A state-stamped copy, not a printout.
A bank, a court, an investor, or another state has asked for a certified copy of your formation documents, and the PDF in your folder will not do. A certified copy is the version the Secretary of State stamps and seals as a true copy of what is on file. We order the exact document you need, same day where the state allows, and keep it in your vault.
Your own copy is fine, until an institution needs to trust it.
The Articles you downloaded when you formed are perfect for your records. But when a bank, a court, a lender, or a foreign government relies on that document, they cannot take your word that it is genuine. They want the copy the state itself certifies as true, carrying its stamp, seal, and a certification page. That is a certified copy, and only the office that holds the original can produce it. This is how you get the exact one they asked for, without a trip to the state.
So what actually lands in your hands? Here is the certified document.
Your filing, certified by the state as a true copy.
A certified copy is a reproduction of a document on file with the Secretary of State, with an official certification that it matches the original. Most often it is your Articles of Organization or Incorporation, but it can be any recorded filing: an amendment, a merger, a conversion, or the full formation history. The certification page and seal are what give it legal weight. We identify the precise document and certification your requester needs, order it, and store an authenticated copy in your vault.
A stamped copy is rarely the goal by itself. Here is what it lets you close.
The document that satisfies the checklist.
Certified copies show up as line items on the paperwork for real transactions. When someone insists on the certified version, this is usually what is riding on it.
Banks and payment processors sometimes require a certified copy of your Articles to open or verify the account.
Many states want a certified copy of your home-state formation documents when you register to do business there.
Litigation, contracts, and licensing boards often require certified proof of the entity's formation and structure.
Buyers and investors ask for certified formation documents to confirm the company is exactly what the cap table says.
A certified copy is the base document that gets an apostille or consular authentication for use in another country.
If your formation paperwork was misplaced, a certified copy is the accepted stand-in wherever the original would go.
One question decides how fast this goes. Which document, exactly?
If the state filed it, the state can certify it.
A certified copy can be made of anything on record with the Secretary of State. It cannot be made of a document the state never received, which is where most confusion comes from. Here is the line.
We can certify
- Articles of Organization or Incorporation, as filed.
- Amendments, restatements, mergers, and conversions.
- The full formation history of the entity.
- Filings for a dissolved entity that are still on record.
This is a different request if
- You need current status, not a document. That is a Certificate of Good Standing.
- You want your Operating Agreement certified. That is internal and never filed with the state.
- You need it accepted overseas. Add document authentication on top.
- The entity was formed in another state. We order from the state that holds the record.
What we need from you is short: your legal entity name, the state of formation, and which document the requester named. If they only said certified copy of your formation documents, we know that almost always means the Articles plus any amendments, and we confirm before ordering so it is accepted the first time.
Document identified? Here is how the order runs.
Same day in some states, a few business days in others.
Your part takes a minute. The rest is the state's records office, and the speed depends on the jurisdiction. Here is the path from request to certified copy in your vault.
Name the document and state
Tell us the entity, the state, and which filing the requester wants certified. We handle the rest.
We locate the record
We confirm the exact filing on the state's system and the certification format your requester needs, so you do not receive the wrong document.
The state certifies and issues
Where the state certifies electronically, the copy comes back the same business day. Elsewhere it is a few business days, and we give you the realistic window before we order.
Delivered and kept in your vault
You get the certified copy to hand over, and we store an authenticated version so the next request takes seconds, not another order.
Anyone can order a copy. Here is what changes when we do.
The right document, certified the way they asked.
Most delays with certified copies come from ordering the wrong filing or the wrong certification, then waiting again. The value here is getting it right once, and keeping it ready for the next time.
Ordered right the first time
- We read what the requester actually asked for and order that exact filing.
- We confirm whether they need plain certification or authentication for use abroad.
- We check the entity name and state match the record before ordering.
Ready to reuse
- We order from any of the 51 jurisdictions in one place.
- An authenticated copy is stored in your vault the moment it issues.
- Need it accepted overseas? We route it straight to document authentication.
State certification fees vary by jurisdiction; our service fee is flat and shown up front. See what it costs →
A certified copy usually travels with other documents. Here is the road it sits on.
A certified copy is one piece of the packet.
The transaction that needed it, a bank, a new state, an investor, or a filing abroad, usually needs a couple of neighboring documents too. They all come from one platform, so the packet comes together in one place.
Certify it, prove it, authenticate it, and file it, all inside File.Business. One platform holds your record, so every copy and certificate after this starts from what we already have.
The questions owners ask about certified copies.
What is a certified copy, and how is it different from my own copy?
A certified copy is a reproduction of a document on file with the Secretary of State, accompanied by the state's official certification that it is a true and exact copy of the original. Your own downloaded copy has no such certification, so an institution cannot rely on it as proof. The state's stamp, seal, and certification page are what give a certified copy legal weight in banking, court, and government settings.
Which document do I actually need certified?
It depends on who asked. Most often it is your Articles of Organization or Incorporation, but requesters sometimes want a specific amendment, a merger, or the full formation history. If they only said certified copy of your formation documents, that usually means the Articles plus any amendments. We confirm the exact filing before ordering so the copy is accepted the first time.
How is this different from a Certificate of Good Standing?
They answer different questions. A certified copy reproduces a document that was filed, showing what the company is. A Certificate of Good Standing is a current statement that the company has stayed compliant, showing that the company is up to date. Some transactions ask for both. We can order them together so the names, dates, and state all match.
How long does a certified copy take?
In states that certify electronically, including Delaware, Nevada, Wyoming, and Colorado, we can return it the same business day. Most other states take a few business days. Certain historical documents that are only held in paper archives take longer, and we tell you the realistic window for your specific document before we order.
Can I get a certified copy if my business is closed?
Usually yes. Because a certified copy reproduces a document that is already on record, states can generally certify filings for a dissolved or inactive entity, which is helpful for closing out contracts, taxes, or legal matters. This is different from a Certificate of Good Standing, which a closed entity cannot obtain. Tell us the situation and we confirm what the state will release.
I need it for use in another country. Is a certified copy enough?
Not by itself. For international use, the receiving country typically requires an apostille or consular authentication layered on top of the certified copy. The certified copy is the base document that authentication attaches to. We handle both through document authentication, so you receive one package that is accepted where you are presenting it.
Can you certify my Operating Agreement or internal documents?
The state cannot, because those documents are never filed with it. An Operating Agreement, corporate resolutions, and similar records are internal, so a Secretary of State has no original to certify against. If a bank or counterparty needs assurance about an internal document, that is usually handled by a notarized certification from an officer or member, not a state certified copy. We can point you to the right path for what they are asking.
How many copies should I order?
Order for the transaction in front of you plus any you already know are coming. Because a certified copy is a snapshot with the state's certification date, some requesters want a recent one, so ordering a large stack far in advance can backfire if they later want a fresh date. We keep an authenticated copy in your vault, so reordering a current one when the next request arrives is quick.