What is a UK Certificate of Good Standing?

Published 3 September 2026 · Last updated 4 October 2026 · Official fees checked on GOV.UK 4 October 2026 (Companies House, FCDO)

A UK Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) is a company certificate issued by Companies House that includes the summary statement. That statement confirms the company has been in continuous, unbroken existence since incorporation and that no action is currently being taken to strike it off the register. The official fee is £22 standard or £65 same-day express (GOV.UK, checked 4 October 2026).

Companies House does not sell a product literally called a “Certificate of Good Standing”. The name comes from overseas banks, lawyers and registries, who use it for the company certificate with the summary statement (which Companies House called the “good standing statement” until March 2024). If someone abroad asks for a COGS, this is almost always what they mean.

UKCOGS is a private agent operated by Pasecom Group Ltd. We order the official certificate from Companies House on your behalf; we are not Companies House, the FCDO or GOV.UK.

What the certificate shows

A standard company certificate confirms the company’s registered name, its company number and its date of incorporation. You can ask Companies House to add additional certified facts:

• the summary statement (the “good standing” wording)
• directors’ names, and details such as date of birth or nationality
• secretaries’ names
• the registered office address
• the company’s objects, where it has them

Most overseas recipients want at least the summary statement. Banks often also ask for directors and the registered office, because those let them match the certificate to their onboarding file. Tell us exactly which facts the recipient’s checklist names and we will order the right version.

What it does not show

GOV.UK is explicit that Companies House cannot issue certificates with information on people with significant control (PSCs), shareholders, shareholdings or the statement of capital. A COGS therefore does not prove:

• who owns the company or controls it
• whether the company is solvent or profitable
• whether it is VAT registered or up to date with HMRC
• that a particular person has authority to sign a contract

If the recipient needs any of those, you need separate evidence, such as a certified copy of the latest confirmation statement, the PSC register entries, a board resolution or a professional letter. Our guide on what good standing does not mean goes through each gap.

Who can get one

Companies House will only issue the summary statement when the company is up to date with its filings. GOV.UK also sets structural conditions:

• a private limited company must have at least one director who is a natural person
• a public limited company must have a secretary and at least two directors, one of whom is a natural person

You do not need to be a director to order a certificate. Anyone can order one for any company on the register, which is why accountants, lawyers and agents like UKCOGS routinely order them for clients.

How to get one, step by step

1. Get the recipient’s checklist in writing. Note the exact document name, which certified facts it wants, how recent it must be and whether an apostille or translation is needed.
2. Check the live register. Search the company on Companies House or use our free filings checker to confirm it is active and that accounts and the confirmation statement are not overdue.
3. Order the certificate. Order directly from Companies House, or through UKCOGS from £79 ex VAT standard (including the £22 official fee) or £129 ex VAT express (including the £65 official fee) on our Certificate of Good Standing page.
4. Add legalisation if required. For overseas use you may need an FCDO apostille (official fee £45 paper, £35 e-Apostille) and, for some countries, embassy legalisation. UKCOGS handles those stages on a quote-only basis.
5. Send the pack and keep records. Keep the order confirmation, a scan of the certificate and any tracking with your file.

Worked example

A UK consultancy is opening an account with a bank in Portugal. The bank’s checklist asks for “a Certificate of Good Standing issued within the last three months, showing directors, with apostille”.

The director checks the register and sees the confirmation statement is due in five weeks but not overdue. She orders a standard certificate with the summary statement, directors and registered office (£79 ex VAT through UKCOGS, including the £22 Companies House fee). Companies House aims to dispatch standard orders within 10 working days. Once the paper certificate arrives, she requests an apostille quote, because Portugal is a Hague Apostille Convention country and the bank wants a paper apostille. The pack reaches the bank well inside the three-month window.

Common mistakes

• Sending a downloaded PDF. A free download from the Companies House service is not a certified certificate, and the FCDO cannot apostille it because it has no original official signature.
• Ordering before fixing filings. If accounts are overdue, the summary statement will not be issued. Fix the filing first; see Certificate of Good Standing with late accounts.
• Using the wrong entity. Similar names are common. Always quote the company number.
• Assuming a fixed expiry. There is no statutory validity period. The recipient decides how recent the certificate must be; use our document freshness helper.
• Confusing it with incorporation. A Certificate of Incorporation shows formation, not current status. Compare them in Certificate of Incorporation vs COGS.

Prices and official fees

Official fees from GOV.UK, checked 4 October 2026. Need more than one document? The company documents pack combines the COGS, a certified Certificate of Incorporation and the articles from £249 ex VAT.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Certificate of Good Standing an official document?

Yes. It is a company certificate issued and signed by Companies House. UKCOGS orders it for you, but the certificate itself comes from the registrar.

What is the summary statement?

It is the wording Companies House adds to confirm that the company has been in continuous, unbroken existence since incorporation and that no action is currently being taken to strike it off. It was called the good standing statement until March 2024.

How much does a Certificate of Good Standing cost?

The Companies House fee is £22 standard or £65 express (checked 4 October 2026). Through UKCOGS it is £79 ex VAT standard or £129 ex VAT express, with the official fee included.

How long does it take?

Companies House aims to dispatch standard orders within 10 working days by second class post. Express orders placed before 11am are dispatched the same working day by first class post.

Does it expire?

No legal expiry is printed. Banks and authorities set their own limits, often 30, 60 or 90 days from the issue date.

Can I get one if my accounts are late?

Not with the summary statement. Companies House only issues it when the company is up to date with its filings, so file the overdue accounts first.

Can it show who owns the company?

No. Companies House cannot certify PSCs, shareholders, shareholdings or the statement of capital on a certificate. Use certified copies of the relevant filings instead.

Do I need an apostille?

Only if the overseas recipient asks for one. For Hague Convention countries an FCDO apostille is usually enough; for others, embassy legalisation may follow. UKCOGS quotes those stages separately.