Certificate of Good Standing

A Certificate of Good Standing is an official document issued by Companies House that confirms a company has been in continuous and unbroken existence since its incorporation, has been run correctly, and is fully up to date with all its statutory filing requirements. It also confirms that no action is currently underway to remove the company from the Companies House register. The certificate shows that the company has met all regulatory obligations and has no outstanding fees. It is commonly required when a UK company wants to trade, open a bank account, or enter into formal arrangements abroad.

The page does not specify a validity period for a Certificate of Good Standing. In practice, because the certificate reflects the company's status at the point it was issued, it can become outdated quickly. Most banks, foreign registrars, and institutions that request the certificate will specify how recent it must be, often requiring one issued within the last three to six months. It is advisable to check the specific requirements of the institution or country you are submitting it to before applying, to avoid obtaining a certificate that will not be accepted.

It depends on the country or institution you are presenting it to. If you need to use the certificate in a country that is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention, an apostille may be required to confirm the document's authenticity for international use. If the country is not a member of the Hague Convention, a more detailed legalisation process will be needed instead. You should check the specific requirements of the foreign authority or institution requesting the document before deciding whether apostilling is necessary.

The certificate contains the key details needed to confirm a company's legitimate standing. It shows the names of the directors, the registered office address, the issued share capital, the list of subscribers, and the date of incorporation. It also includes verification that the company is up to date with all its filing requirements. It is worth noting that the certificate contains only basic information, so you may need to provide additional company documents alongside it when undertaking formal business actions such as opening a bank account or registering with a foreign authority.

To obtain a Certificate of Good Standing, your company must be a private limited company with at least one director who is a natural person, or a public limited company with at least one secretary and two directors, one of whom is a natural person. The company must also be fully up to date with all its filings at Companies House. A formations agent can obtain the certificate from Companies House on your behalf. The process involves placing your order, after which the agent submits the request to Companies House and arranges delivery of the certificate to you.

The page does not state a specific processing time for the Certificate of Good Standing. Turnaround times depend on Companies House workload at the time of the request. If you also require the certificate to be apostilled for use abroad, that adds further time, as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can take up to ten working days to process an apostille application. It is advisable to plan ahead, particularly if you need the certificate for a time-sensitive transaction such as opening a bank account or registering with a foreign authority.

A Certificate of Good Standing costs £48. If you also require the document to be apostilled for use in another country, an apostille service would need to be purchased separately. Apostilling adds further cost and can take up to ten working days to be processed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The £48 fee covers the certificate itself, obtained from Companies House on your behalf, confirming your company's current standing and compliance with all statutory filing requirements.