Certificate of Good Standing

A Certificate of Good Standing is an official document issued by Companies House that confirms your UK limited company is legally registered, fully active, and compliant with all statutory filing obligations.

Banks, overseas authorities, foreign investors, and regulatory bodies require this document before entering into business arrangements. Form My Company handles the entire application process on your behalf, from eligibility check to digital delivery.

What Is a Certificate of Good Standing?

A Certificate of Good Standing confirms 4 things: your company is incorporated, it is active, its statutory filings are current, and it exists on the public Companies House register.

It is sometimes referred to as a Certificate of Status or Certificate of Existence. All 3 terms describe the same official document.

The certificate is issued directly by Companies House, the UK’s official registrar of companies. It is not produced by a third party and cannot be self-generated.

A UK private limited company (Ltd), public limited company (PLC), or limited liability partnership (LLP) can all be the subject of this certificate. The document confirms that the entity named is legally recognised and has met its compliance obligations.

This is different from a Certificate of Incorporation. A Certificate of Incorporation confirms the date and registered number your company was formed. A Certificate of Good Standing confirms current compliance status.

When Do You Need a Certificate of Good Standing?

Most businesses need a Certificate of Good Standing when transacting internationally, opening new bank accounts, or proving compliance to an external body.

Common situations requiring the document:

Opening a UK or overseas business bank account, banks such as Barclays, HSBC, and many foreign institutions require a Certificate of Good Standing as part of their account opening process.

Registering a foreign branch or subsidiary when a UK limited company expands into a new jurisdiction, the host country’s registry typically requires proof of good standing from Companies House.

Applying for licences or regulatory approvals, financial regulators, licensing bodies, and government agencies often require proof of company compliance before granting authorisation.

Completing apostille or legalisation procedures if your document needs to be recognised in one of the 80+ countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the Certificate of Good Standing is the base document. You can combine this with Form My Company’s Apostilled Documents service.

When working with overseas investors or partners, foreign investors conducting due diligence require verified company status documents before completing transactions.

What Does a UK Certificate of Good Standing Show?

The certificate issued by Companies House contains: your company name, company registration number, date of incorporation, registered office address, and a statement confirming current active status.

It confirms:

• The company is not dissolved, struck off, or in the process of liquidation
• All required confirmation statements have been filed
• Annual accounts have been submitted
• The Director and shareholder structure is on record

The document carries the official Companies House seal. It is accepted by banks, courts, foreign registries, and regulatory bodies worldwide.

Requirements to Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing

To qualify for a Certificate of Good Standing, your limited company must be active on the Companies House register, with no overdue confirmation statements or outstanding accounts.

If any of the following apply, the certificate cannot be issued until resolved:

• Confirmation statement (previously annual return) is overdue
• Company accounts have not been filed on time
• Companies House has issued a dissolution notice
• The company has been struck off or is under voluntary or compulsory liquidation

Form My Company checks your company’s compliance status before submitting the application. If overdue filings are identified, we can assist through our File a Confirmation Statement service and File Accounts for Dormant Companies service before proceeding.

How the Process Works

The full process in detail:

Step 1 — Order placement. Select standard or express service. Provide your company name and registration number.

Step 2 — Eligibility check. Form My Company verifies your company is active, not dissolved, and that all required filings are current at Companies House.

Step 3 — Application submission. We submit the formal request to Companies House on your behalf. The application is reviewed and processed by Companies House directly.

Step 4 — Certificate issued. Companies House issues the official certificate. We deliver it to you by email in PDF format. The original document can also be posted to your address via express service.

No complex forms. No direct interaction with Companies House required on your part.

Processing Time and Delivery

Standard service: 14–16 working days. Express service: certificate issued within 1 working day (excluding weekends and bank holidays).

Standard service timeline:

• Eligibility check: same day
• Application submission: 1 working day
• Companies House processing: approximately 12–14 working days
• Total: 14–16 working days
• Delivery: digital PDF by email

Express service timeline:

• Companies House issues the electronic certificate within 1 working day
• The original is posted to Form My Company’s registered address
• Digital copy forwarded to you immediately upon receipt
• Total: typically 1–3 working days

If you need the certificate apostilled for international use, the apostille process adds 21–26 working days via the FCDO under standard service.

Validity Period

There is no official expiry date on a Certificate of Good Standing. However, most banks and foreign authorities require the certificate to have been issued within the last 3–6 months.

This means if you obtained a certificate more than 6 months ago, the receiving institution will likely request a fresh one. Plan your application timeline accordingly.

For ongoing international compliance, it is common for businesses to request a new certificate annually or before each transaction that requires it.

Which Company Types Are Eligible?

The following UK-registered entity types can apply for a Certificate of Good Standing: private limited companies (Ltd), public limited companies (PLC), limited liability partnerships (LLP), and companies operating as foreign subsidiaries in the UK.

All must be registered and currently active on the Companies House public register.

If your company has a Director or Shareholder change pending, ensure the update is filed via our Director Appointment or Director Resignation service before requesting the certificate accuracy of the register affects the content of the certificate issued.

If your registered address requires updating, our Company Secretarial service covers that too.

Why Use Form My Company for This Service?

Form My Company is a specialist UK company compliance provider. Every Certificate of Good Standing application is submitted by an experienced team with direct knowledge of Companies House requirements.

There are 5 reasons businesses choose Form My Company:

1. Accuracy. Applications are checked for eligibility before submission. Incorrect or incomplete applications cause delays at Companies House. We prevent that.

2. Speed. Express service delivers within 1 working day of Companies House processing. Standard service is completed within the quoted timeline.

3. Fixed pricing. No hidden fees. You see the full cost before you purchase.

4. Full compliance support. If your company needs filings brought up to date before the certificate can be issued, we offer the services to resolve that, including confirmation statements, dormant accounts, and identity verification for Directors and PSCs.

5. International coverage. The apostille service extends the certificate’s legal recognition to more than 80 countries under the Hague Convention. Combined with our Apostilled Documents service, your documentation is ready for cross-border use.

Support is available by email at info@formmycompany.uk.

Get Your Certificate of Good Standing

Companies House issues this document. Only an authorised agent or the company itself can request it. Form My Company submits the application on your behalf, handles the process end-to-end, and delivers the document digitally.

Select a service tier above and order online, or contact Form My Company if you need guidance on which option is right for your situation.