Why check Companies House filings before you order a COGS

Published 21 September 2026 · Last updated 4 November 2026 · Official fees checked on GOV.UK 4 November 2026 (Companies House, FCDO)

This Advice Centre guide is practical document information, not legal advice, an immigration opinion, a banking decision or a promise of foreign acceptance. Ask the named recipient for its current written checklist before ordering.

Short answer

Checking the live Companies House record before ordering a Certificate of Good Standing can reveal an overdue filing, name change, officer update or strike-off notice that affects the document route. It is a practical quality check, not legal or financial advice. The safe approach is to identify the correct company, document, issue date and recipient requirement before paying for certification or delivery.

Start with the company number

Search the official service using the company number, then compare exact name, type, registered office and status. Similar names and group companies create avoidable mistakes. This check prevents ordering a genuine certificate for the wrong entity.

Review filing history

Look at confirmation statements, accounts and recent submissions. An overdue filing may affect certificate eligibility or recipient confidence. A submission receipt does not necessarily mean the public record has updated, so check the register again when timing matters.

Spot changes affecting the pack

Name, address, director or PSC changes can make old bank documents inconsistent. Strike-off or liquidation information may also change the appropriate next step. The aim is a coherent pack, not a complete legal investigation.

If the register is wrong

Resolve an error or rejected filing through the proper channel. A provider cannot rewrite Companies House. Keep correction evidence and tell the overseas recipient honestly if the document record is changing.

Freshness after a filing

A recipient may want a COGS issued after a filing or change. Roughly 90 days is only a common operational habit; the bank may use another period. An apostille does not make a stale certificate current.

Keep a pre-order record

Save the company link, number, review date, open questions and recipient checklist. This helps an accountant or compliance team understand the order and makes a replacement easier if the recipient needs a newer issue.

How the free filings checker relates to a paid COGS order

The free Companies House filings checker reads live Companies House public-register signals, not a grant guarantee: company status, accounts overdue, confirmation statement overdue, and next-due dates. It does not order a certificate, invent eligibility, or promise that Companies House will grant the summary statement (good standing). Use it so overdue filings do not waste a refused standing route before you pay for a Certificate of Good Standing.

A clean check is still only a snapshot. Companies House can change the record after you look. Always re-check on Find and update company information before you pay, and ask the named recipient for its written checklist. This guide is educational document information, not legal advice.

What register signals mean before you order a COGS

These are the signals most often checked before a good-standing order. They are practical register cues, not a substitute for professional advice on filing or insolvency.

Overdue accounts: the public record shows accounts past their due date. Companies House can refuse the summary statement (good standing) while accounts are late; a certificate of fact may still issue, but many banks reject that route. See late accounts and COGS. File on GOV.UK, wait for the register to update, then re-check.
Overdue confirmation statement: the same pattern applies to a late confirmation statement. It often blocks the summary statement until the filing is accepted and visible. See overdue confirmation statement and COGS.
Notice of proposed strike-off or strike-off in progress: a strike-off proposal is a strong reason to pause a standing order and confirm with counsel or the recipient what they will accept. See strike-off and Certificate of Good Standing.
Dissolution or liquidation status: a normal good-standing summary statement is unlikely. Open the live Companies House record and take advice if needed — UKCOGS will not invent eligibility.

Official Companies House dispatch for a company certificate or certified copy remains £22 standard / £65 express (GOV.UK Companies House order guidance; Companies House fees list — checked 4 November 2026). Those are official charges, not the full agent service price. Apostille stays quote-only: FCDO £45 paper / £35 e-Apostille (GOV.UK legalisation overview, checked 4 November 2026). Never rely on older £30 apostille figures.

Free tool vs the £15 filings check product

The free Companies House filings checker is self-serve: you enter the company number, read status and overdue flags, and decide. When you want UKCOGS to review the live register for you before you pay for a COGS — for example the HTML looks ambiguous, a partner asked for an agent confirmation, or you prefer a human pass — order the Filings check — £15 ex VAT SKU on secure checkout. That £15 product is not a Companies House certificate and carries no official CH product fee. It does not replace filing on GOV.UK, and it is not a guarantee that a later COGS order will receive the summary statement.

What to check before you pay

Public-register signals and whether to order a COGS now (educational only — confirm on the live register)
Signal	Meaning	Order now?
Active / filings current	Status looks active; accounts and confirmation statement not flagged overdue.	Yes, if the recipient wants a current COGS — still confirm the company number and checklist.
Accounts overdue	Accounts past due on the public register; summary statement often refused.	No for standing. File first, wait for update, re-check. See late accounts and COGS.
Confirmation statement overdue	CS past due; same summary-statement risk.	No for standing until filed and visible. See overdue confirmation statement and COGS.
Strike-off proposed / in progress	Strike-off notice on the filing history or status.	Pause. Confirm with the recipient; see strike-off and Certificate of Good Standing.
Dissolved / liquidation	Company not in a normal active good-standing state.	Do not expect a normal good-standing COGS. Take advice.

Related next steps: Certificate of Good Standing · Companies House filings checker · late accounts and COGS · overdue confirmation statement and COGS · strike-off and Certificate of Good Standing. We order Companies House documents only. Apostille and embassy stages stay quote-only.

Practical checklist

Use the exact registered company name, number and company type.
Review the live Companies House record and recent filing history.
Ask the recipient what the document must prove, how recent it must be and whether it accepts paper or electronic format.
Confirm apostille, translation, embassy and courier requirements before paying.
Keep the order confirmation, issued document and legalisation evidence together.
Index the pack without claiming that a certificate proves ownership, solvency or authority unless it actually does.

Official fees and sources

Check the live GOV.UK guidance on ordering certified copies and certificates from Companies House before ordering. The current working figures for this batch are £22 for a standard Companies House certificate and £65 for a same-day certificate. These are official charges, not an agent’s full service price.

Where legalisation is needed, the live GOV.UK document legalisation guidance lists £45 for a paper apostille, £35 for an e-Apostille, £40 for Next-Day and £100 for Restricted Urgent where the relevant conditions apply. Certification, translation, courier, postage and any later embassy stage can be separate. Do not describe a provider as an FCDO partner unless current official terms expressly support that wording.

Freshness is a recipient rule

There is no universal 90-day legal expiry for every Certificate of Good Standing. About 90 days is a common recipient habit, but a bank, authority or counterparty may specify 30, 60, 180 days or a document issued after a particular filing. An apostille authenticates the relevant signature, seal or status; it does not refresh company information. Check the recipient’s written rule and the live Companies House record before presentation.

Questions to settle before payment

Ask the receiving organisation to confirm the exact document title, the legal entity, the maximum document age and the accepted delivery format. Ask whether it wants an original, a Companies House certified copy, a solicitor-certified copy or an electronic file. If the document will be used outside the UK, ask whether an apostille is enough or whether translation, embassy legalisation or local filing follows. Put the reply in the order file; a short written answer is more useful than an assumption based on a similar transaction.

Also check the practical hand-offs. Who will receive the certificate? Does the bank or authority need the complete pack uploaded in one session? Will it accept a scan for preliminary review and request originals later? Is a courier address different from the registered office? These details affect timing and can prevent a correctly issued document being sent to the wrong place. Keep tracking information and delivery confirmation with the final pack.

Keep the scope clear

A company certificate is one piece of evidence. It should not be described as a guarantee of incorporation history, ownership, financial health, tax compliance, authority to sign or permission to trade unless the document and recipient specifically establish that point. If a reviewer asks a question the certificate cannot answer, add the separate evidence it requests or obtain professional advice. Clear wording protects the client from relying on a document for a purpose it was never designed to meet.

Frequently asked questions

Can I order without checking filings?

You may, but checking first reduces the risk of an unsuitable or delayed document.

Does an overdue filing always prevent a COGS?

The effect depends on the product and current record; check live guidance.

Is a register search legal advice?

No. It is a practical document check.

How long after filing should I wait?

Check when the record updates and ask the recipient about timing.

Can an apostille fix a filing issue?

No. Legalisation does not update the register.

What should I look at first on the Companies House record?

Check the company status, the next accounts and confirmation statement due dates, and any notice of proposed strike-off in the filing history. The free filings checker shows those dates and flags anything overdue in one place, so you can deal with a filing problem before paying for a certificate.

How does the free filings checker relate to ordering a COGS?

The free filings checker reads public-register signals (status, overdue flags, next-due dates). It is not a grant guarantee that Companies House will issue the summary statement. Use it before you pay so overdue filings do not waste a refused standing route.

When should I use the free tool vs the £15 filings check?

Use the free tool for a quick self-serve read. Order the Filings check — £15 ex VAT SKU on secure checkout when you want UKCOGS to review the live register for you before a COGS (for example ambiguous HTML or a partner requesting agent confirmation). The £15 product is not a Companies House certificate and carries no official CH product fee.

What do overdue accounts or an overdue confirmation statement mean for a COGS?

Companies House can refuse the summary statement (good standing) while those filings are late. A certificate of fact may still issue, but many recipients reject that route. File on GOV.UK, wait for the register to update, then re-check before ordering standing.

Should I order a COGS if strike-off or liquidation appears on the record?

Usually pause. A strike-off proposal or liquidation/dissolution status makes a normal good-standing summary statement unlikely. Confirm with the recipient and take advice if needed — UKCOGS will not invent eligibility.

Do official Companies House and FCDO fees change this check?

No. Checking filings is separate from fees. Official CH dispatch for a company certificate or certified copy is £22 standard / £65 express; FCDO apostille is £45 paper / £35 e-Apostille (GOV.UK, checked 4 November 2026). Apostille stays quote-only and does not fix a filing problem.

UKCOGS can help coordinate the relevant document route. See the Certificate of Good Standing service, apostille and legalisation information, order page or request a quote. Service prices and delivery times are separate from official fees, and the receiving organisation makes its own decision.

Private agent: UKCOGS is not Companies House or the FCDO. Official fees — CH £22/£65; FCDO paper £45 / e-Apostille £35 — confirm on GOV.UK. Not legal advice.