A Certificate of Good Standing is a document that the Secretary of State issues to show that a company (such as a corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.) has followed with all relevant state laws, is in good standing, and is qualified to do business or manage its affairs in the state.
An apostille is a verification of the document authenticity. Apostilles are the only form of authentication that is universally recognized by countries that have signed the 1961 Hague Convention. The Secretary of State's signature is authenticated through the apostille.
You must acquire the apostille of your
Certificate of Good Standing in the state of issue. For instance, if your business received the Certificate of Good Standing from the state of California, you must apostille the document with the California Secretary of State.
To obtain the Good Standing Certificate your company must be:
- registered as a legal entity in your state,
- cannot be in default of corporate rules or suspended by the state,
- must be current on all tax filings and obligations (certificate will be issued only if the taxpayer is in full compliance).