Good standing is per state
Annual Filings & Company Amendments in the United States
A US company can be in good standing in one state and administratively dissolved in another at the same time.
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Each state keeps its own score
Good standing is a state-level status, and every state where you are registered tracks it separately. Miss an annual report or a franchise tax payment and that state can administratively dissolve or revoke your registration — without affecting your status anywhere else. Companies often discover this when a bank, a customer or an acquirer asks for a certificate of good standing and one state comes back negative.
- Every state calendar tracked separately, not as one date
- Registered agent coverage maintained in each state
- Reinstatement handled where a state has already revoked
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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What recurs
Annual obligations by state
Each state, every year.
| Item | Nature |
|---|---|
| Annual or biennial report | Filed with each state, on its own schedule |
| Franchise tax | Annual, in states that levy it |
| Registered agent | Maintained in every registered state |
| Statement of information | Required by some states |
| Certificate of good standing | Requested by banks and counterparties |
| Amendments | On change of name, address, members or managers |
Filing schedules, franchise tax calculations, reinstatement procedures and amendment requirements differ by state and change. Yours are tracked per state.
How it works
Keeping every state current
One calendar per state, not one for the company.
01
Build the calendar
Every state where you are registered, with its filing schedule, fee basis and registered agent arrangement.
02
File on time
Reports and franchise tax submitted before each deadline so no state falls out of good standing.
03
Amend and reinstate
Changes filed in every affected state, and reinstatement pursued where a state has already revoked.
- Annual or biennial report filed in each state
- Franchise tax paid where levied
- Registered agent appointed and current in each state
- Registered office address current
- Members or managers recorded accurately
- Officers recorded where required
- Fictitious name registrations renewed
- Local business licences renewed
- Sales tax registrations maintained or closed
- State tax accounts current
- Certificates of good standing obtained when needed
- Amendments filed in every affected state
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Per-state compliance calendar
- Annual and biennial report filings
- Franchise tax filings where applicable
- Registered agent arrangements per state
- Amendments for name, address and management changes
- Certificates of good standing obtained on request
- Reinstatement where a state has revoked
- Guidance on closing registrations you no longer need
Not included, quoted separately
- State fees and franchise taxes, paid at cost
- Registered agent annual fees
- Penalties and reinstatement fees for earlier lapses
- US tax advice
- Income and sales tax filings unless quoted
- Local business licence renewals unless quoted
- Legal advice on member disputes
- Audit and accounts preparation
Verify independently
Relevant US authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Secretary of State of the state of formationInternal Revenue ServiceState departments of revenueCounty and city licensing officesRegistered agent in each stateState professional licensing boards
Questions
US annual filings — FAQs
What is administrative dissolution?
A state cancelling your registration for failure to file or pay. It affects that state only, but it can stop you enforcing contracts or transacting there until reinstated.
Why do banks ask for a certificate of good standing?
To confirm the entity is current with the state. A revoked status in any state where you are registered can hold up banking, financing or a sale.
Do I have to file in every state I am registered in?
Yes. Each registration carries its own annual obligations, which is why we recommend closing registrations in states where you no longer operate.
How is franchise tax calculated?
Differently in each state — by shares, by capital, by revenue or as a flat fee. It frequently bears no relation to profit.
Can a revoked company be reinstated?
Usually yes, with back filings and fees, though the cost exceeds what timely filing would have been. We handle reinstatements where needed.
Go deeper
More United States services
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