A 'Good Standing Certificate' is supplied by Companies House to confirm that the company mentioned on the Certificate has filed all necessary documents and forms to meet legal disclosure requirements.

Companies house will not issue a Good Standing Certificate for any company that is late with filing of its Annual Return or Accounts or that has failed to provide up-to-date information about the company's constitution, ownership, or control.

Good Standing Certificates are signed by an officer of Companies House.  The certificate shows, at minimum, the company's name and incorporation number. If requested, it can also show the names of the registered directors and shareholders.

Good Standing Certificates may be requested by various interested parties, but the most common reason for obtaining one is to satisfy a bank or finance company.

Some overseas banks and institutions may demand that the authenticity of the Good Standing Certificate is verified by apostille.