California attorneys can obtain a Certificate of Good Standing (called a Certificate of Standing by the State Bar) two ways: order it online through the State Bar of California for $42 per certificate,1The State Bar of California. Schedule of Charges and Deadlines or request one by mail from the California Supreme Court Clerk for $1. The State Bar version is what most receiving jurisdictions expect, but confirm with them before you pay, because the wrong type or the wrong issuing office means starting over.
One naming note before you order: the State Bar deliberately avoids the phrase “good standing” on its documents because jurisdictions define that term differently. The certificate reports your license history and lets the receiving bar or court draw its own conclusion.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing
Pick the Right Certificate Type First
The State Bar issues three versions, and ordering the wrong one is the most common way applicants delay themselves.
- The Standard Certificate of Standing lists your name, bar number, admission date, status history, administrative actions, and public disciplinary history. This is what most requests need.
- The Complaint Check Certificate contains everything on the Standard version plus any confidential complaint information investigated against you. Many state bars specifically require this version for admission applications. If complaint history is required, order only this one; you don’t need both.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing
- The Notarized Certificate is a Standard Certificate with notarization added, sometimes required by foreign jurisdictions. U.S. state bars and courts don’t require it. An additional $15 notary fee applies per certificate.1The State Bar of California. Schedule of Charges and Deadlines
Read the receiving jurisdiction’s application instructions before you click order. Payments are nonrefundable.
Ordering Through the State Bar
You will need your State Bar number, your full name including any former names on file, and the full name and mailing address of the court or bar that will receive the certificate. The State Bar sends the document directly to the recipient rather than to you.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing Before starting, log into your My State Bar Profile and confirm your email and mailing addresses are current.3State Bar of California. Certificate of Standing – Licensee Type – Attorney Search
The base fee is $42. The online system takes U.S. and international debit and credit cards, and you can also pay by mailed check. You can request up to three certificate types at once for a single attorney, and the portal calculates the total.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing
Standard and Notarized Certificates can be ordered by someone other than the subject attorney, and you can process multiple attorneys in one session. The Complaint Check Certificate is different: only the subject attorney can request it, and the State Bar requires that attorney’s signed authorization before releasing it. Authorization can be submitted electronically through My State Bar Profile or on a downloaded paper form.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing
The $1 Supreme Court Option
The California Supreme Court Clerk issues its own Certificate of Standing for $1, payable to the Clerk of the Supreme Court of California by dollar bill or check. Send a written request with a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
California Supreme Court
350 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
The State Bar’s website lists this option alongside its own process.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing The Supreme Court certificate comes back to you rather than going directly to the recipient. Whether the receiving jurisdiction will accept it in place of the State Bar version depends on that jurisdiction’s rules, so ask first.
How Long It Takes to Arrive
State Bar certificates are usually sent within 10 to 12 business days of receipt.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing There is no published expedited option, so start early if you are working against a bar application or pro hac vice deadline.
Standard and Complaint Check Certificates go by email directly to the recipient jurisdiction. Notarized Certificates go by U.S. Mail or UPS. UPS delivery within California may carry an additional shipping charge.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing
How Long the Certificate Is Considered Current
The State Bar does not put an expiration date on its certificates. The receiving jurisdiction decides how fresh the document has to be.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing Many courts require certificates issued within 30 days of filing; others allow 60 or 90 days. Confirm the window before you order, because ordering too early can mean paying twice.
What Can Stop the State Bar From Issuing One
The State Bar cannot issue a certificate if your status prohibits the practice of law. Common blocks include disbarment or resignation with charges pending, administrative suspension (typically from unpaid annual fees or penalties), involuntary inactive status (usually from failing to meet Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements), and outstanding financial obligations such as unpaid Client Security Fund assessments, disciplinary costs, or restitution.2The State Bar of California. Certificates of Standing The certificate reports your status on the date it is prepared, so even a brief administrative suspension when you order will block it.
If you are on involuntary inactive status for MCLE noncompliance, you must submit a completed MCLE compliance card, pay the noncompliance fee and reinstatement fee, and provide documentation of compliance such as certificates of attendance or a self-study log. Reinstatement follows once the State Bar receives everything.4The State Bar of California. Inactive and Not Eligible to Practice
If you voluntarily went inactive and want back on active status, submit a transfer request form and pay the difference between the active and inactive fee for the current year. Active status takes effect on the date the State Bar receives the signed form and fee.4The State Bar of California. Inactive and Not Eligible to Practice If you were made ineligible for more than one reason, every issue must be cleared before reinstatement.
Apostille for Use Outside the United States
If you are presenting the certificate in a country that belongs to the 1961 Hague Convention, it needs an apostille to be recognized.5USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S. For a California document, the apostille comes from the California Secretary of State.
You can request one by mail through the Sacramento office or in person in Sacramento or Los Angeles. The fee is $20 per apostille. In-person requests carry an added $6 special handling fee for each public official’s signature being authenticated. Mail requests need the original document (not a photocopy), a cover sheet naming the destination country, the $20 payment by check or money order, and a self-addressed envelope with prepaid postage.6California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille Because the apostille needs a physical document, order the Notarized Certificate from the State Bar; it arrives by mail rather than email.