- A certificate of good standing confirms that a St Lucia IBC still exists on the register and is up to date with its annual obligations; a certificate of incumbency states who currently runs and owns it.
- In our experience, MetaQuotes asks for a Good Standing or an Incumbency certificate once a company is more than six months old, alongside the certificate of incorporation and the registers.
- There is no confirmed free public search for St Lucia IBCs, so you obtain both certificates through your registered agent, who requests or issues them on your behalf.
- A company only stays in good standing if the annual fee is paid by 15 January and the shareholder and beneficial owner return reaches the agent by 15 February.
- No statute we have seen sets an expiry date; banks and platform vendors usually want a recently dated certificate, so order it close to when you submit your pack.
- Details on the certificates must match your registers, website and bank documents exactly: one mismatched director name can hold up a review.
The short answer
A certificate of good standing for a St Lucia International Business Company (IBC) is an official confirmation that the company is still on the register of IBCs and has met its annual obligations, mainly the annual fee. A certificate of incumbency is a document that lists the company’s current directors, shareholders (and often officers), its registered agent and its registered office. Banks, payment providers and software vendors such as MetaQuotes use them to check that a company is alive and that the people signing for it really control it.
In the MetaQuotes document list we work with, a newly formed company submits its certificate of incorporation. Once the company is more than six months old, MetaQuotes asks for a Good Standing or Incumbency certificate as well, because the incorporation certificate alone says nothing about what has happened since. In St Lucia you obtain both through your registered agent, the licensed firm that formed the company and keeps its statutory records.
This guide explains what each certificate shows, who issues it, when you will be asked for one, how to order it, how recent it should be and what usually goes wrong. We are not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice: where a point depends on the receiving bank’s or vendor’s policy, we say so.
Good standing vs incumbency: what each certificate proves
The two documents answer different questions. Good standing answers “does this company still legally exist and is it compliant with the register?”. Incumbency answers “who is behind this company today?”. Many reviewers accept either, but they are not interchangeable in every context.
| Point | Certificate of good standing | Certificate of incumbency |
|---|---|---|
| Main question answered | Is the IBC still registered and up to date? | Who are the current directors, shareholders and officers? |
| Usual issuer | The Registry of IBCs, requested through the registered agent | Usually the registered agent, from the records it keeps |
| Typical contents | Company name, number, date of incorporation, statement that it is in good standing at the date of issue | Company details, registered office and agent, names of directors and shareholders, sometimes officers and share numbers |
| Based on | Register status and payment of annual fees | Statutory registers maintained at the agent |
| Shows owners? | Normally no | Normally yes |
| Changes after a director change? | No | Yes, order a fresh one |
Wording varies between agents, so if a reviewer needs a specific detail, such as share percentages, tell your agent before the certificate is issued.
Why St Lucia IBCs depend on the agent for this
Under the International Business Companies Act, Cap. 12.14, a St Lucia IBC must have a registered agent and a registered office in St Lucia at all times (sections 38–39), and only a licensee under the Registered Agent and Trustee Licensing Act can incorporate one (section 4(1)). The Registry of IBCs is run by Pinnacle St. Lucia, a government-owned entity. Only the memorandum and articles, the agent and the registered office are on the public side; the registers of directors and shareholders are kept at the agent. We are not aware of a free public online search for St Lucia IBCs, which is exactly why third parties rely on certificates instead of looking the company up themselves.
When MetaQuotes, banks and PSPs ask for them
The question is less “will someone ask?” and more “when, and which one?”. The answer depends on who is reviewing you and how old the company is.
MetaQuotes
MetaQuotes’ public guide to starting a brokerage says the first step is “a registered company, with the relevant business activities registered”. In the ten-document pack we prepare for clients, item two is Good Standing or Incumbency, if the company is more than six months old. A company incorporated last month is covered by its fresh certificate of incorporation; a company incorporated two years ago needs current proof that it is still in good order and that the same people control it. Read the full list on our MetaQuotes requirements page. MetaQuotes sells the MT5 platform only and makes its own decisions; neither we nor any agent can promise approval.
Banks and payment providers
Corporate banks and payment service providers (PSPs) commonly ask for a recent certificate of good standing and an incumbency certificate at onboarding, and again at periodic reviews. They want to see that the company has not been struck off and that the signatories they are dealing with are still the directors. This matters for MetaQuotes too, because the pack includes a bank reference letter addressed to MetaQuotes, which you cannot get without a working account.
The six-month point and what changes after it
The “more than six months old” line is the practical trigger we see in MetaQuotes reviews. Below it, the certificate of incorporation is recent enough to speak for itself. Above it, the reviewer needs evidence of the company’s current status.
| Company age at submission | Corporate status documents we include for MetaQuotes | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 months | Certificate of incorporation, register of directors, register of shareholders | Keep the registers current; good standing is usually not needed yet |
| Over 6 months | The above plus a certificate of good standing or incumbency | Order it close to the submission date so it is recent |
| Over 6 months with recent changes | The above plus an incumbency certificate showing the new officers, and supporting resolutions | The incumbency must match the new registers and SumSub verification |
| Bought or “aged” shelf company | Full set, including incumbency showing the current owners | Expect closer questions about the change of control |
If the January annual fee falls between ordering the certificate and submitting the pack, pay it first. A certificate issued in December says nothing useful about February if the fee has not been paid.
How to obtain the certificates through your agent
Because the registered agent holds the records and has access to the Registry, the process runs through them. If we formed your company, we coordinate this with our licensed agent partner.
- Confirm what the recipient wants. Ask whether they need good standing, incumbency or both, whether it has to be certified, apostilled or translated, and how recent it must be.
- Check that the company is compliant. The annual fee must be paid and the shareholder and beneficial owner return filed. If anything is outstanding, it has to be put right before a good standing certificate can be issued.
- Check that the registers are current. If a director, shareholder or address has changed, make sure the change was resolved, recorded and notified before you order an incumbency certificate, or the document will be out of date the day it is issued.
- Submit the request to the agent by email. Give the exact company name (including “International Business Company” or “IBC”), the company number, the documents needed, the number of originals and any certification or apostille requirement.
- Clear any refreshed due diligence. Agents keep customer due diligence up to date and may ask for a fresh passport copy or proof of address before issuing anything that names you.
- Receive the scan and the originals. You normally get a scan first, which is enough to start reviews, and originals by courier where a hard copy is needed.
- Check every detail before forwarding. Compare names, spellings, company number, dates and addresses against your registers, website and bank records.
Our agent partner’s supporting services, including an incumbency certificate, updated corporate documents, a legal opinion and physical address support, are generally ready in about a week. Treat that as an indication, not a guarantee: holidays, outstanding filings or due diligence questions can add time.
What keeps a St Lucia IBC in good standing
A certificate of good standing is only available if the company actually is in good standing. For a St Lucia IBC, the key annual dates published by the Registry and set out in the Act are:
- 15 January: the annual fee is due. A penalty applies from 15 February. The Registry’s fee schedule changed under the IBC (Amendment) Regulations, SI 147 of 2024, with a higher annual fee from 2025.
- 15 February: the annual shareholder and beneficial owner return must reach the registered agent.
- 31 March: the agent reports companies that have not filed. Persistent non-compliance can lead to the company being struck off under section 28 of the Act.
- Annual tax return: since 1 July 2021 all IBCs are subject to income tax and must file annual tax returns, according to the Registry FAQ.
IBCs incorporated from 1 January 2019 also have economic substance expectations under section 5A of the Act: adequate employees, operating expenditure and investment proportionate to the business, plus a statutory declaration about compliance with anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism and income tax laws. The IBC (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2022 added compliance monitoring powers over agents, which in practice makes agents stricter about records and late filings.
The simplest way to avoid surprises is to treat the agent’s January reminders as a hard deadline. A company that is struck off cannot produce a good standing certificate until it is restored, and restoration is slower and more uncertain than paying on time. For the full lifecycle, see our St Lucia company formation page.
Need the certificates and the full MetaQuotes pack?
We form St Lucia IBCs through licensed registered agents and prepare the complete MetaQuotes document pack around them. For companies we form or administer, that includes:
- Incorporation of your St Lucia IBC, generally completed 3–5 business days after due diligence is cleared.
- Good standing and incumbency certificates ordered at the right moment, so they are recent when your pack goes in.
- Registers of directors and shareholders that match the certificates, your website and your SumSub verification.
- Activities confirmation through the memorandum or a legal opinion or representation letter.
- Proof of registered and physical address, help with the bank reference letter, and a website checklist covering MetaQuotes’ disclosure points.
- Nominee director and shareholder options, where they suit your structure and are fully disclosed in the supporting documents.
We are not affiliated with MetaQuotes and cannot promise approval, but we make sure the corporate side of your file is complete and consistent. Tell us your company’s age and what you need by email at info@stluciacompany.com, use the contact form, or compare what is included in our packages.
Validity and freshness: how recent is recent enough?
We have not seen a St Lucia statute that gives a certificate of good standing or incumbency a fixed expiry date. The certificate speaks as at its date of issue. How long it stays useful depends on who is reading it.
- Banks and PSPs commonly want certificates issued within the last few months. Three months is a frequent internal benchmark, and some accept up to six, but every institution sets its own rule.
- MetaQuotes reviews the pack as a whole. In practice, a certificate issued shortly before submission avoids follow-up questions, especially if the company has crossed a 15 January fee date since it was issued.
- Any change to directors, shareholders, name or registered office makes an existing incumbency certificate out of date immediately, whatever its date.
The practical rule is to order the certificate when the rest of the pack is almost ready, not at the start. If a review drags on, ask the reviewer before ordering a replacement: sometimes the original is still accepted, and sometimes they want a new one only at the final stage.
Certification, apostille and translation
Some recipients accept a scan; others want originals, a certified copy or an apostille. Requirements also differ by country if you use the certificate to open an account abroad. Ask the recipient first, then ask your agent how that format is produced for a St Lucia document. If a translation is needed, use a certified translator and send both versions together.
Making the certificates match the rest of your file
Most delays we see are not about the certificate itself. They come from small inconsistencies between documents that the reviewer then has to query. Before submission, check the following line by line:
- Company name: identical everywhere, including the “International Business Company” or “IBC” ending, punctuation and capitals, on the certificates, registers, website footer and bank letter.
- Company number and incorporation date: the same on every document.
- Directors and shareholders: the names on the incumbency certificate must match the registers and the people completing SumSub verification as signatory and ultimate beneficial owner.
- Nominees: if a nominee director or shareholder appears on the incumbency, include the supporting documents showing the beneficial owner.
- Addresses: the registered office on the certificate is the agent’s address in St Lucia. Your physical address is a separate document; see proof of physical address.
- Website: MetaQuotes expects your site to show the company name, registered and physical addresses, an email or contact form and a phone number, a risk warning and a jurisdiction disclaimer. Those details must match the certificates. Our website requirements guide covers the full checklist.
What a good standing certificate does not prove
A certificate of good standing is a corporate document, not a licence. It shows that the company exists and is current with the register. It does not show that the company is authorised to offer forex or CFD services to anyone.
The Registry of IBCs states plainly in its FAQ that “Saint Lucia does not currently regulate or licence Forex Trading or Binary Options business.” The Financial Services Regulatory Authority has issued warning notices stating that “forex business is not licensed in Saint Lucia” and that documents from a forex business claiming registration, licensing or affiliation with the Authority are “false and misleading”. Never present a good standing certificate, or any St Lucia corporate document, as a licence or as evidence of regulation, whether on your website, in marketing or to clients.
Whether you need a licence depends on where your clients are and what you offer them. That is a question for a lawyer in the relevant jurisdictions, and we are not a law firm. For an overview of the options, see St Lucia IBC for forex brokers and, for licensed routes in other jurisdictions, our sister site mt5license.net.
Sources
- Registry of IBCs (Pinnacle St. Lucia), FAQ: saintluciaifc.com/faq
- International Business Companies Act, Cap. 12.14 (PDF): saintluciaifc.com
- IBC legislation and amendments, including Act No. 2 of 2022 and SI 147 of 2024: saintluciaifc.com/legislation
- Registry fee schedule and annual deadlines: saintluciaifc.com/fee-schedule
- FSRA, about the Authority: fsrastlucia.org
- FSRA warning notice on forex business: fsrastlucia.org
- MetaQuotes, how to start a brokerage business: metatrader5.com
MetaQuotes document points (including the six-month Good Standing or Incumbency item) reflect our own correspondence with MetaQuotes and our St Lucia agent partner, not a published MetaQuotes rule, and may change.
Frequently asked questions
What is a certificate of good standing in St Lucia?
It is an official confirmation that a St Lucia IBC is still on the register and up to date with its obligations, mainly the annual fee, at the date of issue. It is requested from the Registry of IBCs through the company’s registered agent. It does not list owners and is not a licence.
What is a certificate of incumbency for a St Lucia IBC?
It is a document, usually issued by the registered agent from the records it keeps, that lists the company’s current directors and shareholders, often its officers, and its registered agent and office. Third parties use it to confirm who controls the company today. It must be reissued after any change in directors or shareholders.
Does MetaQuotes need a certificate of good standing?
In the document list we work with, MetaQuotes asks for a Good Standing or an Incumbency certificate when the company is more than six months old. Younger companies rely on the certificate of incorporation and the registers. MetaQuotes makes its own decisions, and we cannot promise approval.
Can I download a St Lucia good standing certificate online myself?
We are not aware of a free public online search or self-service download for St Lucia IBCs. Requests go through the company’s registered agent, who deals with the Registry. That is also why banks and vendors ask you for the certificate instead of checking themselves.
How long does it take to get the certificates?
Through our agent partner, supporting documents such as an incumbency certificate are generally ready in about a week. Outstanding fees, missing annual returns or refreshed due diligence can add time. Order a little ahead of your deadline, but not so early that the certificate is stale.
How long is a certificate of good standing valid?
We have not seen a fixed statutory expiry date; the certificate speaks as at its date of issue. Banks and payment providers often want one issued within the last three months, and some accept up to six, depending on their own policy. Ask the recipient what they accept before ordering.
Why would a good standing certificate be refused?
The most common reasons are an unpaid annual fee, which is due by 15 January, or a missing shareholder and beneficial owner return, due to the agent by 15 February. A company struck off under section 28 of the IBC Act must be restored before it can be in good standing again. Fix the underlying issue first.
Is a certificate of good standing the same as a forex licence?
No. It is a corporate status document. The St Lucia Registry states that Saint Lucia does not currently regulate or licence forex trading, and the FSRA has warned that forex businesses claiming to be licensed by it are making false claims. Never present the certificate as regulatory approval.
Do I need an apostille on the certificate?
It depends on the recipient. Some accept a scan, others want originals, certified copies or an apostille, especially foreign banks. Ask the recipient first, then ask your agent how that format is produced for a St Lucia document.
I bought an existing St Lucia company. What should I order?
Order an incumbency certificate after the transfer has been recorded, so it shows you as the current owner, together with a good standing certificate and updated registers. Expect reviewers to ask about the change of control, so keep the transfer documents and resolutions ready.
Can you get these certificates for a company you did not form?
Certificates are requested through the company’s current registered agent, so in most cases that agent must issue or order them. If you want to move your company to our agent partner, the transfer involves due diligence first. Email info@stluciacompany.com with your company details and we will tell you what is possible.