What kind of documents do states provide plain or certified copies of?
- Initial formation documents
- Amendments
- Mergers
- Dissolutions
- Annual reports
Why do I need plain or certified copies of a company's official documents?
There are numerous reasons why people need copies of a company's corporate documents:
- Applying for a business loan or lease
- Original copies were lost
- Back-up copies to keep in your corporate records book
- Opening a business bank account
- Bringing on investors or partners
- Qualifying your company to do business in another state
What’s the difference between a plain copy and a certified copy?
Plain copies are a "photo copy" of the originally filed document.
A "certified copy" is a copy that is certified by the state to be a "true copy" and includes either a "stamp" or a certificate page that includes the signature or official seal of the state filing authority.
States fees are different for "plain" or "certified" copies. In addition, not all states provide plain copies but only issue "certified copies".
Why you need the copies and who is requesting them will determine rather you need "plain" or "certified" copies.
How can DBI Global Filings help me?
All documents related to a company are public record. When a state "certifies" a document, they are certifying the duplicate copy as a "true copy" of the original. Certified copies are official state-issued certificates of the formation documents.
Most company documents are available as either plain copies or certified copies. Some states provide only "certified" copies.
We can retrieve copies of company documents you need from any state. Let us navigate the appropriate state's website and retrieve the copies of documents you need in a timely manner.
How much do you charge for retrieving plain or certified copies?
Your time is valuable. Use our document retrieval service to increase your productivity. Our trained Document Retrieval Specialists are experienced in navigating each state's Secretary of State website. Here's what we do for our processing fee:
- Receive and review your order
- Verify your request
- Place the order with the appropriate state agency
- Pay state filing fees on your behalf
- Follow-up with the state agency on your request
- Forward your documents via email or express shipping
We charge a processing fee of $35 plus state copy fees. Each state has different fees. See our comprehensive plain or certified copies order form for exact fees.
Thank you for your interest in our document retrieval services.