In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Kansas
Kansas issues a Certificate of Good Standing through the Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Order it online by logging in to a Secretary of State user account and choosing “Purchase Certified Copy/Certificate of Good Standing Search,” where the price is shown at checkout, or by mail on Form CO for $15. Only entities in good standing can purchase one. Online certificates stay in your account for one year and carry a verification code.
- Official name: Certificate of Good Standing
- Issued by: Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division
- Fee: $15 by mail on Form CO; online price shown at checkout
- How to order: Online through a Secretary of State user account, or by mail on Form CO
- Turnaround: Not published by the state
- Free status check: Kansas Secretary of State business entity search
- What keeps you in good standing: Filing the annual report by April 15 (calendar-year entities)
Kansas uses the plain name: the Kansas Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Good Standing, and only entities that are actually in good standing can buy one. That makes the certificate a clear yes or no for the bank or state that asked for it. This page covers the online order through a Secretary of State user account, the $15 mail order on Form CO, the Kansas annual report deadline tied to your tax year, and the Department of Revenue’s separate Certificate of Tax Clearance. For other states, see how to get a certificate of good standing.
What a Kansas Certificate of Good Standing Is
A Kansas Certificate of Good Standing is an official statement from the Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division, that your LLC or corporation is on file and in good standing. Kansas sells the certificate only to entities in good standing, so if you can buy it, your entity qualifies. Each online certificate carries a verification code that the recipient can use to confirm it is genuine.
Kansas businesses are asked for the certificate by:
- Banks opening a business account or approving credit.
- Other states when a Kansas LLC registers there as a foreign entity.
- Lenders closing commercial, agricultural or equipment loans.
- Payment processors approving a merchant account.
- Buyers and investors verifying the company during due diligence.
- Licensing agencies issuing or renewing a license.
The certificate reflects status on its issue date. Order it close to the date the requesting party needs it.
How to Order a Certificate of Good Standing in Kansas
The Secretary of State describes both routes on its copies and certifications page.
Online through a Secretary of State user account
- Log in to your Kansas Secretary of State user account, or create one.
- Choose “Purchase Certified Copy/Certificate of Good Standing Search.”
- Search for your LLC or corporation by name and select it.
- Select the Certificate of Good Standing. If the entity is not in good standing, the purchase will not go through until you fix the problem.
- Review the price shown at checkout and pay by credit card, electronic check or subscriber account.
- Download the certificate. It stays in your account under Completed Filings for one year.
By mail on Form CO
- Download the Kansas Copy Order Request Form (Form CO).
- Enter the entity name and select Certificate of Good Standing. The fee is $15.
- Choose delivery by regular mail or FedEx. For FedEx, include your FedEx account number.
- Mail the form and payment to: Kansas Secretary of State, Memorial Hall, 1st Floor, 120 S.W. 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66612-1594.
The Secretary of State does not publish a processing time for either route. If you face a deadline, use the online order so the certificate lands in your account.
Kansas Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Online (Secretary of State user account), LLC or corporation | Shown at checkout | Not published by the state; stored in your account for one year |
| Mail (Form CO), LLC or corporation | $15 | Not published by the state |
| FedEx return delivery (mail orders) | Charged to your FedEx account | Not published by the state |
The Secretary of State does not publish the online price on its public pages. The checkout screen shows it before you pay.
How to Check Kansas Good Standing Status for Free
Look up any Kansas business at no cost in the Kansas Secretary of State business entity search. The record shows the entity’s status and filing history, so you can confirm it is in good standing before you try to buy a certificate. For a walkthrough of the search, see our Kansas business entity search guide.
The free search is for checking only. Banks and other states want the Certificate of Good Standing with its verification code.
How a Kansas LLC Stays in Good Standing
A Kansas LLC stays in good standing by filing its annual report on time and keeping a registered agent on record. For Kansas alongside other states, see our guide to annual report filing requirements by state.
Kansas annual report
- Calendar-year entities: The report can be filed from January 1 and is due April 15.
- Fiscal-year entities: Due the 15th day of the fourth month after the tax period ends.
- LLC fee: $53 online or $55 on paper.
- Grace period: The report can be filed up to 90 days after the due date. After that the business is forfeited.
To keep active and good standing status, file before the forfeiture date. The LLC annual report form is the Kansas LLC annual report (Form LC), and the Secretary of State’s business entity FAQ answers common filing questions. Corporations also file an annual report; confirm the corporation fee with the Secretary of State.
Registered agent
Every Kansas LLC and corporation must keep a registered agent with a Kansas address on record with the Secretary of State. The agent receives lawsuits and state notices. Owners who live outside Kansas, or outside the United States, use a commercial registered agent so notices about the annual report and forfeiture reach them before the 90-day window closes.
What to Do If Your Kansas Business Is Not in Good Standing
A Kansas entity that misses its annual report has 90 days after the due date to file before it is forfeited. What you do depends on where you are in that timeline.
- Check the entity’s status in the free business entity search.
- If you are inside the 90-day window, file the annual report now. Filing before the forfeiture date keeps active and good standing status.
- If the entity is already forfeited, contact the Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division about reinstatement and file the required reports. The Secretary of State does not publish the reinstatement fee on the pages we verified.
- Once the record shows good standing, order a new Certificate of Good Standing.
Our guide on how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC explains the general process.
Kansas Tax Good Standing vs Secretary of State Certificate
The Secretary of State’s Certificate of Good Standing covers your filings with the Business Services Division. It does not confirm your Kansas taxes are paid. The Kansas Department of Revenue issues a separate Certificate of Tax Clearance, which you apply for online. Submit the request by 5 p.m. on a weekday and retrieve the certificate the next business day. Request it when a party needs proof of Kansas tax compliance; give banks and other states the Secretary of State certificate. Apply on the Kansas Department of Revenue tax clearance page.
Using a Kansas Certificate in Another State
When a Kansas LLC registers in another state as a foreign LLC, that state asks for proof the LLC is in good standing in Kansas. The Kansas Certificate of Good Standing is that proof, and the other state then issues its own authority to do business there. The two documents are compared in certificate of good standing vs certificate of authority. Because the online certificate stays in your account for one year, you can download it again, but the other state will judge its age by the issue date.
$0 formation fee plus the state filing fee. Registered agent free for the first year.
Kansas Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
How much is a Kansas Certificate of Good Standing?
It costs $15 by mail on Form CO. The online price is shown at checkout in your Kansas Secretary of State user account, and the state does not publish it on its public pages.
How do I order a Kansas Certificate of Good Standing online?
Log in to a Kansas Secretary of State user account and choose “Purchase Certified Copy/Certificate of Good Standing Search.” Find your entity, pay by credit card, electronic check or subscriber account, and download the certificate.
Can any Kansas business buy a Certificate of Good Standing?
No. Only entities in good standing can purchase the certificate. If your entity has a missed annual report, file it first.
When is the Kansas annual report due?
For calendar-year entities it is due April 15. Other entities file by the 15th day of the fourth month after their tax period ends. Reports can be filed up to 90 days late before the business is forfeited.
What is a Kansas Certificate of Tax Clearance?
It is a separate certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue confirming tax compliance. Apply online by 5 p.m. on a weekday and retrieve it the next business day.
Fees verified against official Kansas sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Kansas Secretary of State site before you order.
