A Massachusetts Certified Copy is a copy of a Business Document which includes an endorsement, with an accompanying Certificate or Seal, of the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth which states that the document is a true copy of the Business Document originally filed with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. 

A Certified Copy of a Massachusetts Business Document also includes the date that the Document was Certified by the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.  A Massachusetts Certified Copy of a Business Document is normally a photocopy.

A Massachusetts Certified Copy bears the signature of a representative of the MA Secretary of the Commonwealth. 

When the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth issues a Certified Copy of a Corporate Document, this means that the Massachusetts Certified Copy is a true, accurate and valid copy of the MA Corporate Document that the Secretary of the Commonwealth has on file.

A Plain Copy of a Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Certified Copy of your Business Documents:

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

If you are responsible for the Business records of a Massachusetts Corporation or a Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth issues a Good Standing Certificate to Massachusetts Corporations and LLCs which are up to date with all administrative requirements.

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth will Certify any Business Document which has been filed with that office.  On the other hand, the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth generally does not Certify Documents which are issued by that office.

So, no the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth 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 Massachusetts wants to do business in California.  The Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Certified Copies within 5-7 business days for $45.00 plus state Document fees.

If you need your Massachusetts Certified Copies quicker we can usually get them from the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth within 1-2 business days for $75.00 plus state Document fees.  (Our expedited processing fee also includes any additional state fees for the MA Secretary of the Commonwealth's expedited process.)

Depending on the Document, the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth 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 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.  We get your Massachusetts Certified Copies order to the MA Secretary of the Commonwealth as soon as possible after we receive your order.  Once it is at the state we have no control over Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth processing times.
The processing times specified on this web page are the times it usually takes the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth to process orders for Certified Copies of Business Documents. 

The MA Secretary of the Commonwealth charges $15.00 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 Massachusetts Certified Copies in 5-7 business days with our standard processing.  With our expedited processing option we can usually get your Massachusetts Certified Copies within 1-2 business days.