Do LLPs get a Certificate of Good Standing?

16 October 2026

UK limited liability partnerships are registered at Companies House, but an LLP is not the same legal form as a private limited company. Whether a particular Certificate of Good Standing is available, and what it says, should be checked against the LLP record and the receiving organisation’s checklist.

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

The practical answer is to identify the LLP by its registered name and number, then confirm the certificate product and wording before paying. Many banks and overseas authorities ask for a “company certificate” as shorthand for entity evidence, but they may still need to understand that the applicant is an LLP with members rather than a company with directors and shareholders. A correct document can be rejected if the recipient expected the wrong legal form or supporting document.

LLP structure matters

An LLP has designated and non-designated members rather than directors in the company-law sense. Its registered details, accounts and confirmation statements are filed through Companies House, but terminology in a bank form may differ. Give the recipient the LLP number and legal name, and ask whether it requires member information, an incorporation document, a members’ agreement or a status certificate.

What a status certificate can and cannot show

A certificate can provide official evidence about the registered entity and relevant status at issue. It is not a copy of the LLP agreement and does not automatically prove who can bind the LLP, who owns economic interests or whether a member has authority for a transaction. Those questions may require the LLP agreement, a member resolution or professional advice.

Overseas use and terminology

A foreign reviewer may translate LLP as a partnership, limited partnership or corporate body. Do not change the legal form in a translation simply to fit a form. Ask whether it needs an apostille and whether it wants paper or electronic documents. If translation is required, establish whether the translator must be recognised in the destination jurisdiction.

Member and filing checks

Before ordering, check the live Companies House record for the LLP number, registered office, member entries and recent filings. A change filed recently may affect the recipient’s questions without changing the legal identity. If the recipient wants current member evidence, ask whether it needs a dated register extract or certified filing rather than assuming that a COGS includes every member detail.

Practical checklist

• Confirm that the applicant is an LLP, not a limited company or limited partnership.

• Use the LLP’s registered number and exact legal name.

• Ask whether the recipient accepts a status certificate for an LLP.

• Clarify evidence about members and signing authority.

• Confirm paper/electronic, apostille and translation requirements.

• Check the age rule; around 90 days is common, not universal.

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 Urgent/Restricted Urgent where the relevant conditions apply. Certification, translation, courier, postage and any later embassy stage can be separate. UKCOGS does not claim FCDO partner status; use current official terms when describing any service.

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, registrar or clerk 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, whether a portal accepts the original electronic file, whether paper will be requested later and whether the courier address differs from the registered office. 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 an LLP order a COGS?

An LLP may have an appropriate Companies House certificate route, but confirm the precise product and wording.

Does an LLP have directors?

No. LLPs have members, including designated members. Use the correct terminology.

Does the certificate prove a member can sign?

Not necessarily. Authority may depend on the LLP agreement, resolutions or another document.

Will a foreign bank accept an LLP certificate?

Only the bank can decide. Send the certificate title and entity type for written confirmation.

Is an apostille always needed?

No. It depends on the destination and recipient. Ask whether legalisation, translation or embassy processing follows.

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.