Get Good Standing

Is a Certificate of Good Standing the same as a business license?

Short answer

No. A Certificate of Good Standing is a state-level document confirming your entity is properly registered and current with the Secretary of State. A business license is permission to conduct a specific business activity, typically issued by a city, county, or industry regulator. They come from different agencies and serve different purposes — most operating businesses need both.

This is one of the most common mix-ups for new business owners, because both sound like "the document that lets me do business."

Certificate of Good Standing

Issued by the Secretary of State (or equivalent). Confirms the entity exists and is compliant with state registration, reporting, and tax requirements. It is about the legal status of the entity, not the activity it performs.

Business license

Issued by a city, county, state regulator, or professional board. Grants permission to engage in a specific activity — a general business license to operate in a city, a liquor license, a contractor license, a professional license (medical, legal, accounting), a health permit, and so on. It is about what you are allowed to do, and where.

You usually need both

A licensed business still must keep its entity in good standing with the state, and a properly registered entity still needs the right operating licenses for its activity and location. They are complementary, not interchangeable.

Quick answers

Need the certificate itself?

Order from any state. From $50, state filing fee included. Most delivered in 1–2 business days.