What is a Certificate of Good Standing apostille?
A Certificate of Good Standing is issued by Companies House and confirms that your company is properly registered, up to date with its filings, and legally active. Foreign banks, regulators and business partners commonly require it — and in most cases they will only accept it once it carries an apostille.
An apostille is an official certificate added by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirming your document is genuine, so it can be accepted in any country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.
No solicitor certification needed
Unlike most company documents, a Certificate of Good Standing issued by Companies House can be apostilled by the FCDO directly — no solicitor certification is required. That means a simpler process and a lower cost: you only pay for the apostille itself.
Don’t have the certificate? We can apply for it for you
If you don’t have a current Certificate of Good Standing, we can apply for one directly from Companies House on your company’s behalf, then apostille it as soon as it’s issued.
Obtaining the certificate — guide pricing:
- Standard (around 10 working days): £22 Companies House fee + £50 our service charge = £72
- Express (next-day issue): £65 Companies House fee + £50 our service charge = £115
The apostille (from £59) is then added on top once the certificate is issued. Companies House fees are set by the government and can change — we’ll confirm the current fees and your exact total when you order.
How it works
- Send us your Certificate of Good Standing — or ask us to obtain one from Companies House for you.
- We submit the certificate to the FCDO for the apostille (no solicitor certification needed).
- Your apostilled certificate is returned to you, ready to use abroad.
We handle the entire process and keep you updated at every step.
Pricing
- Standard apostille (3–5 working days): £59 per document
- Next-day apostille (next working day, received before 10am): £79 per document
- Obtaining the certificate from Companies House (optional): from £72 standard or £115 express, as above.
Example: we obtain your certificate on the standard service and apostille it next-day — £72 + £79 = £151.
Who needs a Certificate of Good Standing apostille?
- Companies opening a bank account or branch overseas.
- Businesses registering with foreign regulators or tax authorities.
- Firms tendering for international contracts.
- Directors asked by overseas partners to prove the company is active and compliant.
Good to know
Most overseas authorities will only accept a recently issued certificate — often within the last three to six months — so even if you have an old one, a fresh certificate is usually the safer choice. If you need other company documents apostilled at the same time (Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum & Articles), see our Company Documents Apostille page — note that those documents do require solicitor certification, unlike the Certificate of Good Standing.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does a Certificate of Good Standing need solicitor certification?
A: No. It is issued by Companies House and can be apostilled by the FCDO directly — you only pay for the apostille.
Q: Can you obtain the certificate for me?
A: Yes. We can apply to Companies House on your behalf — from £72 on the standard service or £115 express — and then apostille it as soon as it’s issued.
Q: How long does the whole process take?
A: If you already have the certificate: 3–5 working days standard, or next working day on our next-day service. If we are obtaining it for you, add around 10 working days (standard) or next-day issue (express).
Q: Will it be accepted in my destination country?
A: An apostille is recognised by all member countries of the Hague Apostille Convention. If your destination requires full embassy legalisation instead, we can arrange that too.
Ready to get started?
Send us your certificate or get in touch and we’ll confirm exactly what you need.
WhatsApp: +44 75 3937 7776 | Call: +44 20 7856 0115 | Email: info@apostilleandcertification.com
Office: 17 Hanover Square, London W1S 1BN (Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm)