How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Kansas

The Kansas Department of Revenue notes that a certificate of tax clearance shouldn’t be confused with a certificate of good standing from the Secretary of State's office. Your business can be in good standing with the Secretary of State and still have an unresolved tax issue with the Department of Revenue, or vice versa.

How to get a certificate of good standing in Kansas: Step-by-step

You can request a certificate of good standing online through the Kansas Secretary of State Business Filing Center.

1. First, confirm eligibility by conducting a Kansas business entity search. If your entity’s current status says anything other than, “active and in good standing,” resolve the issue before moving forward.
2. Log into the Secretary of State Business Filing Center or create an account if you don’t already have one.
3. Go to “Purchase Certified Copy/Certificate of Good Standing Search” and search your business by its name or Secretary of State ID number.
4. Select your business from the search results to open its records page.
5. Click “Purchase Certificate of Good Standing” from the records page.
6. Complete the request and pay the $5 filing fee.
7. Print your certificate once the request has been processed. The PDF will be available under the "Completed Filings Section" for up to one year.

What to do if your Kansas business is not in good standing

The SOS will only issue a certificate of existence to businesses that have active status in the state. The most common reason a business doesn’t qualify for a certificate of good standing is failure to file an information report by the deadline. In this case, your entity will show one of two statuses:

• Delinquent
• Forfeited

If your business’ status is delinquent or forfeited, there are several things you can do to resolve the issue.

1. Start by identifying the underlying problem. Check your business’ current status with the Kansas Secretary of State. If your business failed to file an information report on time, the SOS will state that under your entity’s status.
2. Confirm that your resident agent information is up-to-date. Failure to maintain a resident agent and registered office in Kansas is another reason a business entity may face delinquent or forfeited status with the SOS.
3. File any overdue information reports. Businesses with delinquent status have three months past the due date to file the overdue report before the state moves it to forfeited status.
4. Reinstate your business. Businesses with forfeited status must file for reinstatement and submit all past due information reports to return to active status with the SOS.
5. Wait for the SOS to update its records. Once you’ve corrected the filing issue, it could take the SOS a few business days to update your business’ status in its records.
6. Request the certificate of legal existence once your status is active. Double-checking your business’ status with the SOS will help prevent a rejection.

How to verify a Kansas certificate of good standing is authentic

If you need to check the authenticity of a Kansas certificate of good standing, go to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Copies and Certifications page and select “certificate verification” on the right-hand navigation bar. From there, enter the certificate number to verify its authenticity.

How LegalZoom can help with your Kansas certificate of good standing

LegalZoom offers an array of services that can take several different tasks off your plate. This includes both information report filing and resident agent services. Our compliance plans can help you stay on top of state requirements, so you can focus on running your business.

If you need to reinstate before you request a certificate of good standing, our reinstatement management service will handle the paperwork and guide you through a compliance roadmap to stay ahead of ongoing deadlines.

Kansas certificate of good standing FAQs

What is the purpose of a certificate of good standing?

A certificate of good standing proves that your business is legally registered in Kansas and current on all required Secretary of State filings. You may need one when you apply for a business loan, register to operate in another state, go to obtain certain professional licenses, or before you complete a merger or acquisition.

Where do I request a Kansas certificate of good standing?

You can order a certificate of good standing directly from the Kansas Secretary of State Business Filing Center. It costs $5 and is downloadable from your user account for up to one year.

Is a certificate of good standing legit?

Yes. A certificate of good standing from the Kansas Secretary of State is an official document attesting to a business’ compliance in the state. You can verify the authenticity of any certificate of good standing through the SOS website.

How long is a Kansas certificate of good standing valid?

A Kansas certificate of good standing is available to download from your account with the SOS for up to a year. However, the recency requirement is set by whoever is requesting it, typically 30, 60, or 90 days from the date it’s issued. It’s best to confirm the required window with the requesting party before you order.

Is a Kansas certificate of good standing the same as a certificate of existence?

Yes, both a certificate of good standing and a certificate of existence can refer to the same document. Whether a lender, licensing agency, or out-of-state government asks for a certificate of good standing or a certificate of existence for your business entity, fulfill the request by ordering a certificate of good standing from the Kansas Secretary of State.

Do sole proprietors or partnerships need a Kansas certificate of good standing?

Sole proprietors and general partnerships don’t need to register their business with the Kansas Secretary of State. For this reason, they generally aren’t eligible for a certificate of good standing in Kansas.