Letter of Good Standing: What It Means & How to Get One

Need a Letter of Good Standing, but not entirely sure what it is? Well, without it, things can quickly grind to a halt. 

New insurer? They’ll ask for it. Moving overseas? You’ll need it. Skip it, and you could end up stuck in paperwork limbo, waiting for approvals that never seem to come.

However, getting a Letter of Good Standing doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Read on to learn what a Letter of Good Standing is, and how to make the process painless.

Key points

• The Letter of Good Standing is used for many purposes🌍
  Businesses commonly use Certificates of Good Standing when opening overseas bank accounts, entering commercial agreements, securing funding, or expanding into foreign markets. Many organisations require a recently issued certificate before doing business with a company.
• Keeping your Companies House filings up to date is essential ✅
  Companies House will only issue a certificate if your annual accounts, confirmation statements, and company records are fully up to date. Missing filings, inaccurate information, or compliance issues can prevent you from obtaining one.
• The certificate is usually valid for only three months ⏰
  Although there is no formal expiry date, most banks, regulators, and business partners require a Certificate of Good Standing issued within the last three months to ensure the company's status is still current.
• ANNA helps you stay Good Standing-ready all year round 🚀
  ANNA helps businesses stay compliant by tracking deadlines, filing confirmation statements, organising bookkeeping records, managing VAT and Corporation Tax, and sending reminders before important submissions are due. You can also request your Letter of Good Standing through ANNA’s Company Secretary Services.

What is a Letter of Good Standing, and what does it mean?

A Letter of Good Standing, also known as a Certificate of Good Standing, is an official document issued by Companies House that confirms a company is legally registered and fully compliant with its obligations.

It shows that the business has been continuously active since incorporation, has met all filing requirements, such as submitting annual confirmation statements and financial accounts, has paid the necessary fees, and hasn’t been subject to any strike-off or dissolution proceedings.

In other words, a Letter or Certificate of Good Standing means that the company:

• Is legally incorporated in the UK.
• Has fulfilled all filing requirements with Companies House, including annual returns and financial statements.
• Has no outstanding penalties or legal issues that would affect its status.
• Is recognised as being in good regulatory and legal standing as of the certificate’s issue date.
• Includes key company data.

It doesn’t provide financial solvency or creditworthiness information.

What company data does the Certificate include?

The certificate typically includes:

• The company’s registered name and registration number.
• The registered office address.
• Names and details of directors and company secretaries, if applicable.
• The date of incorporation.
• A statement confirming the company is up to date with statutory filings.
• A summary statement affirming continuous unbroken existence since incorporation with no pending strike-off actions.

✨ You can keep your address private and your mail hassle-free with ANNA’s Virtual Office Address.

From same-day scanning to secure digital storage, your business letters will always stay organised and easy to access.

Our Virtual Office meets all UK regulatory requirements, so you can relax knowing everything’s above board.

Who handles good standing letters for UK firms?

In the UK, who issues a Letter of Good Standing depends on the type of business you run and the sector you’re in.

If you’re in a regulated industry, such as finance, law, or another professional sector, you’ll need to get your Letter of Good Standing from your specific regulator.

• Financial firms: If you’re a regulated financial business, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) can provide a Letter of Good Standing, or a confirmation letter to show that your firm is authorised and compliant. These are often requested by overseas regulators when expanding abroad or proving your regulatory status.
• Legal firms (solicitors): For law firms, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) issues what’s called a Firm Letter of Regulatory Standing. It confirms that the SRA regulates the firm, includes its regulatory number, and notes whether there are any disciplinary issues. It’s something you often need when setting up offices overseas or meeting compliance checks.
• Barristers: The Bar Standards Board (BSB) issues Certificates of Good Standing for barristers. These outline the barrister’s regulatory status and compliance history, and you usually need them when applying to practise in another country.

On the other hand, general companies can get their Certificate of Good Standing from Companies House. 

🧠 Good to know

ANNA's Company Secretary service can arrange a Certificate of Good Standing for your business when you need one. Whether you're opening a bank account, expanding overseas, or meeting a compliance requirement, ANNA will help you get the documents you need. 

What documents Companies House needs to issue a certificate?

To get a Certificate of Good Standing from Companies House, you’ll need to provide a few key details.

Here’s what Companies House usually needs:

• Your company’s name and registration number.
• Proof that your filings are up to date, including annual accounts and confirmation statements
• An application submitted through the Companies House online service or by phone, explaining which certificate or document you need.
• Payment of the fee, usually £15 for the standard service or £50 if you want it processed quickly.
• A delivery address for sending the certificate.

You can place an order by:

• Using the Find and update company information service on the Companies House website. Search for the company, and order from the ‘More’ tab.
• Calling the Companies House contact centre on 0303 1234 500.

💡 What’s good?

You won’t need to upload any extra paperwork since Companies House uses the information it already holds on its public register to confirm your company’s details.

So, Companies House issues certificates based on your company’s existing records, not on new documents you have to send in.

✨Here at ANNA, we keep track of VAT returns, Corporation Tax, annual filings, and give you a nudge before anything’s due.

How much a Letter of Good Standing costs and how fast you can get it

Here’s what you can generally expect when getting a Certificate of Good Standing from Companies House:

• Standard service: Costs around £15 and usually takes within 10 working days.
• Express service: Costs about £50 and can get your certificate to you within 24 hours or the next working day if you order after 11 am.

UK orders are sent via Royal Mail 1st Class, while international orders go by Royal Mail International.

If your certificate doesn’t arrive, you need to contact Companies House within 28 days of placing your order. After that, you’ll have to submit a new order.

You can have a document or certificate legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). 

In countries that are part of the Hague Convention of 1961, this makes the document just as official as it is in the UK.

For a Companies House document to be legalised by the FCDO, it needs the original signature of a UK public official.

If you want an official to sign it in person, you’ll first need to request a certified certificate or a certified copy.

What if you want to go international?

For international use, it often requires legalisation through an apostille or further embassy certification.

Here are the steps:

• Get the Letter of Good Standing: Start by requesting your certificate from Companies House. This confirms your company’s legal status and compliance.
• Decide on the apostille type: Check whether the receiving country accepts a paper apostille or an electronic eApostille. The choice depends on their requirements.
• Notarisation: Some countries require the document to be notarised first. A UK solicitor or a notary public can do this.
• Submit to the FCDO: Send the certificate to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office for apostille certification. For countries in the Hague Convention of 1961, this makes your document just as official abroad as it is in the UK.
• Processing and delivery: Apostilles usually take 1–3 working days, though some providers offer same-day processing. Completed documents are returned via Royal Mail Special Delivery or courier.

How long is a Letter of Good Standing valid for?

A Letter of Good Standing is usually valid for 3 months from the date it’s issued. 

That’s because a company’s compliance and filing status can change, so the certificate is really just a snapshot of your company’s standing at that moment. 

Most organisations will ask for a recent certificate, generally no older than 3 months, to make sure everything is up to date. 

Some places may accept certificates up to 6 months old, but the widely accepted standard is 3 months.

A Letter of Good Standing: Here’s what can go wrong

Companies House can refuse to issue a Certificate of Good Standing if you don’t meet certain requirements. Here’s what can cause problems:

• Falling behind on filings: If your company hasn’t submitted its annual confirmation statement or annual accounts, Companies House won’t issue the certificate. Keeping your filings up to date is essential because the certificate proves your company is compliant.
• Incomplete or incorrect information: All details about the company, its directors, and ownership need to be accurate and complete. 
• No natural person director: Your company must have at least one human director. Without this, the certificate can’t be issued. This ensures clear accountability within the company.

Other reasons Companies House might refuse a certificate include:

• Using a registered office address outside the UK.
• Choosing an offensive or confusingly similar company name.
• Providing incorrect residential addresses for directors or PSCs.

✨Keep it in mind

Companies House will only issue a Letter of Good Standing if the company is:

• A private limited company with at least one director who’s a natural person
• A limited company with a secretary and at least 2 directors (one must be a natural person)

You can’t order certificates with information on people with significant control (PSCs), shareholders, shareholdings or statements of capital.

Getting your Letter of Good Standing from Companies House? Here’s how ANNA can help

ANNA is a company formation and an all-in-one business account for money, invoicing, accounting, expenses, bookkeeping and taxes, helping you:

✨ Register your company within one day.

✨ Open a business account and automate Corporation Tax, VAT, payroll, and record keeping.

✨ Snap your receipts and sort them automatically.

✨ Generate a unique QR code for a payment, with the amount and your account details automatically included.

✨ Invite co-directors to manage your account together.

✨ Keep your books organised with our Bookkeeping Score tool and save money on taxes.

✨ File a confirmation statement (CS01) annually to keep Companies House records up to date.

✨ Get reminders so you don’t miss important deadlines.

Try ANNA today to easily keep track of all the documents and taxes so that you can get a Letter of Standing in no time.