In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Connecticut
Connecticut’s certificate of good standing is called a Certificate of Legal Existence, and the Connecticut Secretary of the State issues it. Sign in to your Business.CT.gov account to order online, or mail paper form CXC-1-1.0. An express certificate costs $50 for LLCs and corporations. A short form costs $50 for an LLC and $80 for a corporation. Paper requests take 3 to 5 business days. Your annual report must be current.
- Official name: Certificate of Legal Existence
- Issued by: Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services / Commercial Recording Division
- Fee: Express $50; short form $50 (LLC) or $80 (corporation); long form $100 (LLC) or $120 (corporation)
- How to order: Online through a Business.CT.gov account, or by mail with form CXC-1-1.0
- Turnaround: Online time not published by the state; paper requests 3 to 5 business days
- Free status check: The Connecticut online business search
- What keeps you in good standing: An up-to-date annual report, filed online each year
Connecticut uses its own name for the good standing document and offers three versions at different prices. Picking the right one saves money and a second order. This page explains each version, how to order it and how to keep your Connecticut LLC eligible. For other states, see our guide on how to get a certificate of good standing.
What a Connecticut Certificate of Good Standing Is
A Connecticut Certificate of Legal Existence is an official document from the Secretary of the State confirming that your LLC or corporation legally exists on the state’s business records. It is Connecticut’s equivalent of a certificate of good standing, and the Secretary of the State issues it only when the entity’s annual report is up to date.
Connecticut offers three versions:
- Express certificate: $50 for both LLCs and corporations.
- Short form: $50 for an LLC and $80 for a corporation.
- Long form: $100 for an LLC and $120 for a corporation. It is available for domestic entities only and cannot be expedited.
Banks, lenders, payment processors, buyers in due diligence and licensing agencies ask for the certificate. Other states require it when you register your Connecticut entity there as a foreign business. Ask the requester whether a short form is enough before you pay for a long form.
How to Order a Certificate of Legal Existence in Connecticut
Online ordering requires a Business.CT.gov account. Follow these steps:
- Sign in to your Business.CT.gov account. Create one first if you do not have one.
- Open the Certificates of Legal Existence service.
- Search for your entity by name or business ID and select it.
- Choose the express certificate, short form or long form, and choose expedited service if you need it. Expedited service is available online only.
- Pay the fee and download the certificate from your account. You can view previously requested certificates there at no charge.
Ordering by Mail
To order on paper, complete Request for Certificates of Legal Existence form CXC-1-1.0 and mail it with a check payable to “Secretary of the State.” Routine paper requests take 3 to 5 business days. The current form and fee list are on the Certificate of Legal Existence forms and fees page.
Connecticut Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Express certificate (LLC or corporation) | $50 | Not published by the state |
| Short form, online (LLC) | $50 | Not published by the state |
| Short form, online (corporation) | $80 | Not published by the state |
| Long form, domestic only (LLC) | $100 | Not published by the state; cannot be expedited |
| Long form, domestic only (corporation) | $120 | Not published by the state; cannot be expedited |
| Paper form CXC-1-1.0 by mail, routine | Same fee as the certificate ordered | 3 to 5 business days |
How to Check Connecticut Good Standing Status for Free
The Connecticut online business search is free. Search by business name or ID to see the entity’s status on the Secretary of the State’s records. Verifying an existing Certificate of Legal Existence is also free, so a bank or buyer can confirm the certificate you send. For a walkthrough of the search screens, read our Connecticut business entity search guide.
How a Connecticut LLC Stays in Good Standing
The Secretary of the State issues a Certificate of Legal Existence only when the entity’s annual report is up to date. Connecticut annual reports are filed online only.
- Domestic LLC: the annual report fee is $80. The Secretary of the State’s annual report FAQ sets the LLC filing window as January 1 to March 31 each year.
- Domestic stock corporation: the annual report fee is $150, due by the last day of the corporation’s anniversary month.
Connecticut charges no late fee for an annual report. The risk is larger than a fee: an entity more than one year delinquent can be administratively dissolved. Your LLC also needs a registered agent with a Connecticut address on file to receive legal papers and state notices. To compare schedules in other states, see our list of annual report filing requirements by state.
What to Do If Your Connecticut Business Is Not in Good Standing
If the Secretary of the State will not issue a certificate, the cause is a missing annual report. Take these steps:
- Check the free online business search to see which annual reports are outstanding.
- File every missing annual report online through Business.CT.gov and pay the $80 LLC fee or $150 corporation fee for each year.
- Order the Certificate of Legal Existence once the reports are on file.
If the entity was administratively dissolved after more than a year of delinquency, contact the Secretary of the State’s Business Services Division about restoring it, and read how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC.
Connecticut Tax Good Standing vs Secretary of State Certificate
The Certificate of Legal Existence confirms the entity exists on the Secretary of the State’s records. Tax standing is a separate question answered by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS). DRS issues a Status Letter, also called a Letter of Good Standing. Request it online through myconneCT, where DRS issues it immediately once it verifies the account, or file Form TPG-170 by mail or fax and allow up to 7 business days. The form is on the DRS Form TPG-170 page. Send the DRS letter when a buyer, lender or agency asks about tax standing.
Using a Connecticut Certificate in Another State
When you register your Connecticut LLC as a foreign entity in another state, that state’s filing office asks for proof that the company is in good standing in Connecticut. Order the express certificate or short form online right before you file, and check the receiving state’s age limit on certificates. Learn how the two documents work 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.
Connecticut Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
What is a certificate of good standing called in Connecticut?
Connecticut calls it a Certificate of Legal Existence. The Connecticut Secretary of the State issues it, and the entity’s annual report must be up to date to receive one.
How much is a Connecticut Certificate of Legal Existence?
An express certificate costs $50 for LLCs and corporations. A short form costs $50 for an LLC and $80 for a corporation, and a domestic long form costs $100 for an LLC and $120 for a corporation.
Do I need an account to order a Connecticut certificate online?
Yes. You must be logged in to a Business.CT.gov account to order online. Without an account, mail paper form CXC-1-1.0 with a check payable to “Secretary of the State.”
How long does a Connecticut Certificate of Legal Existence take?
Routine paper requests take 3 to 5 business days. The state does not publish an online processing time, and expedited service is available online only.
When is the Connecticut LLC annual report due?
The Secretary of the State’s annual report FAQ sets the LLC window as January 1 to March 31 each year, filed online with an $80 fee. There is no late fee, but an entity more than one year delinquent can be administratively dissolved.
Fees verified against official Connecticut sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Connecticut Secretary of the State site before you order.
