Order the proof your next transaction will ask for.

A certificate of status, a certified charter copy, and an apostille each prove something different. Select the document that matches the receiving party’s requirement.

Certificate of status

Good standing / existence

Michigan's business roadmap states the Corporations Division fee for a Certificate of Good Standing is $10.00. MiBRP can provide electronic document delivery when available; paper requests take longer. The certificate reflects LARA status and does not certify Michigan Treasury tax compliance.

Open certificate service ↗

Certified records

Charter and filing copies

Michigan's business roadmap states certified copies start at $16.00 and uncertified copies can be downloaded free. The exact certified-copy amount depends on the document and current request form; any page, rush, or delivery charges should be verified in MiBRP. Do not confuse a certified copy with the $10.00 good-standing certificate.

Ask the recipient whether it needs a plain copy, a certified copy, a long-form certificate, or a certificate of authority.

Choose the evidence

The document request should follow the transaction.

A certificate of good standing or existence typically confirms that the entity appears active or current in the state registry at the time the certificate is issued. It may be needed to open a bank account, qualify in another state, satisfy a lender, complete a merger, or support a commercial contract.

A certified copy reproduces a filed public instrument with the agency’s certification. This is the appropriate request when the receiving party needs to review the entity’s formation document, a charter amendment, a conversion, a merger, or a dissolution instrument.

Neither document should be casually described as tax clearance. A state registry certificate may not establish that the entity has paid franchise, income, employment, sales, use, local, or industry-specific taxes.

International use

Apostille path, without the guesswork.

Michigan apostilles and authentications are handled through the Department of State or appropriate authentication office after obtaining a certified LARA record; start at https://www.michigan.gov/sos/services/apostille. Submit the certified document, destination-country information, and current fee/delivery request. The reviewed LARA pages did not establish one universal 2026 entity-document apostille price or turnaround.

01 · Confirm destination

Ask the receiving authority whether it requires an apostille, authentication, legalization, translation, or a recently issued certificate.

02 · Certify first

Many state authentication offices require a qualifying certified document before they can authenticate the signature or seal.

03 · Preserve the chain

Keep the original certificate, apostille, receipt, delivery record, and any translation together in the transaction file.

Before you pay for a document

Confirm the exact legal name and entity ID in the live public record.
Check whether the status is active and whether a delinquent report must be filed first.
Identify the required date window; some recipients will reject an older certificate.
Choose electronic delivery only if the recipient accepts a digital document.
Confirm whether the document must be certified, notarized, apostilled, or translated.

When the transaction is material, order the document directly from the designated agency or through its official system. Commercial document vendors may add a service fee for an item that the state makes available directly.