Certificate of Commerce / Good Standing
Request a certificate of existence or good standing from your state’s business registry.
Open your state registryWhat this is
A certificate of good standing (also called a certificate of existence or certificate of commerce) proves your business is registered and current on its filings and fees. Lenders, partners and customs authorities often ask for one no older than 60–90 days.
Before you start
- Your exact registered business name or entity number
- The state (and sometimes county) where the business is registered
- A card or account to pay the issuing fee
How to get it — step by step
- 1
Open the Secretary of State (or equivalent business registry) for the state where your business is registered.
- 2
Search the business register for your entity by name or registration number and confirm the status shows “active / in good standing”.
- 3
Clear any overdue annual report or franchise-tax filing first — a certificate will not be issued while filings are outstanding.
- 4
Order the certificate of good standing / existence, pay the fee, and download the signed PDF (or request a certified paper copy if a counterparty needs an original).
- 5
Upload the certificate to your Commercial Finance Partnership documents so an administrator can verify it.
Once you have the document, upload it in your dashboard so an administrator can verify it.