Business Entity Searches

Most states offer an online database for registered business entities. Information typically provided includes the type of entity, date of filing, registered address, authorized representatives, county of filings, and previous names. Keywords can be searched to identify businesses whose names contain those keywords. Some databases offer advanced search options such as the ability to specify the type of entities searched (including corporations, limited liability companies, trademarks, trade-names, previous business names, foreign corporations, partnerships), options to search for both active and inactive businesses, searches by registered agent, and entity file number searches. These databases can be useful research tools and can also serve as a way to confirm validity and good standing of a business. Keep in mind that a company may be registered in different state from where it is located, or under a different name, so you may need to confirm the details.


Alabama Secretary of State Government Records Inquiry System
http://www.sos.alabama.gov/vb/inquiry/inquiry.aspx?area=Corporations

Alaska Department of Commerce Searchable Corporations Directory
https://myalaska.state.ak.us/business/soskb/CSearch.asp

Arizona Corporation Commission's Public Access System
http://starpas.azcc.gov

Arkansas Secretary of State Business and Commercial Services
http://www.sosweb.state.ar.us/corps/search_all.php

California Secretary of State Business Search
http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/

Colorado Secretary of State Business Division Records Search
http://www.sos.state.co.us/

Connecticut Secretary of State Business Filings Search
http://www.concord-sots.ct.gov

Delaware Secretary of State Division of Corporations Entity Search
https://delecorp.delaware.gov/tin/GINameSearch.jsp

District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Registered Organization Search
http://dcra.dc.gov

Florida Department of State Division of Corporations Business Entity Search
http://ccfcorp.dos.state.fl.us/corinam.html

Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Search
http://corp.sos.state.ga.us/corp/soskb/csearch.asp

Hawaii Department of Commerce Business Entity and Documents Search
http://hbe.ehawaii.gov/documents/search.html

Idaho Secretary of State Business Entity Search
http://www.accessidaho.org/public/sos/corp/search.html?ScriptForm.startstep=crit

Illinois Secretary of State Certificate of Good Standing Search
http://www.ilsos.gov/corporatellc/

Indiana Secretary of State Business Services Division Information Search
https://secure.in.gov/sos/bus_service/online_corps/name_search.aspx

Iowa Secretary of State Corporations Search
http://www.sos.state.ia.us/search/corp/%28S%28x2q4xxj4cmei2a45qcs2l1rn%29%29/corp_search.aspx

Kansas Business Center Business Entity Search Station
http://www.accesskansas.org/srv-corporations/index.do

Kentucky Secretary of State Business Search
http://apps.sos.ky.gov/business/obdb/%28S%28k003dhe1tgd5vfapnbmhnnex%29%29/default.aspx

Louisiana Secretary of States Corporations Search Database
http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/819/Default.aspx

Maine Secretary of State Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions Corporate Name Search
https://icrs.informe.org/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS?MainPage=x

Maryland Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation Records Search
http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/UCC-Charter/CharterSearch_f.aspx

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division Corporation Database Search
http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corp/corpsearch/corpsearchinput.asp

Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth Corporation Division Business Entity Search
http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/sr_corp.asp

Minnesota Secretary of State Business Organizations Inquiry
http://da.sos.state.mn.us/minnesota/corp_inquiry-find.asp?:Norder_item_type_id=10&sm=7

Mississippi Secretary of State Business Entity Search
https://business.sos.state.ms.us/corp/soskb/csearch.asp

Missouri Secretary of State Business Entity Search
https://www.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/soskb/csearch.asp

Montana Secretary of State Business Entity Search
https://app.mt.gov/bes/

Nebraska Secretary of State Corporation and Business Entity Searches
https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi

Nevada Secretary of State Business Entity Search
http://nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/

New Hampshire Secretary of State Corporation Division Corporation Search
https://www.sos.nh.gov/corporate/soskb/csearch.asp

New Jersey Department of the Treasury Business Entity Name File
http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/revenue/searchfile.htm

New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Corporation Information Inquiry
http://www.nmprc.state.nm.us/cii.htm

New York Department of State Corporation & Business Entity Database
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/corps/bus_entity_search.html

North Carolina Secretary of State Corporation Name Search
http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/corporations/CSearch.aspx

North Dakota Secretary of State Business Records Search
https://secure.apps.state.nd.us/sc/busnsrch/busnSearch.htm

Ohio Secretary of State Business Filings Search
http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/portal/page?_pageid=35,58664,35_58678&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Oklahoma Secretary of State Business Entities Search
https://www.sooneraccess.state.ok.us/corp_inquiry/corp_inquiry-find.asp?:Norder_item_type_id=22&submit=submenu

Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division
http://egov.sos.state.or.us/br/pkg_web_name_srch_inq.login

Pennsylvania Department of State Searchable Corporations Database
https://www.corporations.state.pa.us/corp/soskb/csearch.asp?corpsNav=|

Rhode Island Secretary of State Entities Search
http://ucc.state.ri.us/CorpSearch/CorpSearchInput.asp

South Carolina Secretary of State Business Filings Database
http://www.scsos.com/Search%20Business%20Filings

South Dakota Secretary of State Corporations Search
http://apps.sd.gov/applications/st32cprs/soscorplookup.aspx

Tennessee Department of State Business Information Search
http://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/FilingSearch.aspx

Texas Secretary of State Taxable Entity Search
http://ecpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/Index.html

Utah Department of Commerce Business Entity Search
https://secure.utah.gov/bes/action

Vermont Secretary of State Corporation Database Individual Person Name Search
http://www.sec.state.vt.us/seek/corpbrow.htm

Virginia State Corporation Commission Clerk's Information System
http://www.scc.virginia.gov/clk/bussrch.aspx

Washington Secretary of State Corporations Registration Data Search
http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/search.aspx

West Virginia Secretary of State Business Organization Information System
http://apps.sos.wv.gov/business/corporations/

Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions Corporate Registration Information System
https://www.wdfi.org/apps/CorpSearch/Search.aspx?

Wyoming Secretary of State Business Division Corporation Name Search
http://soswy.state.wy.us/Business/Business.aspx