Delaware secretary of state certificate of good standing

How to obtain a Delaware Good Standing

A Certificate of Good Standing is a one-page, official document issued by the Delaware Secretary of State’s office. It certifies that a business or organization is registered in Delaware and complies with state laws and regulations. Any business entity that meets these requirements can request a certificate from the state.

Delaware’s Secretary of State’s office issues a “Good Standing Certificate” to certify that a business entity or corporation meets three specific criteria: The entity is authorized to conduct business in Delaware, the entity actually exists, and the entity complies with Delaware state requirements.

Instead of good standing, you might want to show that your company was suspended or dissolved, and this same status request will certify this. It may also be a business other than your own that you want certified information on. You can also order a certified collection of all the filings on record for an entity, including for example the original articles of formation, the original registration if from out of state, conversions, amendments, and such.

When Do You Need A Certificate Of Good Standing?

When a corporation or LLC decides to expand its business into another state, it first must qualify as a “Foreign Corporation.” To qualify, you will usually need a Certificate of Good Standing from your current state. Please note that every state has its own qualification rules and regulations.

You may need a Certificate of Good Standing if you're involved in a merger or acquisition, or if you're buying a company outright, or selling yours. The Good Standing certification will form part of the legal documentation of the entity.

Typically, applying for a business loan or line of credit will require good standing certification. SunDoc Filings can obtain official Delaware Good Standing Certificates for these types of entities: Corporation, General Partnership (GP) or Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), and Limited Liability Company (LLC).

Certificate Of Good Standing Or Certificate Of Status?

The Certificate of Good Standing in other jurisdictions may also be referred to as a Certificate of Status or of Existence. In Delaware, it shows that an entity is registered to do business in the state, is in compliance with applicable corporate rules and licensing requirements, and has not been suspended by the state taxing authority, Division of Revenue.

How To Get Your Good Standing Certificate

Currently Delaware doesn’t offer a way to order a Certificate of Good Standing electronically. You can only order by mail or personally through the Delaware Secretary of State office.

Requests presented in person can generally be processed by the next business day, while mailed-in requests take 4-7 business days. Delaware does offer a Rush service for Good Standing requests.

Next Steps

SunDoc Filings can handle your Good Standing request, as with all of your company filings. The Good Standing Certificate will be email once obtained. Delaware Secretary of State offers electronic Good Standing Certificate. No hard copy will follow in the mail.

To talk to a live voice for immediate assistance call us toll-free during business hours at 1-888-595-2747.

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