If you formed your LLC in Texas and need to provide proof of your LLC’s good standing, then you’ll need to obtain a “Certificate of Fact” from the Texas Secretary of State, (not a “Certificate of Account Status” from the Texas State Comptroller’s office). In some states this is also called a “Certificate of Good Standing.”
The cost of a Certificate of Fact from the Texas Secretary of State is $15 and takes only two hours to get if acquired through the state’s online system (5-7 business days by mail).
Providing proof of good standing for an LLC may be required when:
Read this page to learn how to get a Certificate of Fact for your Texas LLC.
The best way to get a Texas Certificate of Fact is online through the Texas sosdirect website. You’ll need to create an account (or log in if you used this site already to form your LLC). You’ll have a printable version of your certificate within a couple hours.
*Important note: When you order a Certificate of Fact, there are a number of “facts” you can request, but when providing proof of good standing, you’ll want to select “status” as that fact.
The fastest way to get proof of your Texas LLC’s good standing is to use the state’s online portal. The process is a little counter-intuitive though, so here are the exact directions you’ll need to use to do it.
Step 1. Go to The Texas Secretary of State sosdirect online document portal.
Step 2. Log in or create a temporary login.
Step 3. Enter your payment method.
Step 4. You’ll be given a session code.
Step 5. Click on “Business Organizations.”
Step 6. Click “Order Certificates and Copies” from the menu.
Step 7. Under order type, click “Certificate of Fact.”
Step 8. Pick “Status” as the fact type.
Step 9. Enter the Secretary of State file number for your LLC (you can find this by clicking find entity and searching by your LLC’s name).
How to get a Certificate of Fact by Phone, Email Mail or in Person
Don’t feel like getting online? Here’s a few other ways to order a Certificate of Fact from the Texas Secretary of State:
Phone: (512) 463-5578
Email: corpcert@sos.texas.gov
Mail:
Certifying Team, Secretary of State
P.O. Box 13697
Austin, TX, 78711-3697
There are two main reasons an LLC can lose good standing in Texas.
A certificate of Account Status is issued by the Texas State Comptroller’s office and is used to verify that your franchise tax has been paid, only. This certificate is used to provide proof that a TexasLLC is in good standing with the comptroller’s office. It is used in certain real-estate and financial transactions, but is not what you want if you are registering your LLC as foreign LLC in another state.
No, a Certificate of Status is a different document than the Certificate of Fact. This is confusing, but if what you are doing is providing proof of good standing to another state, applying for a loan, or buying insurance, then what you probably want is a Certificate of Fact from the Texas Secretary of State office.
Yes, you can check the status of your LLC for $1.00 by searching the business filings of the Secretary of State, which will tell you if your LLC is active, or not.
The two main ways an LLC can lose good standing in Texas are if the state franchise tax has not been filed in a timely manner or if the LLC has failed to maintain a registered agent.
If your Texas LLC is in “inactive” status, meaning you’ve lost good standing with the state, a simple phone call to the Secretary of State office can probably set you on the right track. As long as your LLC has not been terminated you can usually simply pay any outstanding fees and late fees.
A Certificate of Fact costs $15 in Texas. You can pay an additional $25 to have it expedited.