Document freshness helper
Check whether your UK Certificate of Good Standing still sits inside the bank or overseas age window. About 90 days is a common habit — not a UK legal expiry.
Private agent tool · Not Companies House or the FCDO · Not legal advice. Ask the named recipient for its written rule before you order.
How this helper works
Enter the certificate issue date and the age window your bank, registry or counterparty has asked for. The helper calculates calendar-day age and whether the document still sits inside that window on the date you choose.
There is no universal UK legal “expiry” for a Certificate of Good Standing. Companies House issues a company certificate with certified facts (including a summary statement where eligible) that reflects the register at the issue date. Overseas banks often treat roughly 90 days as a working maximum; some insist on 30–60 days, or on a certificate issued after a particular filing.
Official sources
- Order certified copies and certificates from Companies House — GOV.UK (standard £22 · express £65; confirm live fees)
- Get your document legalised — FCDO apostille fees (paper £45 · e-Apostille £35 · Next-Day £40 · Restricted Urgent £100 where eligible)
Before you reorder
- Confirm the recipient’s written day-count and which date it measures (upload vs review vs approval).
- Check the live Companies House record for overdue filings or status notices.
- If legalisation is required, plan apostille time separately — an apostille does not refresh company facts.
- Order a buy-now COGS when you need a fresh Companies House certificate; use quote-only for apostille or embassy stages.
Frequently asked questions
Does a UK Certificate of Good Standing expire?
There is no universal statutory expiry date. The certificate records the company position at the issue date. Banks and overseas recipients set their own freshness windows — often about 90 days, sometimes 30–60 days, or an issue date after a named filing.
Does an apostille make an old certificate current?
No. An FCDO apostille authenticates the relevant signature, seal or status for use abroad. It does not refresh company information or extend a recipient’s age rule. If the bank wants a newer COGS, order a new certificate (and re-apostille if required).
What date counts — upload, review or account opening?
Ask the recipient in writing. A certificate that is fresh at upload can be stale by the time compliance reviews the pack. Measure age against the date they actually enforce.
Can Companies House put a “valid until” date on the certificate?
Companies House issues certificates and certified copies with certified facts as at the issue date. Confirm current product wording and fees on GOV.UK. Recipients still apply their own operational age rules.
Should I check filings before reordering?
Yes. Overdue accounts or confirmation statements can affect a summary statement (good-standing) route. Review the live Companies House record before you pay for a replacement pack.
Order a fresh Companies House certificate
Buy-now COGS when the window is tight. Apostille and embassy stages stay quote-only until we confirm the route.