What is the Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) from your UK registered Limited Company?
The meaning of Certificate of Good Standing, (COGS) : Generally, this Certificate of Good Standing shows that the Company has filed all reports and paid the necessary fees with the Secretary of State’s office. It serves as proof, or evidence, that the entity exists and is authorized to transact business in the United Kingdom. It can be obtained from Companies House for any UK-registered private limited company.
How can I order my Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) from a UK registered Limited Company?
If you wish to apply for a Certificate of Good Standing for a private company limited by shares or guarantee, you must ensure that:
- The company has at least one ‘natural’ director (i.e. a human being, not a corporate body) over the age of 16
- The annual confirmation statement (formerly called the annual return) and annual accounts are delivered to Companies House by their statutory filing deadlines
- Any change to your company’s registered details are reported to Companies House and/or HMRC within the required timeframes
You can call calling the Companies House contact centre on +44 303 1234 500. I highly recommend you to contract an agency that after will add the Hague Apostille.
Do I need Hague Apostille for get Spanish VAT registration with my UK Limited company?
Yes, you need it, of course! Otherwise all your previous work wont be useful. In order for any foreign document to be recognised by the Spanish authorities, it is absolutely necessary that this document includes the Hague Apostille stamp.
What is the validity date of the Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) from a UK Company?
Generally the Spanish authorities who check the documents for the registration of a UK company in the value added tax system allow 3 months from the issue of this certificate therefore we advise that your VAT application is handled by a company that does not have too much work in the queue and is sent directly. At Tax and Law Spain we work to keep waiting times as short as possible and we also try to get feedback when any process takes longer than normal. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
Do I need to present the original document to the Spanish authorities for VAT registration of my my UK Limited company?
Initially it is request a high quality scan of your Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) with Apostille before the document is sent by ordinary mail, but there is a high likelihood that the original COGS will be required by the Spanish Authorities and we will then arrange for it to be physically presented for validation by officials in Spain.
It is therefore very important that the scan arrives at least 1 month after the certificate has been issued, or at least that is what we always recommend from our office.
Thank you very much for reading this article. Tax&Law Spain can help you to overcome other complex matters regarding the NIE number. If you have questions considering the NIE number and you are looking for a professional advice and guidance, you can contact me via WhattsApp (+49 1520 8381499) or e-mail (erica@taxandlawspain.com).
