Ordering Business Records & Status

Copies | Certified Copies | Company Status

Obtaining Corporate/Business Status Information

Basic Information

You may obtain basic information about a company in several ways:

Online:  Through the Business Organizations Data System, you can obtain basic company information, but not good standing status.

Certificates of existence or certificates of authorization (depending on company type) and copies or certified copies of company charters may be ordered online with payment by credit card using the Online Order Center.

By telephone:   You can obtain basic company information (such as officers, address, formation date) and an informal determination of whether a company is in good standing for not more than three companies. CALL (304) 558-8000.  

E-mail:  Send your request using our Company Status & Information Request, specifying the names of the companies, and the specific information needed.

Fax:  Send your request by fax to (304) 558-8381, specifying the names of the companies, and the specific information needed.   Your request will be handled in turn.   Be sure to include your name, telephone number, fax number, and mailing address on the request. 

Certification of Company Status:

The Secretary of State can issue certificates of existence or certificates of authorization (depending on the type of company) on companies which are registered, active, and have filed annual reports and paid annual license taxes or fees.   A "good standing" certificate does not imply that the company has met all its obligations to the state, such as payments for unemployment compensation or workers compensation, or that it is financially sound.

Certificates cannot be issued for a company solely under a trade name.  The certificate may be given, for example, for a corporation under its corporate name, doing business as a trade name.

The Secretary of State issues certificates of authorization or certificates of existence for:
     Domestic and Foreign Corporations
     Domestic and Foreign Limited Liability Companies
     Limited Partnerships    
     Limited Liability Partnerships
     Business Trusts           
     Voluntary Associations

A certificate of existence or a certificate of authorization for a company may be requested:

• Online, through the Online Order Center, with payment by credit card.
• In person, with payment by cash, check or credit card.
• By mail, with payment by check.
• By telephone, fax or e-mail, with payment by credit card.

You may want to call for an informal status to make sure you know the correct company name, and to be sure a certificate can be issued.