In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Alabama
In Alabama, the good standing certificate is the Certificate of Compliance issued by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR). You request it online through the ALDOR Certificate of Compliance portal and pay $14, which is a $10 certificate fee plus a $4 processing fee. ALDOR reviews each request by hand, processes most requests in 3 to 5 business days and emails the certificate. It is issued only when all required returns are filed and taxes paid.
- Official name: Certificate of Compliance (Alabama’s good standing certificate)
- Issued by: Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR)
- Fee: $14 for LLCs and corporations ($10 certificate plus $4 processing)
- How to order: Online only, through the ALDOR Certificate of Compliance request portal
- Turnaround: Most requests processed in 3 to 5 business days, delivered by email
- Free status check: The Alabama Secretary of State entity search
- What keeps you in good standing: Filing your Business Privilege Tax return through My Alabama Taxes and paying all tax shown due
Alabama handles good standing differently from most states. The Department of Revenue certifies that your business is tax compliant, and the Secretary of State separately certifies that your entity exists. This page explains both documents, what each costs and how to keep your Alabama LLC eligible. If you need the rules for other states, read our guide on how to get a certificate of good standing.
What an Alabama Certificate of Good Standing Is
The Certificate of Compliance is ALDOR’s written confirmation that your LLC or corporation has filed all required returns and paid the taxes shown due. Alabama treats this document as its certificate of good standing. The Secretary of State’s own request form for a Certificate of Existence states that it “is not a Certificate of Compliance (Good Standing) request,” so the two documents are not interchangeable.
Third parties ask for proof of good standing when they need to know your company is current with the state. Common requesters include banks opening a business account, lenders reviewing a loan, payment processors approving a merchant account, buyers in a sale or merger, licensing agencies and the filing office of another state when you register your Alabama entity there as a foreign business. Before you order, ask the requester which Alabama document they want: the ALDOR Certificate of Compliance or the Secretary of State Certificate of Existence.
How to Order a Certificate of Compliance in Alabama
ALDOR accepts Certificate of Compliance requests and payment online only. Follow these steps:
- Open the ALDOR Certificate of Compliance request portal.
- Enter your business name and the account details ALDOR asks for, exactly as they appear on your Alabama tax records.
- Pay the $14 fee online ($10 certificate plus $4 processing).
- Wait for ALDOR’s manual review. ALDOR checks that every required return is filed and every tax shown due is paid.
- Receive the certificate by email. If ALDOR finds the entity non-compliant, it does not issue the certificate. After you fix the problem, a new request costs another $14.
Ordering the Secretary of State Certificate of Existence
If the requester wants proof that your entity exists on the Secretary of State’s records, order a Certificate of Existence from the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Online orders cost $28.00 by credit card and produce an immediate, self-printed certificate with the state seal and an authentication number. Mail orders cost $25 for all entity types and are processed within 24 to 48 hours of receipt; card payments on mail orders add a 3% plus $2 convenience fee. The request form is on the Secretary of State Certificate of Existence form.
Alabama Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| ALDOR Certificate of Compliance, online (LLC) | $14 | Most requests in 3 to 5 business days, by email |
| ALDOR Certificate of Compliance, online (corporation) | $14 | Most requests in 3 to 5 business days, by email |
| New ALDOR request after a non-compliance finding | $14 per request | Most requests in 3 to 5 business days, by email |
| Secretary of State Certificate of Existence, online | $28.00 by credit card | Immediate, self-printed |
| Secretary of State Certificate of Existence, by mail | $25 (card payments add 3% plus $2) | Within 24 to 48 hours of receipt |
How to Check Alabama Good Standing Status for Free
The Alabama Secretary of State business entity records search is free. Search by entity name to see your company’s record and status on file with the Secretary of State. A clean Secretary of State record does not replace the Certificate of Compliance, because ALDOR bases that certificate on your tax filings and payments. For a walkthrough of the search screens, see our Alabama business entity search guide.
How an Alabama LLC Stays in Good Standing
Every entity organized or registered in Alabama files the Business Privilege Tax return, which also serves as its annual report. LLCs, S corporations and disregarded entities file Form PPT. C corporations and LLCs taxed as corporations file Form CPT. The return is due by the federal income tax return due date and is filed through My Alabama Taxes. ALDOR lists no separate annual report fee.
For tax years beginning after December 31, 2023, a Business Privilege Tax of $100 or less is exempt, and those taxpayers are not required to file. Because ALDOR issues a Certificate of Compliance only when all required returns are filed and the taxes shown due are paid, the Business Privilege Tax is the filing that decides whether you can get the certificate.
Your LLC also needs a registered agent with an Alabama address on file with the Secretary of State to receive legal papers and official notices. Compare the rules in other states in our list of annual report filing requirements by state.
What to Do If Your Alabama Business Is Not in Good Standing
If ALDOR denies your Certificate of Compliance, the cause is a missing return or unpaid tax. Fix it in this order:
- Sign in to My Alabama Taxes and identify each Business Privilege Tax return (Form PPT or Form CPT) that is missing.
- File every missing return and pay the tax shown due.
- Submit a new Certificate of Compliance request through the ALDOR portal and pay the $14 fee again.
If the Secretary of State record shows your entity as dissolved, compliance with ALDOR alone does not restore it. Read how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC and contact the Secretary of State, Business Services Division, for the Alabama filing.
Alabama Tax Good Standing vs Secretary of State Certificate
In most states, the Secretary of State issues the good standing certificate and the tax agency issues a separate tax clearance letter. Alabama reverses that. The ALDOR Certificate of Compliance is the good standing certificate, and it is based on tax compliance. The Secretary of State Certificate of Existence confirms only that the entity exists on the state’s business records. When a bank, buyer or another state asks for an Alabama certificate of good standing, send the Certificate of Compliance unless they ask for the Certificate of Existence by name.
Using an Alabama Certificate in Another State
When you register your Alabama LLC to do business in another state, that state’s filing office asks for proof that your company is in good standing at home. Order the certificate close to your filing date and check the receiving state’s age limit on certificates. Learn how the two documents fit together in our guide to certificate of good standing vs certificate of authority.
$0 formation fee plus the state filing fee. Registered agent free for the first year.
Alabama Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
What is a certificate of good standing called in Alabama?
Alabama’s good standing certificate is the Certificate of Compliance, issued by the Alabama Department of Revenue. The Secretary of State issues a separate Certificate of Existence, and its form states that it is not a Certificate of Compliance (Good Standing) request.
How much does an Alabama Certificate of Compliance cost?
The Certificate of Compliance costs $14 for LLCs and corporations: a $10 certificate fee plus a $4 processing fee. Each new request after a non-compliance finding costs another $14.
How long does an Alabama Certificate of Compliance take?
ALDOR reviews each request by hand and processes most requests in 3 to 5 business days. The certificate arrives by email.
Can I order the Alabama Certificate of Compliance by mail?
No. ALDOR accepts Certificate of Compliance requests and payment online only. The Secretary of State Certificate of Existence is the document you can order by mail, for $25.
Why was my Alabama Certificate of Compliance denied?
ALDOR issues the certificate only when the entity has filed all required returns and paid the taxes shown due. File any missing Business Privilege Tax returns through My Alabama Taxes, pay the balance and submit a new $14 request.
Fees verified against official Alabama sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Alabama Department of Revenue site before you order.
