Where the document will be used abroad, we arrange the apostille or legalization through the competent office.
Delivery to you
You receive the electronic certificate as soon as it is issued, and any original by tracked courier.
In practice
How Atiko handles requests
Because Atiko maintains the compliance calendar for its client companies, we normally know the company’s standing before you ask. The specialist handling your request reads the recipient’s instructions, orders the matching form from the correct authority and follows the order until the document is issued. Companies formed elsewhere are handled the same way after a status check.
The certificate is issued by the government, and Atiko’s part is administrative. Where a recipient asks for something a registry does not provide, such as a legal opinion on the company’s capacity or a certification of its accounts, that document comes from an independent lawyer or accountant. We tell you when a request falls into that category so that you can engage the right professional.
Avoid these
Common mistakes to avoid
Ordering too early
Recipients usually want a recent certificate and many set their own limit on its age. Order it when the application is ready to be submitted.
Sending the formation certificate instead
A certificate of incorporation or formation shows that the company was created. It says nothing about its current status and is rarely accepted in place of good standing.
Requesting it from the wrong state
A US company registered in several states has a home state and foreign registrations.
Overlooking the apostille
A certificate intended for a foreign bank or authority may be rejected without one, and adding it afterwards restarts the clock.
Ordering while filings are overdue
The request will fail or the document will show the default.
What the certificate depends on
Atiko requests the certificate, and the state or registry decides whether to issue it and how quickly. A certificate cannot be obtained for a company that is not in good standing until the missing filings and fees are settled. Whether the recipient accepts the document is the recipient’s decision.
Questions about certificates of good standing
Is a certificate of existence the same as a certificate of good standing?
In practice, yes. US states use different names for the same kind of document, including certificate of existence and certificate of status. If your recipient asks for one name and your state uses another, the state’s version is normally what they mean.
How long is a certificate valid?
The certificate describes the company’s status on its date of issue and usually carries no expiry date. The party receiving it decides how recent it must be, and many banks and authorities accept only a recently issued one.
Why would a bank or payment provider ask for one?
It is independent evidence that the company still exists and is compliant. Banks and providers verify the company as part of onboarding and again during periodic reviews, and each one decides which documents it requires.
My company is not in good standing. What now?
The overdue reports, returns or fees have to be filed and paid first. Once the authority updates the company’s status, the certificate can be ordered.
Can a newly formed company get one?
Generally yes, since a new company is in good standing from the start.
What is an apostille and do I need one?
An apostille is a certification added by a government office so that a public document is recognized in another country that is party to the Apostille Convention. Whether you need one depends on where the certificate will be used and on the recipient’s rules.
What is the Hong Kong equivalent?
It is the Certificate of Continuing Registration, issued by the Companies Registry. It confirms that the company remains on the register on the date of issue.
Can I order the certificate myself?
Yes. The authorities accept requests from the company directly. Founders usually delegate it to avoid ordering the wrong form and to have standing checked beforehand.
Does the certificate show who owns the company?
Usually it does not. A standard certificate states the company’s name, number and status. Some authorities can add further details on request, and other documents exist to evidence ownership.
Related pages
This page is general information, last reviewed in October 2026. It is not legal or tax advice and may not reflect the latest rules in every state. Atiko is not a law firm or an accounting firm. Please consult a licensed attorney or tax adviser about your own situation.
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