Certificate of Status: What You Need to Know

A Certificate of Status, also called a certificate of good standing or, federally, a Certificate of Compliance, is an official registry document confirming that a corporation exists and is up to date with its filings. Government fees are small, from $5.30 in Alberta to $37.40 in Nova Scotia, and most can be ordered online in minutes. Here is what it proves, who asks for it and how to get one.

Certificate of Status fees by jurisdiction

Need one quickly? We can order your Certificate of Status for any province.

Why a Certificate of Status matters

It is third-party proof, issued by the government, that your corporation is legally alive and not in default. You'll typically be asked for one when:

• Opening a bank account or applying for a loan, especially with a new bank or lender
• Selling the business or its shares: buyers' lawyers require a current certificate at closing
• Signing major contracts, leases or government tenders
• Registering extra-provincially in another province, or doing business abroad, where a certificate may need to be notarized or apostilled
• Applying for licences, permits or grants

Many recipients want a certificate dated within the last 30 days, so order it close to when you need it.

What a Certificate of Status shows

• The corporation's legal name and corporation number
• The jurisdiction and date of incorporation
• Its status: active, in good standing or compliant, or otherwise
• The date the certificate was issued

It doesn't list shareholders or financial information. If you need directors, addresses and filing history, order a corporate profile report instead. See our guide to business records searches.

How to get a Certificate of Status

Step 1: Make sure you're in good standing

If annual returns or other filings are overdue, the registry won't issue a clean certificate. File what's missing first, or have us file your overdue annual returns. See our guide to filing annual returns.

Step 2: Order from the right registry

Order from the registry where the corporation was incorporated: the Ontario Business Registry for an Ontario corporation, Corporations Canada's Online Filing Centre for a federal one, BC Registries for a BC company, and so on. In Alberta, order through a registry agent.

Step 3: Pay and download

Most registries issue the certificate electronically right after payment. Mail requests take longer: up to 10 days federally.

Step 4: Notarize or apostille if it's going abroad

Foreign banks and authorities often need the certificate authenticated. Since Canada joined the Apostille Convention in 2024, that usually means an apostille from the issuing province or Global Affairs Canada.

Common problems

• Certificate shows "not in good standing": almost always overdue annual returns. File them and reorder.
• Wrong document: federal corporations get a Certificate of Compliance, not a "certificate of status". Most recipients accept either name.
• Too old: buyers and banks often reject certificates older than 30 days.