Bermuda Certificate of Compliance (Certificate of Good Standing)
Banks, lawyers, notaries and compliance officers ask for a Bermuda Certificate of Compliance to show that a Bermuda company exists, is duly incorporated and is in good standing with the Registrar of Companies: its government fees are paid and its filings are in order. After you pay by card, we request the official certificate from the Registrar of Companies through its online system. The electronic PDF is sent to your email and to your customer area, with delivery in up to 2 business days.
What you get: sample document
The sample is an official Certificate of Compliance from the Bermuda Ministry of Finance and Registrar of Companies. It states that the named company is duly incorporated under the Companies Act 1981 and in good standing on the certificate date, with registrar wording and issue dates. 1 page in the sample document.
- JurisdictionBermuda
- FormatElectronic PDF by e-mail
- DeliveryUp to 2 business days
- ✓Official document issued by the registry
- Official sourceBermuda Registrar of Companies (Ministry of Finance)
What it confirms
The Registrar of Companies of Bermuda certifies that, on the date of the certificate, the company is duly incorporated under the laws of Bermuda and is in good standing under the Companies Act 1981: its government fees and filings with the Registrar are in order. The Registrar now names the document Certificate of Compliance; it is the certificate formerly called Certificate of Good Standing, signed by the Registrar and issued under the heading of the Ministry of Finance.
Full list of what the document contains
- Bermuda, Ministry of Finance — Registrar of Companies
- Title: Certificate of Compliance
- Company name
- The company is duly incorporated under the laws of Bermuda
- The company is, at the date of the certificate, in good standing under the Companies Act 1981
- Date of the certificate and date of issue
- Name and signature of the Registrar of Companies
How we obtain and deliver it
After you pay by card through Stripe, we request the Certificate of Compliance from the Registrar of Companies of Bermuda through the Registrar's online system and pay the government fee on your behalf. The official electronic PDF is sent to your email and is available for download in the customer area, with delivery in up to 2 business days. If the Registrar does not issue the certificate because the company is not in good standing, we refund the order.
Who asks for it
Banks and other financial institutions ask for this certificate during KYC, AML and account-opening checks on a Bermuda company. Lawyers, notaries and accountants use it in due diligence, share transfers, financings and closings. Insurers and reinsurers, fund administrators and ship owners registered in Bermuda meet it when a counterparty, a regulator abroad or a court wants evidence that the company is current with the Registrar. Owners and directors abroad order it when a professional or a receiving party will not proceed without the official document.
Validity, apostille and related documents
The certificate confirms the standing of the company on the date printed on it. Bermuda law sets no general expiry; banks, notaries and other receiving parties usually want a recently issued certificate and apply their own age limits, often three to six months, so the buyer should check the acceptable date with the receiving party.
If the document will be used outside Bermuda, some parties require an apostille. The Hague Apostille Convention applies to Bermuda, and apostilles for Bermuda documents are issued in Bermuda. This product is the Registrar's electronic PDF; an apostille, if needed, is a separate legalisation step, typically applied to a paper original. Confirm with the receiving party whether they accept the electronic certificate or need the legalised paper document.
What the Bermuda Certificate of Compliance is
The Certificate of Compliance is the official statement of the Registrar of Companies of Bermuda, part of the Ministry of Finance, that a company registered in Bermuda is duly incorporated under the laws of Bermuda and is in good standing under the Companies Act 1981 on the date of the certificate. In Bermuda a company is in good standing when the annual government fee due under the Companies Act 1981 has been paid and the company has no outstanding fees or penalties owing to the Registrar. The Registrar used to issue this document under the name Certificate of Good Standing; the current name is Certificate of Compliance and the two mean the same.
What the Registrar will not certify
The Registrar issues the certificate only for a company that is in good standing. A company with unpaid government fees, a company struck off the register or a company in liquidation does not receive one. If the Registrar declines to issue the certificate for the company you ordered it for, we tell you the reason the Registrar gives and refund the order.
How the document is delivered
The certificate is the Registrar's electronic PDF, with the Registrar's signature and the issue date. It is in English, which is the official language of Bermuda. We send it to your email and keep it in your customer area for download.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Bermuda Certificate of Compliance?
It is the official certificate of the Registrar of Companies of Bermuda (Ministry of Finance) that a company is duly incorporated under the laws of Bermuda and is, on the date of the certificate, in good standing under the Companies Act 1981. It is the document formerly called Certificate of Good Standing; the Registrar now names it Certificate of Compliance.
How to get a Bermuda Certificate of Good Standing?
The Registrar of Companies issues it through its online system to account holders who pay the government fee. On this page you pay by card; we request the certificate from the Registrar, pay the fee and send you the electronic PDF by email and to your customer area, in up to 2 business days.
What does good standing mean for a Bermuda company?
That the company has paid the annual government fee due under the Companies Act 1981 and has no fees or penalties outstanding with the Registrar of Companies. A company struck off the register or in liquidation is not in good standing and the Registrar does not issue the certificate for it; in that case we refund the order and tell you the reason the Registrar gives.
How long is a Bermuda Certificate of Compliance valid?
It states the position on its date; Bermuda law sets no general expiry. Banks and notaries usually ask for a certificate issued within the last three to six months, so check the acceptable age with the party who asked for it.
Can the certificate be apostilled?
The Hague Apostille Convention applies to Bermuda and apostilles for Bermuda documents are issued in Bermuda. This product is the Registrar's electronic PDF; an apostille is a separate legalisation step, usually on a paper original, so confirm with the receiving party what they accept.