Can a dormant UK company get a Certificate of Good Standing?

Published 9 September 2026 · Last updated 26 October 2026 · Official fees checked on GOV.UK 26 October 2026 (Companies House, FCDO)

Yes, a dormant UK company may be able to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing if its Companies House filings are up to date and the register supports the certificate conditions. Dormant does not mean exempt from filing. Check the company record, then confirm what the receiving bank or authority wants.

For UK companies, the safest approach is to separate what the Companies House register says from what an overseas recipient wants to prove. A document can be genuine and still be the wrong format, too old, or incomplete for a bank, authority, partner or licensing team. This guide explains the practical document route in plain British English. It is document guidance, not legal advice.

What is the short answer?

Dormant normally describes the company’s accounting or trading position; it is not the same as inactive on the Companies House register. A dormant company can have directors, a registered office and a confirmation statement obligation. The key question is whether the public record is current and whether the company is shown as active rather than dissolved or subject to a conflicting status.

A certificate is a statement about the company’s registered standing at the time it is issued. It is not proof that the company trades, has revenue, holds assets or has a bank balance. If a recipient wants evidence of trading activity, accounts, tax registration or beneficial ownership, those are separate documents and a COGS should not be presented as a substitute.

What should I check on the official register?

Start with the official GOV.UK company information service and use the company number wherever possible. Check the registered status, filing history, officers, PSC information and recent changes. The Find and update company information service is useful for comparing the live record with a document already held.

Look for overdue accounts or confirmation statements, a recent change of name or registered office, a director appointment or resignation, and any strike-off or liquidation notice. The aim is not to perform every possible due-diligence check. It is to make sure the document you order describes the same company and answers the question your recipient actually asked.

How do I match the document to the recipient’s request?

Write the request as a list of separate tests: company existence, current register position, directors, ownership, authority, address and identity. Then map each test to the document that answers it. A Certificate of Good Standing can support the current registered-position test. It is not automatically a certificate of incorporation, a PSC extract, a board resolution, a proof of address or a solvency report.

Pay attention to words such as “certified copy”, “original”, “apostilled”, “legalised”, “translated” and “issued within”. They describe different steps. If a bank or authority uses a broad phrase such as “company certificate”, ask its onboarding team to confirm the exact product and accepted format before ordering. A genuine document can be rejected if it is too old, unsigned, uncertified or in the wrong format.

What is the practical preparation process?

• Record the exact registered company name and company number.

• Review the live Companies House record and filing history before paying for a document.

• Write down the required issue date, language, certification and delivery format.

• Check whether the recipient wants a certificate, a certified copy or a downloaded register record.

• Ask whether an apostille, translation, embassy step or local attestation follows.

• Keep the order confirmation, issued document and recipient’s written instruction together.

• Submit a labelled pack showing what each document proves, without overclaiming.

The related UKCOGS guide may help with the next stage. A document agent can help order, check and coordinate documents, but cannot change the Companies House register, issue a foreign authority’s approval or guarantee that a bank will accept a pack. If the matter involves a disputed filing, ownership problem or legal question, use an appropriately qualified adviser.

What are the official Companies House fees?

Always check the live GOV.UK Companies House fees table. The current published figures are £22 for a standard paper certificate, £65 for a same-day certificate and £16 for an additional certificate for the same company. A certified copy of a document up to 10 pages is listed at £22 by post or £65 same day. See also GOV.UK guidance on ordering certified copies and certificates. These are official fees, not an agent’s service charge.

Where legalisation is needed, the current GOV.UK FCDO Legalisation Office guidance lists £45 for a standard paper-based apostille plus courier or postage, £40 for Next-Day for registered businesses, £35 for an e-Apostille and £100 for Restricted Urgent for registered businesses that have been pre-approved. The page says an e-Apostille is usually up to two working days and a standard paper route usually up to 25 working days, but check the live timeframe at application. Agent all-in prices differ because handling, preparation and delivery are separate from official fees.

What does “recent” mean?

Freshness is a practical recipient rule rather than one universal legal formula. Banks, free zones and authorities often treat about 90 days as a working rule, but an organisation may specify 30, 60, 180 days or another period. There is no general promise that an old certificate remains acceptable simply because an apostille is attached. An apostille authenticates the relevant document signature, seal or status; it does not refresh the company information.

If the company changed its name, address, officers or filing position, explain the change rather than hoping a reviewer will infer it. Keep old documents for the audit trail but clearly label which document is current. If a recipient’s checklist is unclear, obtain written confirmation before ordering; this is usually cheaper than repeating certification or courier work.

What does "dormant" mean for Companies House?

GOV.UK says a company is dormant for Companies House if it has had no "significant" transactions in the financial year. Filing fees paid to Companies House, penalties for late filing of accounts and money paid for shares on incorporation do not count as significant. Being dormant for Corporation Tax with HMRC is a separate test, so a company can be dormant for one and not the other. Sources: GOV.UK: dormant for Companies House and GOV.UK: dormant for Corporation Tax (checked 26 October 2026).

Dormant company checklist before you order

1. Check the status line. The register should show the company as active, with no "proposal to strike off" or dissolution notice.
2. Check the accounts date. Make sure the latest dormant accounts are filed and the next accounts are not overdue.
3. Check the confirmation statement date. Make sure the latest statement is filed and the next one is not overdue.
4. Check officers and the registered office. A dormant company still needs at least one director and a registered office address; update anything out of date first.
5. Fix, then wait. If something is late, file it and wait until it shows in the filing history before you order. See Certificate of Good Standing with late accounts and overdue confirmation statement.
6. Tell the recipient it is dormant. If a bank or overseas authority wants proof the company is trading, a certificate will not show that; ask what else it needs.

Official fees are unchanged on the current Companies House fees schedule (checked 26 October 2026): £22 by post, £65 same day and £16 for an additional certificate for the same company.

What are the common mistakes?

• Ordering by company name alone instead of confirming the company number.

• Assuming one certificate proves existence, ownership, authority and solvency.

• Confusing an official fee with an agent’s service price.

• Applying for an apostille before checking the underlying document route.

• Ignoring translation, embassy or local-attestation steps after UK legalisation.

• Using an old document without checking the recipient’s maximum age.

• Promising acceptance, a licence or a bank account outcome that only the recipient can decide.

What should I say to the receiving organisation?

A short confirmation email can avoid ambiguity: quote the exact document name, state whether paper or electronic format is required, ask how recent it must be, and ask whether the document must be apostilled or further legalised. If the recipient has a standard form, attach it to the order instructions. This is particularly important where a company has a recent filing, a dormant status, a PSC restriction or a strike-off notice.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Certificate of Good Standing prove the company is solvent?

No. It concerns registered standing at the issue date and is not a full financial, tax or litigation assessment.

Does it prove who owns or controls the company?

No. PSC information, ownership charts and identity evidence are separate documents and may be requested by the recipient.

Is there a universal legal expiry date?

No. Recipients often use roughly 90 days as a working rule, but the bank, authority or counterparty sets its own acceptance policy.

Can an apostille make any document acceptable?

No. It authenticates the relevant signature, seal or status; it does not correct an unsuitable document or replace the recipient’s due diligence.

Can a document agent guarantee acceptance?

No. An agent can coordinate the document route and explain practical options, while the issuing authority and receiving organisation make their own decisions.

Where should I check current fees and process rules?

Use the live GOV.UK Companies House and FCDO links in this guide and check them again before ordering.

For help matching the document to a recipient’s checklist, see UKCOGS document support. Service prices are separate from official Companies House and FCDO fees, and acceptance should be confirmed before work begins.

Does a dormant company still have to file a confirmation statement?

Yes. GOV.UK says a limited company must file its confirmation statement and annual accounts with Companies House even if it is dormant (checked 26 October 2026).

What counts as dormant for Companies House?

No significant transactions in the financial year. Companies House filing fees, late filing penalties and money paid for shares on incorporation do not count as significant (GOV.UK, checked 26 October 2026).

Can a dormant company file simpler accounts?

Yes, if it is dormant for Companies House and qualifies as small it can file dormant accounts and does not need an auditor's report. They still have to be filed on time.

Is dormant for HMRC the same as dormant for Companies House?

No. Corporation Tax dormancy is a separate test with HMRC, so check both if a recipient asks about the company's dormant status.

Will the certificate say the company is dormant?

A Certificate of Good Standing describes the company's registered standing when issued. It is not evidence of trading, revenue or tax status, so if a recipient needs those, provide the relevant accounts or tax documents separately.