Legalisation for the USA
For US use, start with an official Companies House certificate, usually a Certificate of Good Standing. The United States has applied the Hague Apostille Convention since 15 October 1981, so if the recipient wants legalisation an FCDO apostille is normally the only UK step, with no US embassy stage. Many US recipients accept the certificate without one.
How a typical USA document job runs
Three steps. Confirm the recipient’s written list first.
Confirm the US recipient’s checklist
Get the bank, state filing office, counsel or counterparty list in writing: the exact documents, which certified facts, how recent, and whether an apostille is required at all.
Order Companies House documents (buy-now)
Order the Certificate of Good Standing, certified incorporation, articles or the pack. Standard Companies House orders aim to dispatch within 10 working days; we usually scan and send within 1 to 3 working days of receipt.
Request an apostille quote only if asked
If the checklist names an apostille, request a quote. The US is a Hague member, so there is no US embassy step. Official FCDO fees: paper £45, e-Apostille £35.
Hague Apostille and the USA
The HCCH Apostille Convention status table (last update 30 June 2026, 130 Contracting Parties) shows the United States acceding on 24 December 1980, with the Convention in force from 15 October 1981. That means a UK public document, such as a Companies House certificate, needs at most an FCDO apostille for use in the US. There is no US embassy or consular legalisation stage.
The bigger question for US use is often whether an apostille is needed at all. Many US banks and counterparties review a UK Certificate of Good Standing without one; others, especially some state offices and law firms, ask for it. Get the answer in writing before you pay.
Before you order: key points
- Match the written list. US banks, state offices and counsel each set their own document rules.
- Filings must be up to date for the summary statement. Overdue accounts or confirmation statement stop it being issued; run a free filings check.
- No shareholders or PSCs on the certificate. Ownership evidence needs different documents.
- We are a private agent. UKCOGS orders official documents and coordinates the FCDO step. We are not the FCDO, Companies House, GOV.UK or any US authority, and we do not hold FCDO partner status.
- Apostille is quote-only. We confirm we can fulfil before taking legalisation money.
- Documents only. We do not give US legal, tax, immigration, visa or banking advice. Neither the certificate nor the apostille has a fixed legal expiry; the recipient decides how recent it must be.
Who in the US asks for UK company documents
The same UK company can meet very different checklists in the US. Typical requesters include:
- Banks and payment providers reviewing a UK company as a customer, often asking for a Certificate of Good Standing and a Certificate of Incorporation, sometimes with directors listed.
- State filing offices, when a UK company registers to transact business in a state, commonly asking for evidence of existence from the home jurisdiction within a set period.
- US counsel on acquisitions, financings and contracts, who may want a certificate dated close to closing.
- Counterparties and procurement teams verifying a UK supplier.
These are examples, not advice. If the wording is ambiguous, use Which document do I need? or send us the checklist with a quote request.
Worked example: a UK company registering in a US state
A UK software company is registering to do business in a US state. The state form asks for a certificate of existence or good standing from the home jurisdiction, issued within 90 days, and the company’s US counsel asks for an apostille. The director runs the filings checker, sees nothing overdue and orders a standard Certificate of Good Standing with directors and registered office (£79 ex VAT through UKCOGS, including the £22 Companies House fee). When the certificate arrives, a paper apostille is quoted and requested (£45 FCDO fee). No embassy step is needed. The pack reaches counsel about four to six weeks after ordering, well inside the 90-day window.
Paper versus e-Apostille for US recipients
GOV.UK says the e-Apostille (£35) needs a PDF electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor and takes up to 2 working days; the standard paper apostille (£45) usually takes up to 25 working days plus courier. State filing offices and many banks still expect paper. Read paper apostille vs e-Apostille vs embassy before choosing.
Freshness
Companies House prints no expiry date. US recipients commonly want certificates issued within 30, 60 or 90 days, and closing checklists may be tighter. An apostille does not refresh an old certificate. Check the age with the document freshness helper and plan the order with the cost estimator.
Common mistakes with US document requests
- Paying for an apostille the US recipient never asked for.
- Looking for a US embassy legalisation step that does not exist for Hague documents.
- Sending a free register download instead of a certified Companies House certificate.
- Ordering too early for a closing date, so the certificate is too old by signing.
- Assuming a certificate proves ownership or signing authority; it does not.
See also: typical documents a US bank asks a UK Ltd for and US destination notes.
Official fees (last checked 4 October 2026)
These are the official government fees from GOV.UK. UKCOGS buy-now prices for Companies House documents sit alongside them and include the Companies House fee.
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FCDO paper apostille (standard)Per document, plus courier or postage | £45 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| FCDO e-ApostillePDFs e-signed by a UK notary or solicitor | £35 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| FCDO Next-Day (registered businesses, paper)Next working day | £40 | GOV.UK legalisation |
| Companies House certificate or certified copy, standardAims to dispatch within 10 working days | £22 | GOV.UK Companies House |
| Companies House expressSame-day dispatch if ordered before 11am | £65 | GOV.UK Companies House |
| UKCOGS Certificate of Good Standing (buy-now)Ex VAT, includes the official fee | £79 / £129 | COGS page |
| UKCOGS apostille, embassy or translation handlingLegalisation stages | Quote only | Get a quote |
GOV.UK also lists the business-only Restricted Urgent paper service at £100 (same day, pre-approval required) and return courier at £6 UK, £32 most of Europe and £42 rest of the world per 1.5kg. Certified Certificate of Incorporation and certified articles are £49 each ex VAT (including the £22 Companies House fee); the company documents pack is £249–£299 ex VAT.
Buy-now Companies House prices (ex VAT)
- Certificate of Good Standing: £79 standard (includes CH £22) or £129 express (includes CH £65)
- Certified Certificate of Incorporation: £49 (includes CH £22)
- Company documents pack: £249–£299 (typical £279)
- Company documents hub: certified articles £49 and other certified copies
- Filings check: £15, or use the free filings checker
Related pages
- United States destination notes
- COGS buy-now · Pack · Incorporation · Company documents
- FCDO apostille and legalisation hub · Apostilled COGS (quote)
- Legalisation hub · UAE · Spain · China
- Filings check · Freshness helper · Pack builder · Order
- Ordering a COGS for foreign counsel
Who we are
PASECOM GROUP LTD / Pasecom Group Ltd · 17139327 · 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, IP28 7DE · ICO ZC117546 · pete@pasecom.co.uk. Trading as UKCOGS. Private agent: not Companies House, not the FCDO, not GOV.UK and not the US Embassy.
Sources checked 4 October 2026: HCCH Apostille Convention status table (cid=41, last update 30 June 2026; United States in force 15 October 1981); GOV.UK “Get your document legalised” (FCDO £45 paper, £35 e-Apostille, £40 Next-Day, £100 Restricted Urgent); GOV.UK Companies House order guidance (£22 standard, £65 express). Fees last checked 4 October 2026. Page last updated 4 October 2026.
FAQ: UK company documents for USA
Check every answer against the recipient’s written checklist. Last updated 4 October 2026.
Is the USA part of the Hague Apostille Convention?
Yes. The HCCH status table shows the Convention in force for the United States since 15 October 1981. For UK public documents within the Convention, an FCDO apostille replaces any embassy or consular legalisation.
Do US banks need an apostille on a UK Certificate of Good Standing?
Some do and many do not. It depends on the bank’s own compliance policy. Ask for the checklist in writing before paying for an apostille. This is document information only, not advice on opening an account.
Does the US Embassy in London legalise UK company documents?
No embassy legalisation stage is needed for Hague documents going to the US. If a US recipient asks for “legalisation”, it almost always means an FCDO apostille.
What do US state filing offices ask for?
When a UK company registers to do business in a US state, the state office commonly asks for evidence of existence from the home jurisdiction, such as a Certificate of Good Standing, sometimes within a set number of days. Each state sets its own rules, so check the current form.
How recent does the certificate need to be?
There is no UK legal expiry. US recipients often ask for 30, 60 or 90 days, and counsel on transactions may want a certificate dated close to closing. Use the free document freshness helper to check age.
Paper apostille or e-Apostille for the US?
Ask the recipient. Paper is the safer default for state filings and banks. An e-Apostille needs a PDF e-signed by a UK notary or solicitor and only helps if the recipient accepts electronic files.
Can a UK certificate show who owns the company?
No. Companies House cannot certify PSCs, shareholders or shareholdings on a certificate. US banks wanting ownership evidence usually need separate documents, such as certified copies of filings or a professional letter.
What does UKCOGS charge?
Buy-now ex VAT: Certificate of Good Standing £79 standard (includes CH £22) or £129 express (includes CH £65), certified incorporation £49, pack £249–£299. Apostille handling is quote-only. Fees checked 4 October 2026.
How long does it take?
Companies House standard aims to dispatch within 10 working days; express before 11am goes the same day. If an apostille is needed, GOV.UK says up to 2 working days for e-Apostille and usually up to 25 working days plus courier for paper.
Are you the FCDO, Companies House or a US government agency?
No. UKCOGS is a private document agent operated by Pasecom Group Ltd (17139327). We do not claim FCDO partner status and we do not give US legal, tax, immigration or banking advice.
Ready for a US document route?
Order Companies House documents now. Request a quote for the apostille and any translation or embassy stage. Legalisation is quote-only, with no apostille buy button.