A Hawaii Certified Copy is a copy of a Business Document which includes an endorsement, with an accompanying Certificate or Seal, of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs which states that the document is a true copy of the Business Document originally filed with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. 

A Certified Copy of a Hawaii Business Document also includes the date that the Document was Certified by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  A Hawaii Certified Copy of a Business Document is normally a photocopy.

A Hawaii Certified Copy bears the signature of a representative of the HI Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. 

When the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs issues a Certified Copy of a Corporate Document, this means that the Hawaii Certified Copy is a true, accurate and valid copy of the HI Corporate Document that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has on file.

A Plain Copy of a Hawaii Business Document is just what the name implies.  It is simply a photocopy of a Business Document.  There are no endorsements, stamps or seals on a Plain Copy of a Hawaii Business Document.

Most legal, government and financial institutions require Certified Copies of Business Documents rather than Plain Copies when dealing with official matters.

Some of the reasons why you might need a Hawaii Certified Copy of your Business Documents:

• Bank loans
• Tax filings
• Foreign Business qualification
• Replace original HI Business Documents
• Provide legal proof of Hawaii Business Registration

If you are responsible for the Business records of a Hawaii Corporation or a Hawaii LLC it is important to retain on file Certified Copies of your Formation Documents - your Articles of Incorporation for Corporations or your Articles of Organization for LLCs; as well as all Amendments to your original Articles.

The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs issues a Good Standing Certificate to Hawaii Corporations and LLCs which are up to date with all administrative requirements.

The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will Certify any Business Document which has been filed with that office.  On the other hand, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs generally does not Certify Documents which are issued by that office.

So, no the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will not Certify a Good Standing Certificate or any other document which is issued by that office.

A Corporation or LLC which is registered in one state and wants to do business in another state must first qualify as a "Foreign Corporation" or a "Foreign LLC" in the state in which it wants to do business. 

For example, a Corporation or LLC that is registered in Hawaii wants to do business in California.  The Hawaii Corporation or LLC must qualify as a California Foreign Corporation or LLC. 

Some states require a Certified Copy of the formation documents, called Articles of Incorporation for a Corporation or Articles of Organization for an LLC, from the Foreign Corporation's home state. 

We can get your Hawaii Certified Copies within 4-6 business days for $45.00 plus state Document fees.

If you need your Hawaii Certified Copies quicker we can usually get them from the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs on the next business day for $74.00 plus state Document fees if we get your order before noon Hawaii time.  (Our expedited processing fee also includes any additional state fees for the HI Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs's expedited process.)

Depending on the Document, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs may take longer to Certify Business Documents filed more than around ten years in the past.
We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.  We get your Hawaii Certified Copies order to the HI Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as soon as possible after we receive your order.  Once it is at the state we have no control over Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs processing times.
The processing times specified on this web page are the times it usually takes the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to process orders for Certified Copies of Business Documents. 

The HI Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs charges $10.00 for each Certified Copy of a Business Document.  We charge a processing fee of $45.00 for our standard processing.  We can usually get your Hawaii Certified Copies in 4-6 business days with our standard processing.  With our expedited processing option we can usually get your Hawaii Certified Copies within next business day.