In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Utah
Utah’s certificate of good standing is officially called a Certificate of Existence, and the Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code issues it. Order it online through the Utah business registration portal for $12 and the Division emails the certificate after payment. A Long Form Certificate of Existence costs $20. Mail and in-person orders take 3 to 10 working days, or 1 to 2 business days with the $75 expedite fee.
- Official name: Certificate of Existence (short form or Long Form)
- Issued by: Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code
- Fee: $12 short form, $20 Long Form, plus $75 per document to expedite an in-house order
- How to order: Online at businessregistration.utah.gov, or by mail or in person. No phone or fax orders.
- Turnaround: Emailed after payment online; 3 to 10 working days by mail or in person; 1 to 2 business days expedited
- Free status check: Utah Business Entity Search
- What keeps you in good standing: Filing the annual renewal every year on your registration anniversary ($18)
Banks, lenders and other states’ filing offices ask Utah companies to prove they are current with the state, and in Utah that proof is the Certificate of Existence. This page covers how to order it, what each version costs, how to check your status for free, and what keeps a Utah LLC in good standing. If you have companies in more than one state, see our guide on how to get a certificate of good standing.
What a Utah Certificate of Good Standing Is
Utah does not print the words “certificate of good standing” on its official document. The Division of Corporations and Commercial Code issues a Certificate of Existence instead. It confirms that your LLC or corporation is registered with the Division and that its status on the state record is current. When a bank or another state asks a Utah company for a certificate of good standing, the Certificate of Existence is the document that answers the request.
The Division issues two versions. The regular, or short form, Certificate of Existence is the standard certificate and the one most requests call for. The Long Form Certificate of Existence is the expanded version. Order the Long Form only when the person or agency asking for the certificate names it, since it costs $20 instead of $12.
A Utah company needs a Certificate of Existence when someone outside the business has to confirm it is legitimate and current. Common requests come from:
- Banks and credit unions opening or reviewing a business account
- Other states’ filing offices when your Utah company registers to do business there (foreign qualification)
- Lenders and equipment finance companies before they approve credit
- Payment processors and marketplaces verifying a merchant account
- Buyers and investors during due diligence on a sale or funding round
- State and local licensing agencies issuing a professional or business license
How to Order a Certificate of Existence in Utah
The fastest route is the Utah business registration portal. The certificate arrives by email once payment goes through.
- Open the Utah business registration portal at businessregistration.utah.gov.
- Search for your company by its exact entity name or by its Utah entity number.
- Open the entity record and confirm the status is current before you buy anything. Fees are non-refundable.
- Select the Certificate of Existence.
- Pay the $12 fee at checkout.
- Watch your inbox. The Division emails the certificate after payment. Save the PDF and send it to whoever requested it.
Mail and in-person orders. The Division also handles in-house orders submitted by mail or at its office. These orders take 3 to 10 working days. If you need the certificate sooner, add $75 per document for expedited processing, which cuts the wait to 1 to 2 business days. The Division does not accept orders by phone or fax. Instructions for in-house orders are on the Division’s ordering in-house documents page.
Utah Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Online, Certificate of Existence (LLC or corporation) | $12 | Emailed after payment |
| Mail or in person, Certificate of Existence (short form) | $12 | 3 to 10 working days |
| Long Form Certificate of Existence | $20 | 3 to 10 working days for mail or in-person orders |
| Expedited in-house order | $75 per document, added to the certificate fee | 1 to 2 business days |
| Phone or fax | Not accepted | Not available |
The fee is the same for an LLC and a corporation. An expedited Long Form order costs $95 in total: the $20 certificate fee plus the $75 expedite fee.
How to Check Utah Good Standing Status for Free
You do not need to buy a certificate to see whether your company is current. The Utah Business Entity Search is free and shows the status of every registered LLC and corporation. Search by name or entity number and read the status field. An entity that has missed its annual renewal shows as delinquent, and one that stays unrenewed moves to expired status. Check this before you order, because the Division issues the certificate based on what the record shows on the day you buy it.
For a screen-by-screen walkthrough of the search tool, see our Utah business entity search guide.
How a Utah LLC Stays in Good Standing
Utah’s annual filing is called the annual renewal. It is due one year from the date your LLC or corporation registered with the state and every year after that on the same anniversary. The renewal window opens 60 days before the anniversary date, so you can file early. The renewal fee is $18 for a domestic LLC or corporation. File after the anniversary and the Division adds a $10 late renewal fee.
The renewal confirms your company’s contact details, principal office and registered agent. A company that skips it does not lose its status overnight: the record first shows delinquent, and if the renewal stays unfiled the entity moves to expired status. An expired company cannot get a Certificate of Existence until it reinstates.
Utah also requires every LLC and corporation to keep a registered agent with a physical address in Utah who accepts legal papers and state notices for the company. If you live outside Utah, a commercial registered agent fills this role and forwards renewal reminders so the anniversary date does not slip past you. Compare deadlines in other states in our guide to annual report filing requirements by state.
What to Do If Your Utah Business Is Not in Good Standing
The fix depends on which status the Business Entity Search shows.
- Delinquent: File the overdue annual renewal through the Utah business registration portal and pay the $18 renewal fee plus the $10 late fee. Once the filing posts, the record returns to current and you can order a Certificate of Existence.
- Expired: File a reinstatement online. The reinstatement fee for a domestic LLC or corporation is $54, plus $18 for each missed renewal and a $10 delinquency fee. A company that missed two renewals pays $54 + $36 + $10, or $100.
- Confirm and order: Search the entity again to confirm the new status, then order the certificate.
Our step-by-step guide explains how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC and what to gather before you file.
Utah Tax Good Standing vs Secretary of State Certificate
In Utah, business entity records sit with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code rather than a Secretary of State, so the Certificate of Existence is the state’s “secretary of state” style certificate. It proves your company is registered and current with the Division. It says nothing about taxes.
Tax standing is a separate document. The Utah State Tax Commission issues a free Letter of Good Standing on form TC-42. Request it through Taxpayer Access Point, by fax, by mail or in person, and plan for up to ten days for the Commission to issue it. Details are on the Tax Commission’s good standing page. Lenders, buyers and government contracting offices ask for the TC-42 letter when they need proof that your Utah tax accounts are clear.
A third document applies only when you close a business: the Utah tax clearance process for dissolution. Do not confuse it with the Letter of Good Standing.
Using a Utah Certificate in Another State
When a Utah LLC expands into another state, that state’s filing office asks for a recent Certificate of Existence with the foreign registration application. The certificate proves your company is current at home, and the new state then issues its own registration, called a certificate of authority in many states. Order the Utah certificate close to your filing date, because receiving states set their own limits on how old the certificate can be. Our guide on certificate of good standing vs certificate of authority explains how the two documents work together.
$0 formation fee plus the state filing fee. Registered agent free for the first year.
Utah Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
How much does a Utah certificate of good standing cost?
The regular Certificate of Existence costs $12 for an LLC or corporation, and the Long Form Certificate of Existence costs $20. Expedited processing for mail or in-person orders adds $75 per document. Fees are non-refundable.
How long does it take to get a Utah Certificate of Existence?
Online orders through the Utah business registration portal are emailed after payment. Mail and in-person orders take 3 to 10 working days. With the $75 expedite fee, in-house orders take 1 to 2 business days.
Is a Utah Certificate of Existence the same as a certificate of good standing?
Yes. Utah’s Division of Corporations and Commercial Code calls the document a Certificate of Existence. It confirms that the company is registered and current, which is what a certificate of good standing proves in other states.
Can I check my Utah LLC’s status for free?
Yes. The Utah Business Entity Search is free and shows each entity’s status. Search by name or entity number before you order a certificate.
What happens if my Utah LLC misses its annual renewal?
The LLC shows delinquent status and owes the $18 renewal fee plus a $10 late fee. If the renewal stays unfiled, the LLC moves to expired status. Reinstatement costs $54, plus $18 for each missed renewal and a $10 delinquency fee.
Fees verified against official Utah sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code site before you order.
