Certificate of good standing: the state proof brokers ask for, and how a ride company loses it

What a certificate of good standing certifies

It certifies that the state’s records show your company is registered and up to date on the filings the state requires. Florida’s statute shows what that covers. Under section 605.0211, the certificate of status for an LLC lists the company’s name, the date it was organized, whether fees and penalties owed to the state are paid, whether the latest annual report is filed, and whether the state has dissolved the company. The statute makes it conclusive evidence that the company exists and is active.

It says nothing about insurance, driver files or Medicaid enrollment. Those go to the buyer in their own documents, as the broker credentialing checklist lays out.

The name of the document changes by state. Florida says certificate of status. Wyoming prices a certificate of existence, evidence or good standing as one item. In Texas the question goes to the Comptroller, whose franchise tax account status tool was formerly called Good Standing and prints the Comptroller’s records as of the day you run the search.

Who in NEMT asks for one

Brokers, state agencies, cities and counties ask for it with the application, and some ask again later. Six examples:

• MTM. Section 2.B of its provider services agreement, in the version dated January 1, 2023 that Pennsylvania DHS posts online, says the provider must be in good standing under the laws of the state where it provides rides, and that a Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State must be provided to MTM on request.
• Arkansas Medicaid. Its 2025 invitation for bid for regional ride brokers (710-25-049, minimum qualification 2.2.A) says the contractor must be registered in Arkansas and in good standing by the start of the contract. It must provide a Certificate of Good Standing or other Secretary of State documents when DHS asks. See invitation for bid.
• MART. The Massachusetts broker’s application FAQ says it requires two certificates: one from the Department of Revenue showing tax compliance, which has to be renewed each year, and one from the Secretary of State, which MART says it generally needs only once, with the application. See the MART guide.
• Chicago. The city’s 2026 to 2027 renewal checklist for medicar licenses held by a company asks for an Illinois Secretary of State certificate, or an “Active” status printout showing all officers, dated after April 1, 2026.
• Los Angeles County. The Department of Children and Family Services’ 2023 invitation for bids for foster youth transportation required a Certificate of Good Standing from the state of organization, plus the latest California Statement of Information, from every corporation or LLC bidder.
• A Maryland county. Charles County’s 2025 ride RFP says a corporation must be registered and in good standing with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, and that failing to be may disqualify an otherwise successful proposer.

MTM’s wording ties good standing to the state where the rides happen. A company formed in one state and driving in another needs to be in good standing in the second one as well, which is the problem the out-of-state LLC guide works through.

How do I order one, and what does it cost?

Order it online from the state office that keeps your company’s record, and expect a small fee. Florida’s Division of Corporations takes a 6 or 12 digit document number and an email address, takes payment by card, and emails the certificate as a PDF. The fee is $5 under section 605.0213, and the state runs a Check Certificate of Status page where a buyer can confirm the one you send. Wyoming’s fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 notes that good standing certificates can be obtained online at no cost, and lists the certificate of existence, evidence or good standing at $20.

Because the certificate is a snapshot, buyers set their own age limit. Order it the week you apply, not the year before.

How a ride company loses good standing

A missed annual report is the usual cause, and the state can dissolve or suspend the company for it. The rules differ by state.

• Florida. The LLC annual report is $138.75 and must be in by May 1 to avoid a $400 late fee. An LLC that has not filed by the third Friday in September is dissolved on the fourth Friday, which was September 25 in 2026. An unpaid state fee or a missing registered agent can also trigger dissolution. A dissolved company continues to exist but may only wind up its affairs.
• California. A company is suspended when the Secretary of State has no Statement of Information, or when the Franchise Tax Board finds an unfiled return or unpaid tax. The state says a suspended entity loses its powers, rights and privileges, including use of its name. If both agencies suspended it, it stays suspended until both sets of requirements are met.
• Texas. The Comptroller must forfeit the right to transact business of a company that has not met its franchise tax filing requirements, after at least 45 days from the pending forfeiture notice. The Comptroller says a forfeited company is denied the right to sue or defend itself in a Texas court, and that its directors and officers become liable for the company’s debt under Tax Code section 171.255.

The LLC guide shows yearly filing costs for three example states. Whatever your state, put the filing deadline on the same calendar as your insurance renewals.

Getting it back

Reinstatement is filed with the same state office, and in Florida it is retroactive. An administratively dissolved Florida LLC can apply at any time after the dissolution date. It pays all fees and penalties owed, and once the state accepts the application, the reinstatement takes effect as of the original dissolution date, as if it had not occurred (section 605.0715). The Division of Corporations charges $100 plus $138.75 for each report year, so one missed year costs $238.75 and three missed years cost $516.25.

Two details can slow it down. The name stays closed to other companies for one year after the dissolution. After that, if another company has taken it, the state requires the dissolved company to change its name before it accepts the application. And a Florida filing posts immediately when paid by card if the company has been dissolved less than one calendar year, but takes 2 to 3 business days after that because the state checks name availability.

A California suspension is cured with the agency that suspended you. File a current Statement of Information for a Secretary of State suspension, or contact the Franchise Tax Board for its requirements. If both agencies suspended the company, take the Secretary of State’s relief letter to the Franchise Tax Board with Form FTB 3557.