13 November 2023

What is a Certificate of Good Standing?

The Certificate of Good Standing is an important company document. We will tell you all you need to know about the certificate.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Anyone who owns a business, and wants to expand their operations overseas, will need a Certificate of Good Standing.

The certificate proves that your company has continuously existed since it was incorporated, and that it is not currently in the process of being removed from the Companies House register.

Before it can be used abroad, it will need to be notarised by a Notary Public. This is a service we can help you with.

How do I get a Certificate of Good Standing?

To get a Certificate of Good Standing, you need to apply on the Government’s website.
You do this by searching the company register for your company, then click the ‘more’ tab. Here, you will be able to order certificates and documents.

Click on ‘order a certificate,’ where you will be able to choose to order a Certificate of Good Standing. The standard service is £15, while certificates related to the incorporation of a company cost £30.

The Royal Mail will deliver your certificate to the address you choose when you order it.
Your certificate will be dispatched in 10 working days.

They also offer a same-day option for £50, or £100 for incorporation documents. If you order after 11am, it will come the next working day instead.

If your certificate has not arrived, you should contact Companies House within 28 days of when you placed your order, or you will need to order it again.

Notary, apostille and legalisation services for the Certificate of Good Standing

Anyone who plans on using their Certificate of Good Standing overseas will first need to get it notarised by a registered Notary Public. This is a service that we offer as a notary.

Once your certificate has been notarised, it will need to either be given an apostille, or go through the process of embassy legalisation. The process you need depends on where you plan to go. Most countries accept apostilles, but some do not.

If you are unsure whether your destination country requires an apostille, or embassy legalisation, do not hesitate to contact us for help.

We can manage the whole process of getting an apostille, as well as the embassy legalisation process.

How we can help you

Our Notary Public of England and Wales, Nathan Woodcock, has helped countless clients with their notarial needs, including with the Certificate of Good Standing.

If you want to meet Nathan, you can arrange an appointment at one of our offices in London, Manchester, or Sheffield. Alternatively, you can make use of our mobile notary service to book your appointment at a reasonable time and place that suits you.

Along with our notary service, we can also help you with getting an apostille, or with the process of consular legalisation. We do this by working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). For apostilles, we offer a standard service that takes 10 to 15 days to get an apostille from the FCDO, and a fast-track service that takes 5 to 7 days.

Consular legalisation is a longer process that is required for countries that do not just accept apostilles. We can also manage this whole process for you.