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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Michigan

Michigan calls it the Certificate of Good Standing and charges $10. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.

At a glance

Document name
Certificate of Good Standing
State fee
$10
Online ordering
Yes
Typical turnaround
Online: immediate PDF through LARA Corporations Online Filing System. In-person: $12
Issuing office
Michigan SOS ↗

How to order it

  1. Clear any past-due filings first. The Michigan SOS will not issue a certificate while you have unpaid tax or an unfiled report. The state-specific requirements are in the points below.
  2. Order it online. Search your LLC in the Michigan portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
  3. Pay the $10 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
  4. Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.
Full ordering details for Michigan

Issued by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau, not by a Secretary of State. Order online through the LARA corpfileonline portal. The certificate comes as a certified PDF with a LARA seal. In-person pickup at the Lansing office is $12.

Processing and expedited tiers: Online: immediate PDF through LARA Corporations Online Filing System. In-person: $12

Important to know about Michigan

  • The Michigan LLC Annual Statement ($25, due February 15) must be current. Missing it for two consecutive years leads to automatic dissolution. Use the Certificate of Restoration of Good Standing ($50 restoration + $25 per missing year) to come back.
  • An uncertified printout from the LARA Business Entity Search is free but is not a Certificate of Good Standing. Third parties will not accept it. Pay the $10 for the certified version.
  • Michigan also has PLLCs (Professional LLCs) with a separate $75 annual report requirement on top of the standard $25 Annual Statement. PLLC fees do not apply to regular LLCs.

Ordering this to register in another state?

A certificate of good standing is what a new state asks for when you register your Michigan LLC to do business there. Start with the guide for where you are expanding.

Michigan foreign LLC guide · Foreign qualification by state

Related guides

This page provides general information based on publicly available Michigan Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the Michigan SOS before ordering.