What it actually proves
That your LLC or corporation exists, is active on the Department of State's records, and has filed what it owes. That is all. It is not a credit check and says nothing about your finances. It is asked for whenever someone needs to know your company is real and current:
- opening or reviewing a business bank account,
- a loan, line of credit, or investor diligence,
- signing a commercial lease,
- registering your New York company to do business in another state,
- certain licences, insurance policies and government contracts.
If your Biennial Statement is past due
The state still issues the certificate, but it will say the company is past due in filing its Biennial Statement. That is not the clean certificate a bank or lender is asking for. File the Biennial Statement first (New York charges no late fee), then order the certificate.
Check whether your Biennial Statement is due before ordering. If you are behind, we tell you before we order, so you don't pay for a certificate that shows you past due.
What it costs
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| NY Department of State certificate fee | $25 |
| Our fee to obtain and send it | $50 |
| Total, standard processing | $75 |
New York sells its own expedited processing. We pass it through at the state's price and add nothing:
| Processing | State charges | You pay in total |
|---|---|---|
| StandardUsually a few business days | None | $75 |
| 24-hourProcessed within 24 hours | +$25 | $100 |
| Same dayProcessed the same business day | +$75 | $150 |
New York also offers 2-hour processing for $150; we offer 24-hour and same day. Our fee stays $50 whichever you pick.
What we do for you
New York does not sell Certificates of Status online or by phone; it takes a written request. We prepare it and send it for you:
- check first that your company is not past due on its Biennial Statement,
- send the request to the Department of State with the $25 state fee paid,
- email you the certificate as soon as the state issues it.
Quick answers about the Certificate of Good Standing
- What is a Certificate of Good Standing in New York?
- New York officially calls it a Certificate of Status. It is a document issued by the Department of State confirming that your LLC or corporation exists, is active, and has filed what it owes. Banks, lenders, landlords, insurers and other states ask for one before opening accounts, lending, signing leases or registering you to do business.
- How much does a New York Certificate of Good Standing cost?
- The Department of State charges $25 for the certificate. Our fee to obtain it for you is $50, so $75 in total. New York also sells expedited processing; we offer its 24-hour ($25) and same-day ($75) options at the state's price and add nothing.
- What if my company is past due on its Biennial Statement?
- The Department of State still issues the certificate, but it will say the company is past due in filing its Biennial Statement, which is not the clean certificate a bank or lender is asking for. File the Biennial Statement first (New York charges no late fee), then order the certificate.
- Is a Certificate of Good Standing the same as a Certificate of Status?
- Yes. Good Standing is the common name used in most states and by most banks; Certificate of Status is what New York calls it. If someone asks a New York LLC or corporation for a Certificate of Good Standing, this is the document they mean.
- Can a corporation or other entity get one?
- Yes. The Department of State issues a Certificate of Status for corporations, LLCs and the other business entities on its records, including companies formed in another state and authorized in New York.
- How long is a New York Certificate of Good Standing valid?
- It shows the company's status on the day it is issued, so order one when someone asks for it rather than keeping an old one on file. Ask the bank or lender how recent it needs to be.
Get your Certificate of Status
$75 all in with standard processing, including the state's $25. We check your standing before we order, so you don't pay for a certificate that shows you past due.
Related
General information, not legal advice.