Does a UK company need to be VAT registered to get a Certificate of Good Standing?

12 October 2026

VAT registration is not normally a condition for obtaining a UK Certificate of Good Standing (COGS). A COGS is about the company’s registered status and Companies House record; VAT is administered by HM Revenue & Customs and is a separate tax registration.

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

In most cases, a UK company can obtain a COGS whether or not it is VAT registered. The certificate does not usually state a VAT number, turnover, VAT returns or tax compliance. If a bank or overseas authority asks for proof of VAT registration, it is asking for a different document or a separate HMRC check. Confirm the recipient’s wording before ordering, because “company is active”, “company is tax registered” and “company is VAT registered” are not interchangeable requests.

What a COGS is checking

Companies House issues a company certificate from its own register. The precise wording and checks can vary with the product, but the recipient is generally looking for a current snapshot of the company’s registered existence and status. The company number, legal name and company type are central. A VAT number is not a substitute for that identity information, and the absence of a VAT number is not, by itself, evidence that the company is inactive.

VAT registration is a different record

VAT registration is a tax matter. A business may be below the compulsory threshold, register voluntarily, belong to a VAT group or have ceased registration while remaining an active company. Those situations do not automatically determine whether the company can request a COGS. Conversely, a VAT number does not establish that annual accounts or confirmation statements are up to date.

What a bank may ask for

A bank onboarding team may request a COGS for corporate status and a separate VAT certificate, VIES result or HMRC evidence for tax information. Ask whether it wants the VAT registration number, the legal entity named on the VAT record or evidence of tax residence. Keep the documents matched to the same company number and exact legal name. A trading name or group name can create a mismatch even when both businesses are related.

Check the purpose before ordering

Write down the question the recipient is trying to answer. If it is “does this company exist and remain in good standing on the UK register?”, a COGS may be relevant. If it is “is this business registered for VAT?”, request tax evidence instead. If the request says “company certificate including tax number”, send the wording to the recipient and ask whether it wants two documents.

Practical checklist

• Record the exact registered company name and number.

• Ask whether the recipient needs a COGS, VAT evidence or both.

• Check the live Companies House status and recent filings.

• Do not infer VAT registration from an active Companies House status.

• Ask how recent each document must be; around 90 days is common, not universal.

• Keep HMRC or VAT evidence separate from the Companies House certificate.

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 a non-VAT-registered company get a COGS?

Usually yes, provided it meets the relevant Companies House requirements. VAT registration is a separate tax issue.

Does a COGS show the company’s VAT number?

Normally no. Do not present it as VAT evidence unless the recipient expressly confirms that it accepts it.

Does VAT registration prove good standing?

No. VAT status does not replace a Companies House certificate or prove that company filings are current.

What should I send to a bank?

Ask for its written checklist. It may need a COGS for status and separate VAT or tax-residence evidence.

How old can the documents be?

The recipient decides. About 90 days is common, but some organisations use 30, 60 or 180 days.

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.