UK company documents for the United States
For the United States, start with official Companies House certificates — often a Certificate of Good Standing — then an FCDO apostille if the named recipient asks. The US has been a Hague Apostille Convention party since 1981, so embassy legalisation is not usually required. Confirm paper versus e-Apostille in writing. CH documents are buy-now; apostille stays quote-only.
How a typical US document job runs
Working-day steps — confirm the recipient’s written list first.
Confirm the recipient checklist
Get the US bank, counsel or counterparty list in writing: exact documents, age window, paper vs e-Apostille, and any translation or notarisation notes beyond Companies House originals.
Order Companies House originals (buy-now)
Order COGS, certified incorporation, articles or the pack. Standard CH aims ~10 working days; we then scan and send, typically within 1–3 working days of receipt.
Request an apostille quote if needed
If the checklist needs legalisation, submit a quote. We confirm fulfilment before taking apostille money. Official FCDO fees: paper £45 · e-Apostille £35 (GOV.UK checked 5 November 2026).
Hague Apostille — the United States is a party
The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026) lists the United States of America as a Contracting Party: accession 24 December 1980, entry into force 15 October 1981. HCCH’s US competent authorities (Art. 6) cover Apostilles on US-issued documents — the mirror of the UK FCDO step for UK documents headed to the US.
GOV.UK Get your document legalised is the UK FCDO apostille service (including Companies House certificates). For Hague destinations the apostille is normally the UK legalisation step; GOV.UK’s embassy-then-ministry chain is for non-Hague countries. We will not invent extra embassy steps for the US corridor. See also embassy legalisation hub and legacy USA legalisation notes.
Confirm with the receiving authority
- Ask for paper vs e-Apostille, age window and the exact Companies House products.
- US banks and counterparties can differ — one state checklist is not a national rule.
- Private-agent document notes only — not legal, visa, immigration or bank-account-opening advice. Confirm with the receiving bank or authority.
Paper versus e-Apostille
GOV.UK offers paper apostille and e-Apostille and tells you to check what the person asking actually wants. Official fees (checked 5 November 2026): paper £45 (+ courier/postage); e-Apostille £35. Standard paper is usually up to 25 working days; e-Apostille up to 2 working days — always recheck live GOV.UK.
e-Apostille acceptance is not universal. Banks, state authorities and counsel in different US states often still want a wet-ink paper apostille on the Companies House original. Treat a US corridor paper-first apostille check as the working default until the named recipient confirms e-Apostille in writing. Do not claim every US counterparty will accept an electronic apostille. Apostille stays quote-only with UKCOGS — no buy-now apostille button.
Typical company-document list (examples only)
US bank-account, branch-registration and counsel due-diligence checklists commonly name (examples only — map the written list before you pay):
- A Certificate of Good Standing (Companies House company certificate with the summary statement where the company is eligible).
- A certified Certificate of Incorporation.
- Certified current articles of association (and sometimes a certified memorandum / articles history where the list asks for it).
- Occasionally further certified filings from the public register — never invent shareholders, PSC or statement-of-capital facts onto a COGS; those are not on the Companies House company certificate.
These are examples, not bank-account, immigration, branch or counsel advice. Guide: UK Ltd and US bank lists. Ambiguous wording? Use Which document? and filings checker before you order standing.
Buy-now Companies House prices (ex VAT)
- COGS — £79 std (CH £22) · £129 express (CH £65)
- Certified incorporation — £49 (CH £22)
- Documents pack — £249–£299 (typical £279; CH £66 on the standard three-doc set)
Official Companies House dispatch fees are £22 standard / £65 express (order guidance; Companies House fees — checked 5 November 2026) and are shown separately from the UKCOGS agent fee. Buy-now applies only to CH products; apostille / embassy stages stay on quote.
Freshness — 30–90 day operational windows
Companies House does not print a legal expiry on a company certificate. US recipients often treat a COGS as a 30–90 day operational window (sometimes 30 or 60, commonly about 90). That is recipient practice, not UK statute — do not invent a legal validity period. Check age with the document freshness helper and confirm the written window before you order, especially if apostille and courier time will eat into the window.
Translation
For US English-speaking banks, counsel and counterparties, Companies House originals in English are usually fine — but confirm with receiving counsel in writing. Any certified translation or extra notarisation the recipient names is quote-only. Do not assume every clerk accepts English-only packs without checking the checklist.
Timescale in working days + pack CTA
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Express COGS follows the before-11am CH rule where offered. If the checklist also needs legalisation, GOV.UK’s standard paper apostille is usually up to 25 working days (+ courier/postage) and e-Apostille up to 2 working days — quoted case by case, not guaranteed. For a single invoice covering the usual three CH originals, order the company documents pack buy-now, then request an apostille quote if the US recipient needs the FCDO step.
Related pages
- COGS · Pack · Incorporation · Order · Quote
- Legalisation hub · Legacy legalisation/usa notes · Spain · Portugal · Filings check · Tools
Who we are
PASECOM GROUP LTD / Pasecom Group Ltd · 17139327 · 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, IP28 7DE · ICO ZC117546 · pete@pasecom.co.uk. Trading as UKCOGS. Private agent — not Companies House, not the FCDO, not GOV.UK.
Sources checked 5 November 2026 (Europe/London): HCCH status table (cid=41, last update 30 June 2026 — US EIF 15 Oct 1981); HCCH US authorities (aid=353); GOV.UK CH order guidance (£22 / £65); Companies House fees; GOV.UK legalisation and consular services fees (paper £45 / e-Apostille £35 — never £30). Not legal advice; confirm with the receiving bank or authority. Page last updated 5 November 2026.
FAQ — UK documents for the United States
Confirm every answer against the recipient’s written checklist. Last updated 5 November 2026.
Is the United States in the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. The HCCH status table for the 1961 Apostille Convention (last update 30 June 2026) lists the United States of America as a Contracting Party: accession 24 December 1980, in force 15 October 1981. An FCDO apostille is the usual UK legalisation step for Companies House certificates headed to the US. Confirm the named recipient still wants it — and whether they want paper or e-Apostille.
Do I still need US embassy legalisation?
Usually no for Hague-covered public documents. GOV.UK’s extra embassy-and-ministry chain is described for countries that are not Hague parties. The US is a party. If a bank or counsel checklist still names embassy attestation, ask in writing before paying for extra steps. UKCOGS will not invent an embassy stage.
What Companies House documents are commonly listed for US use?
Examples only (confirm the written list): Certificate of Good Standing (company certificate with summary statement where eligible), certified Certificate of Incorporation, and certified articles of association. Some US bank, branch or counsel due-diligence packs add further certified filings. Not legal, visa, immigration or bank-account advice — match the recipient checklist.
What are UKCOGS prices for the Companies House stage?
Buy-now ex VAT: COGS £79 standard / £129 express (official CH £22 / £65), certified incorporation £49 (CH £22), pack £249–£299 (typical £279; standard three-document CH fees £66). Official CH fees checked on GOV.UK 5 November 2026. Apostille stays quote-only.
Will a US recipient accept an e-Apostille?
Not universally. GOV.UK says ask whether the person wants paper or e-Apostille, and some document types are not eligible for e-Apostille. Banks and state authorities in different US states often still prefer paper — treat a US corridor paper-first apostille check as the safe default until the named recipient confirms e-Apostille in writing. Apostille remains quote-only with UKCOGS.
How fresh should the certificate be?
Companies House does not print a legal expiry. Recipients commonly treat a COGS as a 30–90 day operational window — sometimes 30 or 60, often about 90. That is recipient practice, not UK statute. Use the document freshness helper and confirm the written window before you order.
Do I need a translation for the United States?
Usually English is fine for US English-speaking banks, counsel and counterparties, but confirm with receiving counsel in writing. Any certified translation the recipient names is quote-only. Do not assume every clerk accepts English-only packs without checking.
How long does this take in working days?
CH standard aims ~10 working days; we typically scan and send within 1–3 working days of receipt. Express COGS follows the before-11am CH rule where offered. GOV.UK lists standard paper apostille usually up to 25 working days and e-Apostille up to 2 working days (plus courier/postage for paper) — quoted case by case, not guaranteed. Order the CH pack buy-now; apostille stays on a quote.
Is this legal or bank-account advice?
No. UKCOGS is a private document agent (Pasecom Group Ltd 17139327), not Companies House, the FCDO or an embassy. These notes are not legal, immigration, visa or bank-account-opening advice. Confirm every requirement with the receiving bank or authority before you pay.
Ready for a US document route?
Order Companies House originals now. Request a quote for FCDO apostille — quote-only, no apostille buy button.