Scottish companies and Certificates of Good Standing

27 November 2026

A company registered in Scotland is a UK company whose registered details are held at Companies House. A Scottish registered office does not automatically require a different Certificate of Good Standing, but a recipient may ask for particular wording, evidence or legalisation.

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

A company registered in Scotland is a UK company whose registered details are held at Companies House. A Scottish registered office does not automatically require a different Certificate of Good Standing, but a recipient may ask for particular wording, evidence or legalisation. The safe approach is to identify the correct company, document, issue date and recipient requirement before paying for certification or delivery.

Is there a separate Scottish category

Begin with the company’s Companies House record and number. The route depends on the product and status, not simply the postcode. Do not infer that a Scottish company needs an English-law certificate or local authority attestation.

Check the register

Confirm number, name, office, jurisdiction and status. Review filings and recent changes. A Scottish address may belong to one subsidiary in a wider group, so identify the entity and keep its legal name prominent.

When Scottish law matters

A recipient may request constitutional documents, legal opinion or signing authority for a transaction. A COGS does not answer governing-law, property, tax or contract-enforceability questions.

Overseas use

The intended country and recipient determine whether apostille, translation or embassy handling follows. Confirm paper or electronic format and whether it wants a COGS, incorporation certificate, articles or certified copies.

Can it use a UK apostille

An eligible UK document can go through the relevant legalisation route. The apostille authenticates the stated signature, seal or status; it does not certify Scottish law, solvency or acceptance.

Label the pack

State the exact legal name, number, office and issue date. Separate the COGS from incorporation and constitutional documents. Roughly 90 days is a common habit, not a universal rule.

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

Do Scottish companies need a different COGS?

Not automatically. Confirm the recipient’s requirement.

Does a Scottish office prove trading location?

No. Registered office and trading location differ.

Is a COGS proof of Scottish compliance?

No. It is not a full legal or financial assessment.

Can it use an e-Apostille?

Potentially, if eligible and accepted by the recipient.

Is 90 days law?

No. It is a common freshness habit.

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.