A Certificate of Good Standing is a legal document that certifies a business’s right to conduct business in a specific state. Additionally, it shows that all state legal requirements, including paying taxes and filing yearly reports, have been met by the business. A Certificate of Good Standing in Washington, DC, is good for 60 days after the date of issuance. The certificate expires after 60 days, at which point the business must get a new one.
A business must submit an application to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) in order to receive a Certificate of Good Standing in the District of Columbia. The application must include all necessary fees, the company’s name, address, and other identifying information. The DCRA will grant the certificate if it finds that the business is in good standing.
If a company in Washington, DC is incorporating a new limited liability company (LLC), they may additionally need to file Articles of Organization in addition to a Certificate of Good Standing. The existence and structure of the LLC are established by the articles of organization, which are legal papers. They must be submitted to the DCRA and contain details including the name, address, and registered agent of the LLC.
Contrarily, Washington State doesn’t have Articles of Organization. Instead, if a company in Washington wants to become a corporation, they must file Articles of Incorporation. Information including the corporation’s name, goal, and registered agent must be included in the Articles of Incorporation, which must be submitted to the Washington Secretary of State.
The business registration office in your state should be able to provide you with a copy of your company’s articles of organization if you require them. In Washington State, it would be the Secretary of State’s office, while in Washington DC it would be the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
Finally, it’s crucial to understand that an EIN (Employer Identification Number) and a UBI (Unified Business Identifier) number are not the same thing. The state where a business is registered assigns a UBI, which is utilized for business tax purposes. On the other side, an EIN is given by the IRS and is utilized for federal taxation. Despite having comparable functions, they are not the same thing.