Find any U.S. business entity across all 50 states + D.C.
Search official Secretary of State records for LLCs, corporations, and more — with filing fees, processing times, and state-specific gotchas for every jurisdiction.
Pick a state to look up business entities
Every link goes to your state's official Secretary of State (or equivalent) business search. We list filing fees, processing times, office hours, and state-specific gotchas so you know exactly what to expect.
What is business entity search?
Business entity search is the process of looking up a company's official registration records in a U.S. state's public database — usually maintained by the Secretary of State. A search reveals the entity's legal name, status (active or dissolved), formation date, registered agent, and principal office address.
Every U.S. state keeps its own separate registry of business entities. There is no single national database — an LLC formed in Texas only appears in Texas records, not in Oklahoma's. That is why a nationwide search tool matters: you need to know which state's database to query, and each state's portal works a little differently.
EntityLookup solves this by organizing all 51 jurisdictions (50 states plus Washington, D.C.) in one place. For every state we link directly to the official government search portal — the same database used by attorneys, banks, and compliance teams — and add the practical context those portals leave out: current filing fees, real processing times, office hours and addresses, renewal deadlines, and the state-specific gotchas that trip up first-time filers.
People run business entity searches for many reasons: checking whether a desired company name is available before filing, verifying that a contractor or vendor is legitimately registered, confirming a borrower's good standing before approving a loan, or tracing ownership during due diligence. Whatever the reason, the authoritative answer always lives in the state's official registry — and that is exactly where we point you.
What every state page includes
Each of our 51 state pages is a complete reference — not a stub page with a single link. Here is the data you get for every jurisdiction:
Official search portal
A direct link to the state's own business entity database — no middleman, no paywall, no lead-capture form.
Current filing fees
LLC, corporation, and foreign-entity registration fees, plus expedited-service pricing where available.
Processing times
Realistic standard processing windows and how much faster expedited service actually is.
Filing office details
Office hours, physical addresses, and mailing addresses for the agency that handles business filings.
Renewal deadlines
Annual or biennial report due dates, fees, and late penalties so entities never lose good standing.
State-specific gotchas
The rules generic portals hide — like California's $800 minimum franchise tax or New York's publication requirement.
Business activity data
Monthly business-formation applications and year-over-year growth, sourced from Census Bureau statistics.
Tax overview
State income tax, sales tax, and franchise tax basics that affect your choice of entity and cash flow.
Business entity terms explained
New to business registrations? These are the terms you will see on every state portal and entity record:
Business entity
A legally recognized organization — such as an LLC, corporation, or partnership — registered with a state to conduct business. Each entity gets a unique ID number in that state's records.
Articles of Organization
The formation document filed to create an LLC. Corporations file the equivalent, called Articles of Incorporation or a Certificate of Formation, depending on the state.
Registered agent
A person or service with a physical address in the state, designated to receive legal documents and official state mail on behalf of the business. Required in every state.
Good standing
An entity is "in good standing" when it has filed all required reports and paid all state fees on time. Losing good standing can block loans, licenses, and contracts.
Foreign entity
A business formed in one state that registers to operate in another. A Texas LLC expanding to Florida must register as a "foreign LLC" in Florida — the term has nothing to do with other countries.
Annual report
A periodic filing (yearly or biennial in most states) that keeps the entity's address, officers, and agent information current. Fees and due dates vary by state.
Trade name / DBA
A "doing business as" name lets a company operate under a brand different from its legal entity name. DBAs are registered separately and do not create a new legal entity.
Name reservation
A filing that temporarily holds a business name (typically 30–120 days) before you are ready to form the entity. Not every state offers it, and fees vary.
Administrative dissolution
When a state involuntarily shuts down an entity — usually for missing annual reports or fees. The name may remain blocked until the entity is reinstated.
Three steps to find any business entity
You don't need an account. You don't need a credit card. Pick a state and search.
Choose your state
Use the grid above to find the state where the business is registered. Each card shows the current LLC formation fee and the average processing time.
Open the official portal
Click through to that state's official Secretary of State business search. We link you straight there — no third-party service in the middle.
Search by name or ID
Type the company name (or entity number if you have it) into the official portal. Most searches return results in under a minute and show entity status, registered agent, and formation date.
Free, official-source data — no paywalls, no scraped listings
We don't operate as a private data broker. Every search result is fetched from the same state-run database that attorneys, lenders, and compliance teams use.
State-run databases
Direct links to official Secretary of State business search portals across all 50 states and D.C.
Always free
Most state portals are free. We mark the few that charge a lookup fee so you know before you click.
No signup
You will never be asked to register an account. Pick a state and search — that's it.
Accessible
Keyboard-navigable, screen-reader friendly, dark-mode support, and a no-JS-friendly layout.
Fresh data
Fees and processing times are verified on every state page, with a "last verified" date shown.
State-specific tips
Each state page lists gotchas — like California's $800 minimum franchise tax — that generic portals hide.
Frequently asked questions
Is this site really free?
Yes. EntityLookup is free to use and never asks for a credit card. We link to each state's official portal, and most states provide their business search at no cost.
Where does the data come from?
Every record on this site comes directly from a U.S. state government database — the Secretary of State, Department of Commerce, or equivalent office that maintains business entity records in that state.
Do I need to create an account?
No. We never ask you to sign up. Pick a state from the grid above and you will be taken to that state's official search portal.
Why are filing fees different in every state?
Each U.S. state sets its own entity filing fees. Costs also vary by entity type (LLC vs. corporation) and whether you file online or by paper. We list the current fee on every state page.
Can I search by registered agent?
Yes, most state portals let you search by name, entity number, or registered agent. Each state page describes the search options available in that state.
Do you sell business data?
No. We are not a data broker. We point you to the same official, public records that compliance professionals use — without paywalling them or adding lead-capture forms.
Is there a national business entity database?
No. Each state maintains its own registry, so there is no single nationwide database. To search across states you must query each state's portal separately — our directory links all 51 of them in one place.
How often is the data on this site updated?
We run an automated verification every month that re-checks portal links, filing fees, and official source pages, and updates the "last verified" date on every state page. When a state changes its fees or rules, the change is flagged for review.
What does "good standing" mean?
An entity is in good standing when it has filed all required reports and paid all state fees on time. Banks, landlords, and licensing boards often require proof of good standing before approving loans, leases, or permits.
Can I check if a business name is available before filing?
Yes. Use the name-check tool on any state page, then confirm on the official portal. Keep in mind that states also reject names that are deceptively similar to existing entities, not just exact matches.