In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Georgia
Georgia’s good standing document is the Certificate of Existence, issued by the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Order it online through the eCorp Certificate of Existence page, or by mail or in person with Form CD 700. The fee is $20.00 for LLCs and corporations ($10.00 fee plus a $10.00 service charge). Online requests are processed immediately. Paper requests take up to 15 business days unless you pay to expedite.
- Official name: Certificate of Existence
- Issued by: Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
- Fee: $20.00 online or paper
- How to order: Online on eCorp, or by mail or in person with Form CD 700
- Turnaround: Immediate online; within 15 business days by mail or hand delivery, or 2 business days ($60) or same day ($275) with an expedite
- Free status check: eCorp business search
- What keeps you in good standing: Filing the Annual Registration between January 1 and April 1 and keeping a registered agent
Georgia does not issue a document titled “certificate of good standing.” The Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Existence, and that is the document banks, lenders and other states accept as proof your Georgia LLC or corporation is current. This guide covers the eCorp order, the paper route with Form CD 700, Georgia’s fees and expedite options, and the Annual Registration that keeps your entity in good standing. For the rules in other states, read about certificate of good standing requirements in every state.
What a Georgia Certificate of Good Standing Is
A Georgia Certificate of Existence is an official statement from the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division, that your entity exists on the state’s records. It shows the business has been formed or registered in Georgia and has not been dissolved or withdrawn. If your record shows the status “active/noncompliance,” the entity has missed a requirement, such as the Annual Registration, and faces administrative dissolution that year. Fix that before you order the certificate.
Georgia owners get asked for the Certificate of Existence by:
- Banks opening a business account or adding a new signer.
- Other states when a Georgia LLC registers there as a foreign entity.
- Lenders underwriting a business loan or equipment financing.
- Payment processors approving a merchant account.
- Buyers and investors reviewing the company before a purchase or investment.
- Licensing agencies issuing or renewing a state or local license.
The certificate speaks to the date it is issued. When someone asks for a certificate dated within a set number of days, order it after you know that window.
How to Order a Certificate of Existence in Georgia
The online route on eCorp is the fastest and costs the same as paper.
- Open the Georgia eCorp Certificate of Existence page.
- Search for your business by name and select the correct record.
- Check the status. If it reads “active/noncompliance,” file your Annual Registration first.
- Request the Certificate of Existence and pay the $20.00 fee by card.
- Download the certificate. Online Certificate of Existence requests are processed immediately, with no expedite fee.
Ordering by mail or in person
Paper requests use Form CD 700, the Business Entity & Registration Records Order Form. Complete it with the exact entity name, select the Certificate of Existence, and send it with the $20.00 fee by mail or deliver it to the Corporations Division. Mail and hand-delivered filings are processed within 15 business days unless expedited. Georgia offers two expedite levels for certificate requests: $60 for two business days and $275 for same day. The Secretary of State explains these options on its filing fees and expedited processing page.
Because the online order is immediate and carries no expedite charge, the paper expedite only makes sense when you cannot order online.
Georgia Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Online (eCorp), LLC or corporation | $20.00 | Processed immediately |
| Mail or in person (Form CD 700), standard | $20.00 | Within 15 business days |
| Mail or in person, 2-business-day expedite | $20.00 plus $60 expedite | 2 business days |
| Mail or in person, same-day expedite | $20.00 plus $275 expedite | Same day |
The $20.00 fee breaks down as a $10.00 certificate fee plus a $10.00 service charge, per the Corporations Division fee schedule effective September 6, 2025. LLCs and corporations pay the same amount.
How to Check Georgia Good Standing Status for Free
Search your entity for free in the Georgia eCorp business search. The record shows the entity status, registered agent and filing history. A status of “active/noncompliance” means a requirement such as the Annual Registration is overdue and the entity faces administrative dissolution that year. Any dissolved status means the entity must reinstate before it can be current again. Use our Georgia business entity search guide for a step-by-step look at the search tool.
The free search is for your own checking. A bank or another state will still want the official Certificate of Existence.
How a Georgia LLC Stays in Good Standing
Two things keep a Georgia LLC in good standing: the Annual Registration and a registered agent on record. Georgia’s dates and fees sit alongside other states’ in our guide to annual report filing requirements by state.
Georgia Annual Registration
- Due: Between January 1 and April 1 each year.
- First filing for an LLC: January 1 to April 1 of the year after formation.
- First filing for a corporation: Within 90 days of incorporation.
- Fee: $60 online or paper ($50 plus a $10 service charge).
- Late penalty: $25.
If the Annual Registration is still missing, the Secretary of State sends a Notice of Administrative Dissolution. You then have 60 days to cure by filing the Annual Registration. Miss that window and the entity is administratively dissolved.
Registered agent
Georgia can administratively dissolve an entity that fails to maintain a registered agent, the same outcome as a missed Annual Registration. The registered agent needs a Georgia address and must accept legal papers and state notices during business hours. Owners who live outside Georgia, or outside the United States, use a commercial registered agent so notices like the Notice of Administrative Dissolution reach them in time.
What to Do If Your Georgia Business Is Not in Good Standing
The fix depends on how far the problem has gone.
- Active/noncompliance: File the overdue Annual Registration on eCorp, with the $25 late penalty, and the status returns to compliance.
- Notice of Administrative Dissolution received: File the Annual Registration within the 60-day cure period.
- Administratively dissolved: A domestic entity can apply for reinstatement within 5 years of dissolution. The fee is $260 online or paper ($250 plus a $10 service charge), and you file the missing Annual Registrations with it.
- Once the record no longer shows noncompliance or dissolution, order a new Certificate of Existence.
For a broader walkthrough, see how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC. The Secretary of State’s Business Division FAQ answers Georgia-specific reinstatement questions.
Georgia Tax Good Standing vs Secretary of State Certificate
The Certificate of Existence says nothing about taxes. It confirms your entity exists on the Secretary of State’s records. The Georgia Department of Revenue issues a separate document, the Tax Clearance Letter, which you request through the Georgia Tax Center (GTC). If any tax account has a balance due or delinquent periods, the Department issues a denial letter instead. Buyers of a Georgia business and some lenders ask for both documents. Request the Tax Clearance Letter on the Georgia Department of Revenue tax clearance page.
Using a Georgia Certificate in Another State
To register a Georgia LLC in another state as a foreign LLC, that state wants proof the LLC is current in Georgia. The Georgia Certificate of Existence is that proof, and the other state then grants its own authority to transact business. Learn how the two documents differ in certificate of good standing vs certificate of authority. Ask the other state how recent the certificate must be before you order it.
$0 formation fee plus the state filing fee. Registered agent free for the first year.
Georgia Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
What is a certificate of good standing called in Georgia?
Georgia calls it a Certificate of Existence. The Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division issues it. Banks and other states accept it as proof of good standing.
How much does a Georgia Certificate of Existence cost?
The fee is $20.00 online or on paper, made up of a $10.00 fee and a $10.00 service charge. LLCs and corporations pay the same amount. Paper requests can add a $60 or $275 expedite fee.
How long does it take to get a Georgia Certificate of Existence?
Online requests on eCorp are processed immediately with no expedite fee. Mail and hand-delivered requests are processed within 15 business days. Paying $60 cuts paper processing to 2 business days, and $275 gets same-day service.
What does active/noncompliance mean in Georgia?
It means the entity has missed a requirement, such as the Annual Registration, and faces administrative dissolution that year. File the overdue Annual Registration with the $25 late penalty to return to compliance.
Is a Georgia Tax Clearance Letter the same as a Certificate of Existence?
No. The Certificate of Existence comes from the Secretary of State and confirms the entity exists. The Tax Clearance Letter comes from the Georgia Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center and confirms no tax balances or delinquent periods.
Fees verified against official Georgia sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Georgia Secretary of State site before you order.
