Every state maintains a free, public business entity search. It is the fastest way to confirm your status before you order an official certificate or submit it to a bank or landlord.
Step by step
1. Go to your state Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) business search page. In Arizona it is the Corporation Commission; in some states it is the Division of Corporations.
2. Search by your exact legal entity name or your state file number.
3. Open the entity detail record.
4. Read the status field. It is usually labeled "Status," "Standing," or "Entity Status."
What the status labels mean
In good standing: Active, Good Standing, Current, In Existence, Subsisting, Compliance.
Not in good standing: Delinquent, Not in Good Standing, Forfeited (CA franchise-tax forfeiture), Suspended, Revoked, Administratively Dissolved, Inactive, Expired.
If you see anything in the second group, the state will not issue a Certificate of Good Standing until you bring the entity current.
The official document vs. the free check
The free entity search tells you your status. It is not the same as the official Certificate of Good Standing that a bank or landlord requires — that has to be issued and sealed by the state. The free check is for your own confirmation; the certificate is the document you hand to a third party.