Certified Copies

Certified Copies are copies of any document that an entity has filed with the state, which are then officially certified by that state. "Certified Copies" are different from "Plain Copies" in that the certification is an official state-issued certificate verifying that the document referenced therein is a true and correct copy of the original document that was filed. Generally, copies of documents that companies keep on file are usually only plain copies and are insufficient to those parties who are requesting "Certified Copies."

Often, Corporations and Limited Liability Companies are required to provide certified documents. Examples include the following:

• A Secretary of State may request certified copies when an entity intends to foreign qualify.
• In the event that an individual or entity loses original documents and needs to have copies on file for their internal company records or for certain business transactions.
• Certified copies are useful for internal record-keeping purposes or for certain business transactions.

Examples of situations in which you may require Certified Copies include:

• To register/qualify as a foreign entity in certain jurisdictions
• To obtain financing
• When selling a business
• To renew a license or licenses
• To enter into many business transactions or contracts

The most common request is "Certified Copies of Articles of Incorporation and All Amendments Thereto."

Other types of documents for which requests for certification are frequently received include:

• Formations
• Amendments
• Certificates of authority (qualification documents)
• Dissolutions