---
title: Why do you need a Certificate of Formation to accredit an entity? Do you need an official copy of the Certificate of Formation?
description: Certificate of Formation
---

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# Why do you need a Certificate of Formation to accredit an entity? Do you need an official copy of the Certificate of Formation?

- A Certificate of Formation is collected for entity accreditations to verify that the entity is duly registered.
- No, we do not need an official certificate from the secretary of state. Some states have easily downloadable files from their secretary of state or business entity search websites, and a copy is sufficient.

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