Get a Pennsylvania Certificate of Good Standing

What is a Certificate of Good Standing?

A Certificate of Good Standing (also known as a Certificate of Subsistence) proves that a company (be it an LLC, Corporation, or Partnership) legally exists in the state of Pennsylvania.

However, unlike in other states, a Certificate of Good Standing in PA does not show if a business has paid all fees, taxes, and penalties owed to the state. If you need to prove your business is tax compliant, you should obtain a Tax Clearance Certificate. Similarly, to prove an entity has been dissolved or suspended, you’ll need to request a Certificate of Due and Diligent Search.

Do I need a PA Certificate of Good Standing?

There are various situations in which you may need a PA Certificate of Good Standing, some of which include the following:

During mergers or acquisitions or when selling your business. In one of these situations, the Certificate of Subsistence will form part of your company’s entire legal documentation.

To obtain a business license.

When applying for a line of credit.

Registering to do business in another state (if you're looking to do this, find out how Corporate Creations can help you with foreign qualification).

In each scenario, you’ll need to check how long a Good Standing Certificate from PA should be valid for. In most cases, the certificate should be no older than 30 days.

How to get a Certificate of Good Standing in Pennsylvania

You can get a Certificate of Good Standing in PA from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania official website. You’ll need to search for your business entity name and then can order your certificate. It’s also possible to request a certificate in the mail or in person. Remember, if you order your certificate in the mail to fill in the necessary forms and send them along with a cheque in the mail.

Corporate Creations can handle the entire process of obtaining a Good Standing Certificate in PA, for you, removing the burden that can sometimes arise when retrieving a document from the state.

Why work with Corporate Creations?

Local PA experts

A Certificate of Good Standing in PA differs slightly from other states, so it’s helpful to work with experts, like Corporate Creations, who are familiar with various document retrieval processes in the state. Alongside helping obtain a Certificate of Subsistence, we understand what other certificates you may need to obtain to prove certain information.

Custom services

Need your Certificate of Good Standing the next day? Not a problem. We can help you get your certificate in the fastest way possible, based around your specific routing instructions.

Continuous business services

As a business owner in Pennsylvania, you’ll likely need ongoing business support; that’s where we step in. As a valued partner of over 5,000 customers, we provide representation and document retrieval services for companies of all sizes.

FAQs: Certificate of Good Standing Pennsylvania

Yes, you can request an expedited service for a Certificate of Good Standing in Pennsylvania. There is a 1-hour service, a 3-hour service, and a same-day service, all which come with an additional fee.

Yes, in Pennsylvania, the two terms are used interchangeably to refer to the same legal document which proves an entity’s existence in PA.

A Certificate of Registration is similar to a Certificate of Good Standing except it is for foreign associations registered in Pennsylvania to prover their existence in the state.