Good Standing
Certificate of Good Standing
- What it is
- A certificate that the company exists and has met its formal obligations
- What it confirms
- No arrears on reporting and fees, no winding-up proceedings
- Who asks for it
- Banks, counterparties, registrars, parties to transactions
- Validity
- A document no older than one to three months is usually accepted
- If it is not issued
- It means the company has unmet obligations — this needs to be resolved
In plain words
A certificate of good standing is a certificate that a company exists, is properly registered and has met its formal obligations to the state: it has filed its reports, paid its duties and fees, and is not in the process of being wound up or struck off the register.
Unlike the certificate of incorporation, which records the fact of creation, this certificate shows the company’s current standing as at the date of issue. That is why it is requested by banks when opening an account, by counterparties before a major transaction and by registrars when subsidiaries are set up — what matters to them is the current state of affairs, not history.
A practical point: if the certificate is not issued, that is a signal. It means the company has unmet obligations — overdue reports, unpaid fees, problems with the registered agent. Such things surface at the worst possible moment: when opening an account, during a transaction or in programme due diligence. It is sensible to check status regularly, not on demand.
When the certificate is needed
What the document confirms
- The company is on the register
- Not wound up
- Not struck off
- Reports filed
- Duties paid
- Fees paid
- Name and number
- Date of issue of the certificate
- Jurisdiction
- How recent the document is
- Apostille where required
- Sworn translation
How to obtain and use it
- 01Check the company’s status
- 02Clear any arrears
- 03Request the certificate from the registrar
- 04Apostille and translation
- 05Submit to the recipient
What you need to know
- The certificate reflects standing as at the date of issue
- Recipients usually require a recent document
- Refusal to issue means there are arrears
- Use abroad requires an apostille and translation
- It is worth checking the company’s status regularly yourself
Common mistakes
- Finding out about arrears in the middle of an urgent transaction
- Filing an out-of-date certificate
- Treating the certificate of incorporation as a substitute for this certificate
- Not paying the registered agent’s fees on time
- Not checking the status of the companies in the structure before applying for a programme
What this means for a BRIDGES client
Before applying for a programme, we check the status of every company in the client’s structure. A company in arrears is an unnecessary question in the check, and restoring status always takes longer than maintaining it.
Frequently asked questions
01 /What is a certificate of good standing?
A certificate that a company exists, is properly registered and has met its formal obligations to the state.
02 /How does it differ from a certificate of incorporation?
The certificate of incorporation records the fact of creation. The certificate of good standing shows the company’s current standing as at the date of issue.
03 /What if the certificate is not issued?
It means there are unmet obligations: overdue reports, unpaid fees or problems with the agent. They need to be resolved.
04 /How long is it valid for?
Recipients usually accept a document no older than one to three months. The exact requirements depend on the bank or authority.
05 /Is an apostille needed?
For use abroad — as a rule, yes, together with a sworn translation under the rules of the receiving country.
06 /How often should status be checked?
Once a year, on your own initiative. It takes little time and means you do not find out about problems in the middle of an urgent transaction.
See also
Read next
This material has undergone editorial review by BRIDGES.
Have companies in your structure?
We will check their status and put the formalities in order before the documents are filed.