Proof of status
Massachusetts Certificate of Good Standing
Massachusetts issues two different good standing certificates. The Corporations Division's certificate costs $12 for a corporation and $25 for an LLC and shows the company is current on its state filings. The Department of Revenue issues a separate tax Certificate of Good Standing showing taxes are filed and paid. Banks usually want the first, buyers and lenders sometimes want both. We order the Division certificate for $99 plus the state fee.
Massachusetts fees re-checked against the Massachusetts General Laws and the Corporations Division Filing Fees page: November 11, 2026
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
- Filed with the Massachusetts Corporations Division
- We track your Massachusetts annual report
- Cited to M.G.L. chapters 156C and 156D
- Talk to a filer: (386) 465-3937
Massachusetts Certificate of Good Standing: the Massachusetts specifics
Division certificates and prices
Corporation: good standing $12, legal existence $7. LLC: good standing $25, certificate of existence $12. The Division notes its corporate good standing is not a tax good standing.
Check it: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionDOR tax good standing
The Department of Revenue issues its Certificate of Good Standing when required returns are filed and taxes paid, generally within a short time of the request.
Check it: Massachusetts Department of Revenue (Mass.gov)Why a request can fail
Missing annual reports are the usual cause at the Division. File the reports first and the certificate follows.
Check it: M.G.L. c. 156C, § 70Who asks for a Massachusetts certificate
Banks, landlords, buyers in an acquisition, state contracting offices, and other states' registration offices when you qualify there. Each may want a different flavor: the Division's good standing, a legal existence certificate, or the Department of Revenue's tax good standing.
Ask the requester which one before ordering.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
If the record will not show good standing
Missing annual reports are the usual reason at the Division. For the DOR certificate, unfiled returns or unpaid taxes are the reason, and the request is made through the Department's online system once those are fixed.
We check both records before ordering.
Source: www.mass.gov
Fix the record before you order
If an annual report is missing or the company has been administratively dissolved, a certificate will not say what the reader wants. Check the company's status first. A missing report can be filed the same day online; a dissolved company has to be reinstated before any certificate shows good standing.
Source: malegislature.gov
Two certificates, two agencies
Lenders, buyers and licensing boards sometimes ask for both. The Corporations Division certificate ($12 for a corporation, $25 for an LLC) shows the company is current with the Secretary. The Department of Revenue certificate is free and shows taxes are filed and paid; DOR says it is generally mailed within 24 to 48 hours of an approved request through MassTaxConnect, while a paper request can take four to six weeks.
Source: www.mass.gov
Massachusetts Certificate of Good Standing: questions
Usually the Corporations Division certificate. Lenders and buyers in a sale often ask for the DOR tax certificate as well.
Check it: Massachusetts Department of Revenue (Mass.gov)Most banks and other states want one issued within the last 30 to 90 days.
Check it: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionYes. Corp USA prepares and submits your Massachusetts filing with the Corporations Division for you. The official state fee is passed through at cost, with our service fee shown separately at checkout, so you never have to work through the state's filing system yourself.
Check it: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionReady when you are, Massachusetts.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.