A Certificate of Good Standing, sometimes known as Certificate of Status or Certificate of Existence, is a state-issued document confirming that a given business entity is in “good standing” with the state. This means that the entity has been properly registered with the state, is up to date on paying all required state registration fees and taxes, has submitted all documents required to be filed, and is legally permitted to engage in business in the state.
Certificates of Good Standing are typically issued by the state agency in charge of regulating business activities in that state. In New York, California, and Delaware, for example, the document is issued by each state’s respective Division of Corporations (a division of each state’s Secretary of State). In New Jersey, the responsible agency is the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, part of New Jersey Treasury.
One prerequisite for obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing is to have your business entity registered with your respective state. In many states, sole proprietorships and independent contractors are not required to register and therefore cannot apply for Certificates of Good Standing.
Unlike business licenses and permits, Certificates of Good Standing are generally not required to conduct business in state. However, they may be required if you are trying to open a business bank account, set up credit and debit card processing systems, apply for a line of credit on behalf of the business, or register as a “foreign entity” in a state where the entity is not registered but engages in business.
Many foreign government agencies and regulators also require US-based companies seeking to open subsidiaries to provide Certificates of Good Standing to do so. In some cases, Certificates of Good Standing need to be regularly renewed to demonstrate that the business continues to remain in “good standing” with the state in which it is registered by paying annual taxes and fees and filing the requisite informational paperwork.
A&M Logos International has been assisting individuals and companies with retrieving and legalizing Certificates of Good Standing from all 50 states in the US. We know the ins and outs of the process with a particular focus on making sure the Certificate of Good Standing is valid for use abroad—by obtaining an apostille for Apostille Convention countries (e.g., India, Brazil, Germany) or undergoing the chain legalization process for non-Apostille Convention countries (e.g., Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam). We can also provide a certified translation of the Certificate of Good Standing if necessary.
Call us today at (212) 233-7061 or e-mail us at info@apostille.us to discuss your particular case. You may also wish to apply through our website.