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What is a Certificate of Authority?
A certificate of authority is a legal document that allows an entity to legally conduct business in a state—other than where it was initially registered as an S Corp, non-profit, C Corp, or LLC.
The document’s name can vary based on a state. It can be referred to as a Qualification Certificate, Application for Authority, Application to Transact Business, or Application for Registration, but is popularly known as Foreign Qualification.
When you talk of Foreign Qualification, the term ‘foreign’ here refers to other states—without necessarily going international. Typically, the document is the same regardless of the type of business in question.
Types of Certificates of Authority
However, you can also use the term Certificate of Authority to refer to a few different things. We will discuss a few types of Certificates of Authority to give you a more detailed overview of what they are.
Type 1: Conducting Business in Another State
Here, we discuss the foreign qualification obtained when a business wants to conduct operations legally in another state outside its initial formation. For example, suppose a business entity filed articles of association in Nevada. In that case, it will need a Certificate of Authority to conduct business in California.
The different states set distinct compliance requirements for foreign qualification, and businesses seeking certification must abide by the rules and the regulations. Individual states also use different criteria for defining ‘conducting business.’ Still, generally, an enterprise is said to conduct business in a state if:
- It has a physical address in that state
- Holds meetings with clients in that state
- Has employees working or living in that state
- Is liable for sales tax on the goods and services it sells in that state
- It regularly makes contracts with parties in that state
However, this is by no means the comprehensive criteria for determining whether an entity conducts business. Moreover, the criteria for doing business can vary in different statutes.
Type 2: Industry-Specific Certificates of Authority
In some states, you may need a Certificate of Authority to conduct business in a specific industry or if you want to meet a particular purpose. We will explain a few examples of Certificates of Authority under this category.
Example 1: Insurance Certificate of Authority
Suppose you want to start an insurance company. In that case, you need to obtain the licensing to operate in the insurance industry legally. Here, your business may request the certification from two different perspectives.
- During the primary application. The request for a Certificate of Authority when opening the company in a particular state
- When expanding the business. The request for certification to provide insurance services in states other than where you registered the company
Example 2: Tax Certificate of Authority
In most states, businesses that sell goods or services subject to sales tax must obtain a Tax Certificate of Authority. The certificate gives the business the authority to collect taxes. They can also issue and collect exemption certificates on sales tax.
The business will have to apply for the certificate from the tax authority and pay a fee. It gets assigned the certificate with a sales tax identification number upon approval. The certificate is renewable periodically.
If the business has multiple locations within the same state, each location must have its license and display it prominently at the site.
Here is an article that also defines the Certificate of Authority.
Purpose of a Certificate of Authority
The purpose of a Certificate of Authority varies depending on the type. However, it is of utmost importance for a foreign qualification to operate in multiple states.
The document's primary purpose is to help your business legally conduct its operations in different states. It is proof that the entity operates lawfully and in compliance with the state’s requirements. A company that lacks the certificate cannot conduct business in other states.
Image via Pexels by Karolina Grabowska
Do I Need a Certificate of Authority?
If you plan to expand your business operations to other states, it’s a significant milestone for your business. First, however, you need to take a couple of steps, and obtaining a Certificate of Authority is one of them.
Each state has different laws and regulations, so you will have to apply for the certificate in the specific states you want to venture. Otherwise, you will not have the right to sell goods or provide services in these states, which is the most significant reason you need the certificate.
Also, it’s important to note that if you carry out activities that constitute conducting business in a particular state without a Certificate of Authority, you could be liable for tax backs, penalties, and fines.
Additionally, your business may not start or maintain a lawsuit or carry out legal proceedings in a court of law. That means you will not have the right to enforce contracts or recover damages.
Here is an article about the Certificate of Authority.
How To Get a Certificate of Authority
Give your company the authority it needs to conduct business outside its home states. Generally, you acquire a Certificate of Authority upon application and payment of fees. The fees and other jurisdictional requirements vary based on the state.
Here are four basic steps for Foreign Qualification.
Step 1: Confirm availability of the name
A name search helps you know if the company’s name in its articles of incorporation is available in the state of qualification. The availability here means no other entity uses a similar name in the Secretary of State’s records.
If it is available, reserve it so that no other business registers under the name. If it is not available, the Secretary of State can qualify your company as a ‘ doing business as ’ (DBA).
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Registered agents or corporate lawyers will act on behalf of your business in the foreign state. You must appoint a professional agency that will receive progress and other important communication on behalf of your business.
Step 3: Order a certificate of good standing
Many states will require proof that your company is in good standing in its registered state. Here, the Certificate of Good Standing proves that the company meets the operating agreement in the home state. A business can fall out of good standing by failing to pay taxes or file annual reports.
Step 4: File application documents and pay the fees
Once you’ve clear about the name status of your company and have a registered agent, you can file the application and pay the necessary fees. Research the fee payable in specific states since the amounts differ. Your registered agent should have the experience and expertise to handle this step and execute it on behalf of your company.
The application document should include a range of company information like:
- Company name
- Date of incorporation
- Physical location
- Name and location of registered agent
- Name and address of members or officers
- Name of authorized shares and listings of stocks
- Financial information
- Type of business the company will carry out and corporate bylaws
However, the above is not a comprehensive list of the required information. The requirements vary from one state to another.
Benefits of a Certificate of Authority
The primary benefit of Foreign Qualification is that your business can operate in another state legally. It is an excellent opportunity for expansion and growth. Besides that, other advantages include:
- Ability to start and maintain legal proceedings
- Your business avoids penalties and fines
- Your business wins the trust of clients
- The business can remain an LLC
- The business saves the cost of incorporation in every state
Get Help With Foreign Qualification
While the foreign qualification process appears straightforward, there are several legal implications. As a result, seeking legal assistance can help you with the guidance you need and avoid possible complexities in the process of qualification.
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Meet some of our Certificate of Authority Lawyers
Terence B.
Terry Brennan is an experienced corporate, intellectual property and emerging company transactions attorney who has been a partner at two national Wall Street law firms and a trusted corporate counsel. He focuses on providing practical, cost-efficient and creative legal advice to entrepreneurs, established enterprises and investors for business, corporate finance, intellectual property and technology transactions. As a partner at prominent law firms, Terry's work centered around financing, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, securities transactions, outsourcing and structuring of business entities to protect, license, finance and commercialize technology, manufacturing, digital media, intellectual property, entertainment and financial assets. As the General Counsel of IBAX Healthcare Systems, Terry was responsible for all legal and related business matters including health information systems licensing agreements, merger and acquisitions, product development and regulatory issues, contract administration, and litigation. Terry is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an Editor of the law review. He is active in a number of economic development, entrepreneurial accelerators, veterans and civic organizations in Florida and New York.
Rosario A.
I'm a Washington-licensed lawyer specializing in trademark practice and with an extensive trademark education and academic background. I currently work with domestic and international businesses seeking trademark protection in the U.S. by conducting trademark searches, providing legal advice, submitting USPTO applications, and preparing responses to office actions. I'm passionate about trademark law and always looking forward to helping small and medium businesses promote their value by having a registered federal trademark. If you have questions or concerns about trademark/copyright/IP licensing and require legal advice, feel free to contact me and we can have a first chat.
Anatalia S.
High quality work product at affordable prices.
August 18, 2020
William F.
William L Foster has been practicing law since 2006 as an attorney associate for a large litigation firm in Denver, Colorado. His experience includes drafting business contracts, organizational filings, and settlement agreements.
August 24, 2020
Jeffrey P.
Mr. Pomeranz serves as the principal of Pomeranz Law PLLC, a boutique law firm representing clients across myriad industries and verticals. Before founding the firm, Mr. Pomeranz served as Senior Vice President, Legal & Compliance and General Counsel of Mortgage Connect, LP in 2017. Mr. Pomeranz also served as Counsel, Transactions for Altisource Portfolio Solutions S.A. (NASDAQ: ASPS) beginning in 2013, and was based in the company’s C-Suite in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Mr. Pomeranz began his career with Mainline Information Systems, Inc. as an in-house attorney.
August 25, 2020
Rinky P.
Rinky S. Parwani began her career practicing law in Beverly Hills, California handling high profile complex litigation and entertainment law matters. Later, her practice turned transactional to Lake Tahoe, California with a focus on business startups, trademarks, real estate resort development and government law. After leaving California, she also served as in-house counsel for a major lending corporation headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa as well as a Senior Vice President of Compliance for a fortune 500 mortgage operation in Dallas, Texas prior to opening Parwani Law, P.A. in Tampa, Florida. She has represented various sophisticated individual, government and corporate clients and counseled in a variety of litigation and corporate matters throughout her career. Ms. Parwani also has prior experience with state and federal consumer lending laws for unsecured credit cards, revolving credit, secured loans, retail credit, sales finance and mortgage loans. She also has served as a special magistrate and legal counsel for numerous Florida County Value Adjustment Boards. Her practice varies significantly from unique federal and state litigation cases to transactional matters. Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Ms. Parwani worked in private accounting for several years prior to law school. Her background includes a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certificate from Iowa (currently the license is inactive) and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation (currently the designation is inactive). Ms. Parwani or the firm is currently a member of the following organizations: Hillsborough County Bar Association, American Bar Association, Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Association. Ms. Parwani is a frequent volunteer for Fox Channel 13 Tampa Bay Ask-A-Lawyer. She has published an article entitled "Advising Your Client in Foreclosure" in the Stetson Law Review, Volume 41, No. 3, Spring 2012 Foreclosure Symposium Edition. She is a frequent continuing legal education speaker and has also taught bankruptcy seminars for the American Bar Association and Amstar Litigation. She was commissioned by the Governor of Kentucky as a Kentucky Colonel. In addition, she teaches Immigration Law, Bankruptcy Law and Legal Research and Writing as an adjunct faculty instructor at the Hillsborough Community College Ybor campus in the paralegal studies program.
September 2, 2020
Nicole R.
Full-service boutique law firm providing personalized services in business law, trademarks, and real estate closings/title work.
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