Free · Validity guide · Varies by state
How long is a certificate of good standing valid?
As recent as the requester needs
A certificate of good standing shows your entity’s status on the day the state issues it. Whoever asks for it decides how recent it must be. Florida requires one dated within 90 days to register a foreign company, and New York accepts one dated within one year.
Work out your next good standing certificate re-check
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The issue or authentication date the state printed. The calculator shows when it is likely to be too old for your chosen requester.
The certificate reflects status on its issue date. Three months matches Florida’s 90-day rule for foreign registration. Choose 12 months for New York foreign filings. Banks and other requesters set their own limits, so ask them.
Enter a date to see when the next re-check is due, how many days are left, and to add reminders to your calendar.
Who needs a good standing certificate
LLCs, corporations and other registered entities asked to prove they exist and are current with the state. Common requests come from another state when you register there as a foreign entity, and from banks, lenders, buyers and government agencies. States use different names: certificate of good standing, certificate of status, or certificate of existence. You order it from the Secretary of State or Division of Corporations in the state where the entity is formed or registered.
What happens if you miss a re-check
- The certificate itself does not lapse, but it gets too old for the requester. For example, Florida law requires a home-state certificate dated not more than 90 days before a foreign application is delivered.
- If your entity has fallen behind, a new certificate will show it. In Florida, the certificate states whether fees and penalties are paid and whether the latest annual report was filed. In New York, a missed biennial statement shows as past due on certificates of status.
- A past-due or inactive status can block deals, loans or registrations until you fix the underlying filing.
How to renew
Ask the requester how recent it must be
Check the bank, buyer or state form for a date limit. Florida wants 90 days for foreign registration. New York accepts up to one year.
Check your status first
Look up your entity on the state’s business search. Make sure annual reports, fees and taxes are current, or the certificate will show a problem.
Catch up on any missed filings
File any overdue annual report or biennial statement and pay what is owed. In California, failing to file a Statement of Information can lead to suspension.
Order the right certificate
Order from the state where the entity is formed, or where it is registered if that is what the requester wants. Delaware offers a short-form certificate of status and a long-form certificate of good standing that lists filed documents.
Send it and record the date
Send the certificate before the requester’s window closes, and note its issue date so you know when to order a new one.
When to book
1
weeks
Order about a week before you need it, so it is recent but arrives in time. Allow longer if you must first catch up on filings. This is our suggestion, not a state rule.
A simple reminder plan: 14 days, 7 days, 2 days before the re-check date. The calculator above puts these in your calendar.
Evidence to keep
- Each certificate you order, with its issue date and the state that issued it.
- The requester’s date rule, such as an application form or bank checklist.
- Your annual report receipts and tax payment confirmations, which keep your status current.
Common mistakes
- Ordering the certificate too early, so it is too old by the time you file.
- Assuming every state uses the same name. Ask for a certificate of status or existence if the state does not use “good standing”.
- Ordering before catching up on a missed annual report, so the certificate shows a past-due status.
- Sending a printout of an online status lookup. Delaware notes its online status tool does not generate an official certificate of good standing.
Other jurisdictions
Florida
A foreign LLC or corporation registering in Florida must deliver a certificate of existence from its home state dated not more than 90 days before the application is delivered. A Florida certificate of status states whether fees are paid, whether the most recent annual report was filed and whether the company was dissolved.[2]
New York
Foreign corporations and LLCs applying for authority must include a certificate of existence from the home state, dated within one year. New York notes many states call it a certificate of good standing.[4]
Delaware
The Division of Corporations issues a short-form certificate of status ($50) showing name and status, and a long-form certificate of good standing ($175) listing filed documents. Its online status search does not produce an official certificate.[7]
California
Certificates of status are ordered online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov. Foreign entities registering in California must attach a valid certificate of good standing from their home jurisdiction.[8]
For teams and managers
Keeping several entities in good standing?
Track every annual report, franchise tax and licence renewal that good standing depends on. ExpiryEdge reminds the owner before each deadline so a certificate is never refused when a bank or state asks for one.
See how teams track licences and filingsExpiryEdge · Tracked item
Certificate of good standing · Delaware
ValidOwner
Finance lead
Next re-check due
3 months after issue
Reminders before the re-check
14d
7d
2d
Due
Good standing certificate questions, answered
A certificate of good standing has no set validity period of its own. It shows your status on the day it is issued. The person or agency asking for it decides how recent it must be. Florida requires one dated within 90 days for foreign registration, and New York accepts one dated within one year.
Usually, yes. States use different names for the same proof: certificate of good standing, certificate of status or certificate of existence. New York notes that many states call its certificate of existence a certificate of good standing. Delaware sells both a short-form certificate of status and a long-form certificate of good standing.
To keep a certificate of good standing clean, file your annual report on time and pay state fees and taxes. Florida’s certificate of status states whether the latest annual report was filed and fees paid. New York shows a missed biennial statement as past due on certificates of status.
Order a certificate of good standing from the Secretary of State or Division of Corporations in the state where your entity is formed or registered. Many states let you order online. In California, use bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov. In Delaware, the short form costs $50 and the long form $175.
When you register an LLC or corporation in another state, that state usually asks for proof that it exists and is current at home. Florida asks for a certificate of existence dated within 90 days. New York asks for one dated within one year.
Sources
Every rule on this page comes from these official sources.
1.
Florida Statutes s. 605.0211: Certificate of statusThe Florida Senate · flsenate.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
2.
Florida Statutes s. 605.0902: Registration to do business in this state (foreign LLCs)The Florida Senate · flsenate.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
3.
Florida Statutes s. 607.1503: Application for certificate of authority (foreign corporations)The Florida Senate · flsenate.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
4.
Application for Authority: Foreign Limited Liability CompaniesNew York Department of State · dos.ny.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
5.
Application for Authority: Foreign Business CorporationNew York Department of State · dos.ny.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
6.
Biennial Statements: Business Corporations and Limited Liability CompaniesNew York Department of State · dos.ny.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
7.
Certificates and document requestsDelaware Division of Corporations · corp.delaware.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
8.
Business Entities FAQsCalifornia Secretary of State · sos.ca.gov · checked 20 Oct 2026
Guidance, not legal advice. This covers Varies by state and reflects the sources as checked on 20 Oct 2026. Check the official source or take professional advice for your situation.