In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Minnesota
A Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing is issued by the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services. Order it online through the Secretary of State’s business search: the certificate is issued as soon as you pay and emailed within 10 to 15 minutes, with a download link valid for 90 days. The online cost is $15, which is the $5 certificate fee plus a $10 online transaction fee. By mail, the fee is $5 with the Copy Request Form.
- Official name: Certificate of Good Standing
- Issued by: Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services
- Fee: $15 online ($5 certificate plus $10 online transaction fee); $5 by mail
- How to order: Online through the Secretary of State business search, or by mail with the Copy Request Form
- Turnaround: Online: issued on payment and emailed within 10 to 15 minutes. Mail: not published by the state
- Free status check: Secretary of State online business search
- What keeps you in good standing: Filing the free Annual Renewal by December 31 each year and keeping a registered office on record
Minnesota makes this one of the quickest certificates to get: pay online and the Certificate of Good Standing reaches your inbox within 10 to 15 minutes. The bigger risk for Minnesota LLCs is the Annual Renewal. It costs nothing, so owners forget it, and a missed renewal leads to administrative dissolution. This guide covers both. For other states, see how to get a certificate of good standing.
What a Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing Is
A Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing is the Secretary of State’s official confirmation that a business entity on file in Minnesota is active and in good standing on its records. It reflects whether the entity has filed its Annual Renewal and has not been administratively dissolved.
Who asks for one:
- Banks opening or reviewing an account for a Minnesota LLC or corporation
- Other states’ filing offices, when a Minnesota entity registers there as a foreign entity
- Commercial lenders and SBA loan underwriters
- Payment processors and marketplaces verifying a seller
- Buyers and their counsel in an acquisition or asset sale
- Minnesota licensing boards and local permit offices
The Secretary of State sells certificates and copies of filings through the same service. When a requester asks for a certified copy of the articles instead of a certificate, order that separately; the business copies and certificates page lists both.
How to Order a Certificate of Good Standing in Minnesota
The Secretary of State’s how to order copies of filings and certificates page explains the online route. It runs through the Secretary of State business search.
- Open the Minnesota business search and search for your entity by name.
- Open the entity’s record and confirm the status shows active and in good standing.
- Select the option to order a Certificate of Good Standing.
- Enter the email address where the certificate should go.
- Pay $15: the $5 certificate fee plus the $10 online transaction fee.
- Open the email, which arrives within 10 to 15 minutes, and download the certificate. The link stays valid for 90 days.
By mail: complete the Secretary of State’s Copy Request Form, list the Certificate of Good Standing, and send it with the $5 fee. The mail route skips the $10 online transaction fee, but the Secretary of State does not publish a processing time for mail orders.
Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
The fee is the same for LLCs and corporations. The Secretary of State lists no expedite fee for certificates. Online orders are issued on payment.
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Online (LLC or corporation) | $15 ($5 certificate plus $10 online transaction fee) | Issued on payment; emailed within 10 to 15 minutes |
| Mail with the Copy Request Form | $5 | Not published by the state |
| Expedite | No expedite fee listed for certificates | Not applicable |
The full business filing and certification fee schedule lists the Secretary of State’s other charges.
How to Check Minnesota Good Standing Status for Free
The Minnesota Secretary of State business search is free. Search by entity name to see whether the record shows the entity as active and in good standing. Check this before ordering, because the Secretary of State issues a Certificate of Good Standing only for an entity in that status.
Our Minnesota business entity search guide explains the search screens and status terms.
How a Minnesota LLC Stays in Good Standing
Minnesota does not use an annual report. Instead, every domestic LLC and domestic business corporation files an Annual Renewal with the Secretary of State by December 31 of each calendar year. The fee for domestic LLCs and domestic business corporations is $0. The Secretary of State’s renewals page explains the filing.
- File the Annual Renewal by December 31 every year, even though it is free.
- Keep the registered office address on record current with the Secretary of State, and update it when it changes.
- Set a reminder: a missed renewal leads to administrative dissolution.
See how Minnesota’s renewal compares with other states in our list of annual report filing requirements by state.
What to Do If Your Minnesota Business Is Not in Good Standing
A Minnesota entity that misses its Annual Renewal is administratively dissolved, and the Secretary of State will not issue a Certificate of Good Standing for it. Minnesota fixes this with an annual reinstatement filing:
- Search the business record to confirm the entity’s status.
- File the annual reinstatement for the domestic LLC or corporation.
- Pay $65 if you file by mail, or $85 if you file online or in person.
- If the entity has been inactive for more than six years, online reinstatement is not available; use a non-online filing method with the Secretary of State.
- Confirm the registered office on record is current.
- Order a new Certificate of Good Standing online once the record shows good standing.
For the general process across states, see how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC.
Using a Minnesota Certificate in Another State
When a Minnesota LLC or corporation registers in another state, that state’s filing office asks for a current Certificate of Good Standing from Minnesota. Because Minnesota emails the certificate within 10 to 15 minutes of payment, order it the day you file the other state’s application so the date is current. For how this fits the other state’s registration, read certificate of good standing vs certificate of authority.
$0 formation fee plus the state filing fee. Registered agent free for the first year.
Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
How much is a Minnesota Certificate of Good Standing?
An online order costs $15: the $5 certificate fee plus a $10 online transaction fee. A mail order with the Copy Request Form costs $5. The fee is the same for LLCs and corporations.
How fast can I get a Certificate of Good Standing in Minnesota?
Online orders are issued as soon as you pay and emailed within 10 to 15 minutes. The download link stays valid for 90 days. The Secretary of State does not publish a processing time for mail orders.
Does Minnesota offer expedited certificates?
The Secretary of State lists no expedite fee for certificates. Online orders are issued on payment, which makes the online route the fastest option.
Does a Minnesota LLC file an annual report?
Minnesota uses an Annual Renewal instead of an annual report. Domestic LLCs and domestic business corporations file it by December 31 each year, and the fee is $0. Missing it leads to administrative dissolution.
How much does it cost to reinstate a Minnesota LLC?
Annual reinstatement for a domestic LLC or corporation costs $65 by mail or $85 online or in person. Entities inactive for more than six years cannot reinstate online.
Fees verified against official Minnesota sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Minnesota Secretary of State site before you order.
