In Short: How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Virginia
In Virginia, the State Corporation Commission’s Office of the Clerk issues a Certificate of Good Standing to corporations and a Certificate of Fact of Existence to LLCs. Both cost $6. Order online through the SCC’s Clerk’s Information System (CIS) and download the certificate instantly, or send a written request with a check payable to the State Corporation Commission. The certificate shows your company is current with its annual registration fee.
- Official name: Certificate of Good Standing (corporations only); Certificate of Fact of Existence (LLCs)
- Issued by: Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk
- Fee: $6 per certificate
- How to order: Online through the Clerk’s Information System (CIS), or by mail or in person with a written request
- Turnaround: Instant download online; the SCC does not publish a time for mail or in-person requests
- Free status check: Search the entity record in CIS before you buy
- What keeps you in good standing: Paying the annual registration fee by the last day of the month you formed
Virginia handles business records differently from most states. The State Corporation Commission, not a Secretary of State, keeps the records, and Virginia LLCs pay an annual registration fee instead of filing a narrative annual report. This page explains which certificate your entity gets, how to order it for $6, and what keeps a Virginia company current. For other jurisdictions, see our guide on how to get a certificate of good standing.
What a Virginia Certificate of Good Standing Is
A Virginia certificate of good standing is an official statement from the State Corporation Commission’s Office of the Clerk that your company exists on the SCC’s records and is current. The name depends on your entity type. The SCC labels its good standing certificates as being for corporations only. A Virginia LLC gets a certificate of fact instead, titled a Certificate of Fact of Existence. It serves the same purpose for an LLC: it confirms the company exists and is active on the SCC’s records.
When a bank or another state asks a Virginia LLC for a “certificate of good standing,” the Certificate of Fact of Existence is the document to send. If the requester insists on the exact words “good standing,” explain that Virginia reserves that title for corporations.
Virginia companies are asked for this certificate by:
- Banks opening a business account or reviewing an existing one
- Other states’ filing offices when the company registers to do business outside Virginia (foreign qualification)
- Lenders and leasing companies approving credit
- Payment processors and online marketplaces verifying a seller
- Buyers and investors running due diligence
- Licensing agencies and government contracting offices
How to Order a Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Fact of Existence in Virginia
The SCC states that each certificate costs $6 to download from CIS, its online records system.
- Open the SCC’s Clerk’s Information System (CIS).
- Search for your company by its entity name or its SCC entity ID.
- Open the entity record and confirm the status is active.
- Choose the certificate: a Certificate of Good Standing for a corporation or a Certificate of Fact of Existence for an LLC.
- Pay the $6 fee.
- Download the certificate. CIS delivers it instantly.
Mail and in-person requests. You can also send a written request that names the company, its SCC ID and the certificate you need. Include a check for $6 per certificate payable to “State Corporation Commission” and mail it to the State Corporation Commission, PO Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218. The SCC also accepts written requests in person. It does not publish a processing time for these requests, so use CIS when you have a deadline. The SCC’s copies and certificates page covers both routes.
Virginia Certificate of Good Standing Fees and Processing Time
| Method | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Online through CIS, Certificate of Good Standing (corporation) | $6 | Instant download |
| Online through CIS, Certificate of Fact of Existence (LLC) | $6 | Instant download |
| Mail or in person, written request with check | $6 per certificate | Not published by the state |
| Expedite | Not published by the state | Not needed for CIS downloads |
The fee is the same $6 for a corporation and an LLC, and the CIS download removes any wait.
How to Check Virginia Good Standing Status for Free
Virginia’s official sources do not name a separate free status page. The practical check is the first half of the ordering process: search for your company in the Clerk’s Information System and read the entity record before you pay. Look at the status field. If the record shows the company as inactive, canceled or terminated, fix that first, because a certificate will not show good standing.
For a step-by-step guide to the search screens, read our Virginia business entity search guide.
How a Virginia LLC Stays in Good Standing
Virginia good standing depends on one recurring payment: the annual registration fee.
Virginia LLC Annual Registration Fee
A Virginia LLC pays a $50 annual registration fee. It is due by the last day of the month in which the LLC was organized. An LLC formed in April pays by April 30 each year. Pay late and the SCC adds a $25 penalty. If the fee is still unpaid by the last day of the third month after the due date, the SCC cancels the LLC.
Virginia Corporation Annual Registration Fee
A Virginia stock corporation pays an annual registration fee based on its number of authorized shares, with the same due-date rule: the last day of the month it was incorporated. The late penalty is the greater of 10% of the fee or $10. A corporation that has not paid by the last day of the fourth month after the due date is terminated. Fee details are on the SCC’s annual registration fees page.
Virginia Registered Agent
Every Virginia LLC and corporation must keep a registered agent with a Virginia office to receive legal papers and SCC notices. Owners who live outside Virginia use a commercial registered agent so those notices reach them in time. Compare other states’ filings in our guide to annual report filing requirements by state.
What to Do If Your Virginia Business Is Not in Good Standing
A Virginia LLC canceled or a corporation terminated for an unpaid annual registration fee becomes inactive. The Office of the Clerk can reinstate it, but only within a fixed window.
- Search the company in CIS and note the date it became inactive.
- Confirm you are inside the five-year window. An inactive entity can reinstate within 5 years. After 5 years, the Office of the Clerk cannot reinstate it.
- File the reinstatement with the SCC and pay the fees the SCC shows at filing. The SCC’s reinstatements page lists the current requirements.
- Once the record shows active, order a new certificate through CIS.
Our guide explains how to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC step by step. Act well before the five-year limit, because the Office of the Clerk has no authority to reinstate after it passes.
Using a Virginia Certificate in Another State
When a Virginia company registers to do business in another state, that state’s filing office asks for a recent certificate from the SCC with the application: the Certificate of Fact of Existence for an LLC or the Certificate of Good Standing for a corporation. Because CIS delivers the certificate instantly for $6, download it on the day you file. The receiving state then issues its own registration, called a certificate of authority in many states. Our guide on certificate of good standing vs certificate of authority explains how the two documents fit together.
$0 formation fee plus the state filing fee. Registered agent free for the first year.
Virginia Certificate of Good Standing FAQs
How much does a Virginia certificate of good standing cost?
Each certificate costs $6, whether it is a Certificate of Good Standing for a corporation or a Certificate of Fact of Existence for an LLC. Online orders through CIS download instantly.
Can a Virginia LLC get a Certificate of Good Standing?
The SCC issues Certificates of Good Standing to corporations only. A Virginia LLC orders a Certificate of Fact of Existence, which confirms the LLC exists and is active and serves the same purpose.
How do I order a Virginia certificate by mail?
Send a written request naming the company and the certificate, with a $6 check per certificate payable to “State Corporation Commission,” to PO Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218. The SCC does not publish a processing time for mail requests, so use CIS when timing matters.
What keeps a Virginia LLC in good standing?
Paying the $50 annual registration fee by the last day of the month the LLC was organized. A late payment adds a $25 penalty, and the SCC cancels the LLC if the fee is unpaid by the last day of the third month after the due date.
Can a canceled Virginia LLC be reinstated?
Yes, within 5 years of becoming inactive. After 5 years, the Office of the Clerk cannot reinstate the entity. File the reinstatement with the SCC and pay the fees shown at filing.
Fees verified against official Virginia sources in October 2026. State fees change; confirm the current amount on the Virginia State Corporation Commission site before you order.
