California Certificate of Good Standing

A frequent document retrieval request from the California Secretary of State is for a Certificate of Good Standing. These are needed for a registered business entity, such as a corporation, LLC, or other type of registered entity. Conducting business may become impossible without one, so it's useful to know what the Good Standing certification actually means, and how to get a certificate when you need one.

Below, we explain what the certificate is, why business owners might request one, and how to get a Certificate of Good Standing, either in California or any state.

Table of Contents

1. What is a Certificate of Good Standing?
2. When Do I Need a Certificate of Good Standing?
3. How Do I Obtain a California Certificate of Good Standing?
4. Can SunDoc Filings Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing for Me?

Frequently Asked Questions About Good Standing

• How Long is a Certificate of Good Standing Valid?
• Is My California Good Standing Certificate Recognized in Other States?
• Are There Other Names Than Certificate of Good Standing?
• Can I Check the Good Standing of Any Company?

California Certificate of Good Standing

1. What is a Certificate of Good Standing?

All entities registered with the State of California will be subject to a variety of regulations and obligations, ranging from taxes to licenses, periodic filings, and of course the requirement to register in the first place. The Certificate of Good Standing shows that your entity exists, is formally registered with the state, can be legally noticed within that jurisdiction, and is in current compliance with all applicable requirements.

The document retrieval process for good standing is the same used to certify that a company was suspended or dissolved. It's essentially a way to establish an up-to-date status of any registered entity in any state.

A Certificate of Good Standing certifies that your business exists within that jurisdiction, is authorized to do business in that state and is not in default with its required filings, such as its annual report or, in California, the Statement of Information.

In California, an entity can be suspended by the state taxing authority (the Franchise Tax Board), and the good standing certificate will display this status. Note that you can owe taxes and still be in good standing with California, you just can't be out of compliance with any of the tax authority's process.

Business entities generally are created at the state level in the USA, and state offices hold the formal, filed records for each entity. SunDoc's nationwide network allows you to request status certification in any state. Back to Top ↑

2. When do I Need a Certificate of Good Standing?

If you're registered to do business in the State of California, for various business or legal reasons you may occasionally need to prove this formally. When you need to show that you're in compliance with all applicable state requirements, the Certificate of Good Standing is the document issued by the state to certify this.

You may need a Certificate of Good Standing if you're involved in a merger or acquisition, you're buying a company or you're selling yours. The Good Standing certification will form part of the legal documentation of the entity.

Typically, applying for a business loan or line of credit will require good standing certification. Certain licensing requirements may also ask for good standing certification. It is often required as documentation to open a business bank account, to apply for financing, or to enter any contractual relationship with another business or organization.

Another frequent need for a Certificate of Good Standing is to register to do business in another state. Whatever your home state is, you will be registering in the other state as a "foreign" entity doing business in that state.

You will have to determine your full documentation requirements for each state, including what that state regards as expired documents. Some states for example require certified status to be less than 30 days old, while some allow 60 days.

Note that to do business in another state, you will need a Certificate of Good Standing from the home state to file as a foreign entity in that state. See how SunDoc Filings can help you with foreign qualification. Back to Top ↑

3. How do I Obtain a California Certificate of Good Standing?

To obtain your certificate from the State of California, submit a records order to the Secretary of State's office. The state will issue a certificate bearing an imprint of the Seal of California and the Secretary of State's authorized signature.

The procedure is similar in every state, and good standing certificate can be requested for any entity in any state. SunDoc maintains a nationwide document retrieval service that allows us to request this certificate for you in any of the 50 states. Back to Top ↑

4. Can SunDoc Filings Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing For Me?

SunDoc can obtain a Certificate of Good Standing for you - and you can find the information online at the state website to apply for this yourself if you wish.

SunDoc Filings can handle your Good Standing request, as with all your company filings. Many companies use our filing service as a convenient, affordable way not to avoid missing important filing deadlines that business owners can easily forget (and which can be very costly).

SunDoc is located in Sacramento, and we make several visits daily to the Secretary of State office to hand-deliver or receive documents. All our routine filings on your behalf are expedited in this way, saving valuable time over other companies that typically mail in forms.

You can get started on this page, or you can call us toll free at 1-888-595-2747 at any point to speak to our American-based staff and get assistance.

Similarly, our nationwide network of correspondent agents ensures that we can file and retrieve documents for you in all 50 states. Back to Top ↑

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To talk to a live voice for immediate assistance call us toll-free during business hours at 1-888-595-2747.

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FAQ About Certificates of Good Standing

How Long is a Certificate of Good Standing Valid?

The key point here is that the reliability of good standing certification depends on how recent it is. For example, since you can lose good standing by failing to file your California Statement of Information (an annual report), then a certificate dated earlier than your last filing date cannot show your current status reliably.

Different business institutions and other states may require you to provide a certificate no older than a specified date-30 days, for example. A new certificate is straightforward to obtain, so if you need to eliminate doubt, simply request a new one. Back to Top ↑

Is My California Good Standing Certificate Recognized in Other States?

Yes, and that's often what it's used for-to show other states that you're in good standing in California. But the California Good Standing certificate doesn't show your status in other states. For any state in which you do business that requires you to be a registered entity in that state, you would need to apply with that Secretary of State's office for a separate certificate to show your status in that state.

Every entity registered in a state must apply for that state's Certificate of Good Standing (or whatever that state may call it). If you're registered in more than one state, and if you need to show Good Standing in all those states, then you need to request a certificate from each state.

At SunDoc, we can do this for you easily through our nationwide network. Get started online to order a certificate of good standing in any state. Back to Top ↑

Are There Other Names Than Certificate of Good Standing?

The Certificate of Good Standing in other jurisdictions may also be referred to as a Certificate of Status or Certificate of Existence. Other names may be a Letter of Good Standing, Certificate of Fact, or Certificate of Authorization.

Whatever the name, the purpose and function are the same, to show that a registered entity is in compliance with all applicable regulations and obligations, as of the date of the certification issued under the state's seal.

In California, it shows that an entity is registered to do business in the state, is in compliance with applicable corporate rules and licensing requirements, and has not been suspended by the Franchise Tax Board, the state taxing authority.

Note, however, that a company can be in good standing with the state and still be involved in bankruptcy or lawsuit proceedings, under investigation, or in trouble with federal authorities. Good standing as we use it here means only that state filing and fee requirements are current.

Good standing means different things in different contexts, from a general term (such as "good standing in the community") to specific and defined certifications. Good standing certificates exist for multiple professions, including attorneys, medical professionals, academics, accountants, labor organizations, and many more. The term is in use throughout the world and will have its own set of standards for each application. Black's Law Dictionary defines good standing in broad terms, and Experian notes that even in finance the requirements can be different between lenders. Back to Top ↑

Can I Check the Good Standing of Any Company?

Yes. Certificates of all entities registered in a state are a matter of public record. You can obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State for any business entity registered in California or in any state (using whatever name that state uses for entity status certification). You can also use this request to show a company as suspended or dissolved.

In fact, you can order a certified collection of all the filings on record with the state office for your entity or any entity in any state. These records could include, for example, the articles of formation, annual reports, the original registration if a foreign entity from another state is registering in your state - all documents that pertain to your request.

Most states will have an online business section with search capabilities. For California you can research records using California's online business search, and you can find more information about records-request forms and fees at the state web site.

For help with searches or registrations, periodic filings or document retrieval such as for a Certificate of Good Standing, consider SunDoc as your one-stop resource.

We can expedite your request and obtain a California Certificate of Good Standing in a few hours!

And our nationwide network allows us to request this certificate for you in any state - frequently also expedited if you require. While some states don't provide an expedited option, SunDoc specializes in retrieving documents in the fastest possible time. Back to Top ↑