Entities
Certificate of good standing
A certificate of good standing is a document issued by a US state confirming that a company legally exists and is current on its required filings and fees. Banks, payment processors, lenders and acquirers request it as evidence the company is properly maintained.
In plain terms: The state's written confirmation that your company is real and up to date.
Why it matters
You rarely need one until you urgently do — opening an account, closing a funding round, signing a large contract. You cannot obtain one if the company has fallen out of good standing, which is how a missed annual report becomes a blocked transaction.
Read the full guideCompliance