Secretary of State Business Entity Search
Step-by-step guides for searching business registrations through every state's official Secretary of State lookup tool.
What is a Secretary of State business entity search?
Every state maintains a public registry of the businesses formed or registered to do business there. The Secretary of State's office — or an equivalent agency in some states — is typically the custodian of that registry. A business entity search is the public-facing lookup tool that lets anyone query it by business name, registered agent, or entity ID number.
People use these searches for a few different reasons. Someone forming a new LLC checks whether their preferred name is already taken before filing. A vendor or potential partner runs a search to confirm a company is in good standing before signing a contract. Attorneys, lenders, and due-diligence researchers pull entity details — registered agent address, formation date, officer names — as part of routine background work. Consumers sometimes use them to verify whether a business they're dealing with is legitimately registered.
Registration is handled at the state level, so the search tool, the fees, and the formation rules differ from one jurisdiction to the next. This site publishes step-by-step guides for all 51 jurisdictions — all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. It is an independent informational resource, not affiliated with any government agency.
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Helpful Resources
These guides cover what happens before and after the entity search itself — naming a registered agent, requesting a certificate of good standing, or closing an LLC down the right way. Each one lays out the general process, then points you to your state's specific forms, fees, and filing office.
Certificate of Good Standing: What It Is and How to Get One
What the certificate proves, who asks for it, and how to order one from your state.
Learn more →How to Dissolve an LLC: The State Filing Process, Step by Step
The filing sequence — member vote, winding up, Articles of Dissolution — every state expects.
Learn more →UCC Filing Search: How to Check for Liens on a Business
How to search UCC filings to see which lenders already have a claim on a company's assets.
Learn more →What Is a Registered Agent, and Who Can Be One?
What the job involves and who's eligible — every LLC and corporation is required to name one.
Learn more →Articles of Incorporation vs. Articles of Organization: What's the Difference?
The two formation documents look alike on paper — here's which one applies to your entity.
Learn more →LLC Annual Report Fees and Deadlines by State
Report frequency, fees, and due dates for keeping an LLC in good standing, state by state.
Learn more →A registration search isn't a license check
Registering an LLC or corporation with the Secretary of State establishes the entity legally — it doesn't mean the business holds every license or permit it needs to operate. Professional and trade licensing (contractors, cosmetologists, real estate agents, and similar regulated occupations) is handled by separate state licensing boards, and an active, good-standing status here says nothing about whether those requirements have been met. To vet a business for licensing compliance, check with the relevant board directly, not just the entity registry.