Certificate of Good Standing
Proof your company is current. You will need it for certification.
What it actually is
A one-page document from your state confirming your entity exists, has filed what it owes, and is in good standing as of a given date. Some states call it a certificate of status, existence, or authorization.
Do you need it?
Only when someone asks for one — and they will. Banks opening business accounts, lenders, foreign qualification filings, and certification bodies all ask. They are usually dated, so an old one does not help you.
What changes if you’re in uniform
If you are pursuing SDVOSB or VOSB certification to compete for set-aside contracts, this is on the document list. It is also the single easiest thing on that list to obtain and the one most likely to hold up a package because somebody ordered it late or ordered one that had already gone stale. Order it directly from the state, close to when you actually need it.
Doing it yourself
You file with
Your state's Secretary of State
- Confirm your entity is actually current — the state will not issue one otherwise.
- Order through the state's online portal; most issue same day or within a few business days.
- Check the requesting party's recency requirement before ordering, not after.
Cost: A modest state fee that varies by state. This is one of the cheapest documents a Secretary of State issues.
Our call
Order it yourself. It is a form on a state website, it is fast, and paying a markup for a document the state hands you on request is hard to justify.
If you’d rather pay someone
Bizee lists certificate of good standing at $49 as of 11 August 2026. You still pay any state fee on top of that.
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