Michigan Certificate of Good Standing: How to Order One From LARA

A Michigan certificate of good standing is a short document from the state confirming that your LLC, corporation or limited partnership is on file and current with its filings. Banks, lenders, other states and some licensing agencies ask for one, and it is often needed on short notice. This guide covers what the certificate is, what it costs, how to order it from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and what can cause an LLC to lose good standing in the first place.

This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees and procedures can change, so confirm current requirements with LARA. For complex situations, such as foreign registrations, restoring a delinquent LLC or questions about tax status, consult a qualified Michigan attorney or CPA.

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What the Certificate Is, and What It Is Not

LARA's Corporations Division keeps the records for every LLC, corporation and limited partnership formed or qualified in Michigan. The Certificate of Good Standing is the document it issues to confirm that an entity is on those records and in good standing when the certificate is issued.

You may also search for “michigan certificate of existence.” Some states use that phrase for a similar document. In Michigan, the product LARA issues is the Certificate of Good Standing. If a bank, lender or agency asks for a certificate of existence, ask them in writing whether a Michigan Certificate of Good Standing meets their requirement before you order.

Two things people often confuse with the certificate:

The free business search is not a certificate. The MiBusiness Registry business search shows an entity's name, status and filing information at no charge. It is useful for checking status, but a requester who asked for a certificate may not accept a screenshot or printout in its place.
The certificate is not a business license. Michigan has no general statewide business license. LARA's Corporations Division files and maintains business entities; it does not license businesses. Registering an entity through the MiBusiness Registry is a filing, not a license. Licensing is handled by trade or activity, through agencies such as LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), plus local zoning, certificate of occupancy and health approvals. A good standing certificate satisfies none of those.

Who Can Order One

Certificates of good standing are available for LARA-registered entities: LLCs, corporations and limited partnerships. LARA's fee sheet lists $10 per certificate for each of these entity types.

Sole proprietorships and general partnerships do not file with LARA. They file an assumed name certificate with the county clerk in each county where they do business. Because LARA holds no entity record for them, there is nothing for LARA to certify, and this guide does not apply. If a bank or other party asks a sole proprietor for good standing, ask exactly which document they need.

Fees and Turnaround

Item	Cost	Notes
Certificate of Good Standing (LLC, corporation or limited partnership)	$10 per certificate	Listed on LARA's fee sheet
Expedited service	Adds 25 percent to the fee	$12.50 total for a $10 certificate, per LARA's fee sheet

LARA does not publish a turnaround time for certificates, so there is no official number to quote. Check the LARA Corporations Division page for current processing information before you promise a deadline to a bank or agency. If your deadline is tight, choose expedited service when you place the order and build in a buffer of several days.

How to Order: Three Routes

LARA accepts requests online, by mail and in person. Pick the route that fits your timeline.

Option 1: Online Through the MiBusiness Registry Portal

Online ordering is the fastest route to start, and it is the one to use when you have a deadline.

Open the MiBusiness Registry portal and follow its prompts to request a certificate of good standing.
Find your entity in the business search and confirm the exact legal name and current status. The certificate reflects the name on file, so a mismatch can cause the request to be rejected or the document to be wrong.
Select the certificate for that entity, add expedited service if you need it, and pay the fee shown.
Save the issued certificate, and check that the entity name and date are correct before you send it anywhere.

Option 2: By Mail

You can mail a request to LARA's Corporations Division. The mailing address and any required request form are listed on the Corporations Division page, so confirm them there before you send anything. Include the entity's exact legal name, the correct fee and a return address. Mail adds transit time in both directions, so start early and do not use it for a same-week deadline.

Option 3: In Person

You can also request a certificate in person at LARA's Corporations Division. Before you go, confirm the office location, hours and whether walk-in certificate requests are accepted, using the Corporations Division page. Bring the entity's exact legal name and a payment method that the office accepts.

Check the Entity Before You Order

A certificate only confirms what LARA's records show. Before you pay for one, check the following:

Exact legal name. A domestic LLC name must contain the words Limited Liability Company or the abbreviation L.L.C. or L.C., with or without periods. Use the name exactly as it appears in the business search.
Status. Search the entity. If the status shows a problem, or your annual filings are behind, resolve that first. Ordering a certificate does not fix a delinquent record.
Annual filings. Confirm that every required annual statement or report has been filed. The next section explains the LLC rules.
Required date. Ask the requester whether the certificate must be issued within a certain number of days. Some foreign filings set a strict window, covered below.

Annual Statements and When an LLC Loses Good Standing

Every Michigan LLC files an Annual Statement (Form CSCL/CD-2700) with LARA. The fee is $25, and it is due February 15 each year, beginning the year after formation. An LLC formed after September 30 does not owe a statement on the February 15 immediately following its formation. Professional LLCs pay $75 for the statement and incur a $50 late fee if it is filed after February 15.

An LLC loses good standing after two missed annual statements. Restoring it costs $50 plus every missing statement, at $25 each.

Here is how that plays out. Suppose an LLC was formed in March 2024. Its first statement was due February 15, 2025. If it then missed the statements due in 2025 and 2026, it would have lost good standing after the second miss. Restoring it would cost $50 plus two statements at $25 each, or $100 in total. Confirm the restoration filing and any other charges on LARA's fee sheet before you pay, because the total can change.

Corporations are on a separate schedule. The Annual Report (Form CSCL/CD-2500) is $25 and is due May 15 each year, beginning the year after incorporation, with late fees that increase on a published schedule. Check the corporation's own deadlines on LARA's site rather than applying the LLC rules to it.

When a Good Standing Certificate Is Required

Requirements vary by who is asking. The most common situations are these:

Banks and lenders. Opening a business account or applying for a loan may require a current certificate. Ask the institution for the exact document, its date requirement and whether they will accept an online copy.
Foreign registrations. A foreign LLC applying for authority to transact business in Michigan must attach a good standing certificate from its home state, dated within 30 days of the filing. Order the home-state certificate close to the filing date so it does not expire before you submit. If you are going the other way, registering a Michigan entity in another state, that state sets its own rules. Check with its business filing agency.
Some licenses. Certain professional and trade licensing applications ask for proof of entity status. Confirm with the licensing agency whether it wants a certificate, a search printout or something else.

Common Mistakes That Slow Requests Down

Ordering before fixing missed statements. A delinquent LLC needs its statements filed and its status restored. A certificate request does not solve that.
Using the wrong name. A request that does not match the name on file creates delays and can produce the wrong document.
Substituting a search printout. The free search shows status but is not a certificate.
Treating the certificate as a license. It proves entity status. It does not authorize you to operate a trade or activity.
Letting a foreign-filing certificate go stale. If the home-state certificate is older than 30 days when you file, the application can be held up.

A Short Checklist Before You Order

Confirm that the entity is an LLC, corporation or limited partnership on LARA's records.
Check the entity's status in the MiBusiness Registry business search.
Confirm that all required annual statements or reports are filed.
Get the exact deadline and any required wording from the person or agency asking for the certificate.
Check the current fee on LARA's fee sheet, and decide whether you need expedited service.
Choose online, mail or in-person ordering based on your deadline.
Save the issued certificate, verify the entity name and date, and note the date for any foreign filing window.

Where to Get Help

If your LLC is delinquent, you are filing a foreign registration, or your question involves tax status, speak with a Michigan business attorney or CPA before you act. Those situations turn on facts that a general guide cannot cover. For general business guidance, the Michigan Small Business Development Center (Michigan SBDC) is a reasonable starting point. For tax questions, the Michigan Department of Treasury publishes its own guidance.

Official Resources

LARA Corporations Division (fees, forms, mailing and in-person information): https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps
MiBusiness Registry portal (online ordering and filings): https://mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us/
MiBusiness Registry business search (free status lookup): https://mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us/search/business
Michigan Department of Treasury: https://www.michigan.gov/taxes
Michigan Small Business Development Center: https://michigansbdc.org/

Reminder: this guide is informational and is not legal or tax advice. Confirm current fees, deadlines and procedures with LARA, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA for your specific situation.