To get a Certificate of Good Standing from Companies House, order it online through the Find and Update Company Information service on GOV.UK. The fee is £22 for standard dispatch (aimed at 10 working days) or £65 for same-day service if you order before 11am.1GOV.UK. Companies House Fees2GOV.UK. Order Certified Documents and Certificates From Companies House Companies House will only issue the certificate if your annual accounts and confirmation statement are current and no insolvency or strike-off action is in progress.
When Companies House Will Refuse to Issue One
Two filings decide most cases: the annual accounts and the confirmation statement (formerly the annual return). If either is overdue, the Registrar will not attest to the company’s good standing.3Companies House. Certificates and Certified Document Copies From Companies House Check your filing record on GOV.UK before you pay, because an order placed against an overdue company will be rejected.
The company must also be active. The Registrar refuses the certificate if the company is in liquidation, in administration, has a receiver appointed, or has been served notice of strike-off.3Companies House. Certificates and Certified Document Copies From Companies House Late filing penalties on their own do not necessarily block issuance; the missing filings themselves do.
What the Certificate Actually Confirms
The Registrar’s statement says the company has existed continuously since its date of incorporation and that no action is currently being taken to remove it from the register.2GOV.UK. Order Certified Documents and Certificates From Companies House That is the whole of it. The certificate does not say anything about tax compliance, outstanding debts, or litigation, because Companies House and HMRC hold separate records. A company can owe substantial tax and still receive a clean certificate.
This matters when dealing with foreign banks or regulators. Some jurisdictions expect “good standing” to mean full compliance with every government obligation, tax included. Confirm with the receiving party what they actually need before you order. In some cases a separate HMRC tax compliance letter will be required alongside the Companies House certificate.
What Appears on the Certificate
Every certificate carries the company name, registration number, date of incorporation, and the Registrar’s continuous-existence statement.3Companies House. Certificates and Certified Document Copies From Companies House For routine verification this is often enough.
You can add optional fields during the order:
- Current directors’ names
- Company secretary, if one is appointed
- Registered office address
- Company objects, mainly relevant for companies incorporated under older legislation such as the Companies Act 1985
Ask the receiving party which of these they want before you place the order, since you select them at that stage.
How to Place the Order
Use the Find and Update Company Information service on GOV.UK.4GOV.UK. Get Information About a Company Search for the company by name or number, open the “More” tab on its record, and place the certificate order from there.2GOV.UK. Order Certified Documents and Certificates From Companies House Payment is by credit or debit card. Double-check the registration number, because many companies share similar names and the wrong number wastes the fee.
Fees, Timing, and Missing Orders
The current fees are £22 standard and £65 same-day.1GOV.UK. Companies House Fees Older figures of £15 and £50 sometimes still circulate online but are no longer accurate.
Standard orders are aimed at dispatch within 10 working days, sent by Royal Mail Second Class within the UK and Royal Mail International post overseas. Same-day orders must be placed before 11am; anything submitted later goes out the next working day.2GOV.UK. Order Certified Documents and Certificates From Companies House
If a standard order has not arrived, contact Companies House within 28 days. After that window closes you cannot query the original order and will need to place and pay for a new one.2GOV.UK. Order Certified Documents and Certificates From Companies House
Using the Certificate Abroad: Apostille
Foreign authorities usually need the certificate legalised with an apostille. Companies House does not do this; you apply separately to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office.5GOV.UK. Get Your Document Legalised – Overview
The FCDO options are:
- Standard paper apostille, £45 per document plus courier, up to 15 working days
- Next-day service, £40 per document, registered businesses only
- e-Apostille, £35 per document, up to 2 working days, requires a PDF electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor
- Restricted urgent (same day), £100 per document, requires pre-approval by emailing the Legalisation Office5GOV.UK. Get Your Document Legalised – Overview
Courier costs are extra: £5.50 within the UK, £25.50 to most European countries, and £29.50 for the rest of the world.5GOV.UK. Get Your Document Legalised – Overview On standard service at both stages, the combined wait for the certificate and the apostille can run beyond three weeks, so build in time or pay to expedite at both stages.
How Long the Certificate Stays Useful
The certificate has no statutory expiry date. It reflects the company’s filing status on the date of issue and nothing more. In practice, most banks and foreign authorities will not accept one older than three months, and some jurisdictions set tighter limits, occasionally as short as 30 days. Ask the receiving party what age of certificate they will accept before you order, so you time the request to arrive fresh.