Practical guides on entity verification, UCC liens, license lookups, and due diligence.
Before you wire money, sign a contract, or extend credit, a 5-minute public records check can tell you whether the business on the other side of the deal actually exists — and whether it's in good standing.
Read articleA UCC-1 is a public filing that tells the world a lender has a secured interest in a borrower's assets. If you're extending credit or buying a business, you need to know what's already filed.
Read articleHiring a contractor, working with a financial advisor, or vetting a healthcare provider? Verifying their license takes two minutes and costs nothing. Here's how.
Read articleWhether you're hiring a vendor, buying a business, or signing a lease, these five free public records searches take five minutes and can save you from a very expensive mistake.
Read articleBefore you accept a notarized document, you can verify the notary's commission in under a minute using your state's official notary database. Here's exactly how.
Read articleYou don't need a paid service to learn a lot about someone. Using official government public records, you can assemble a free, accurate background picture — here's the exact process and its legal limits.
Read articleA practical 2026 map of which U.S. public records you can actually search online for free — and which still require a trip to a county office or a small fee.
Read articleWho owns that house, lot, or commercial building? You can find the owner of record for free using official county sources — here's the step-by-step method and how to handle LLC-owned property.
Read articleBillions in unclaimed money sits with state governments right now. Here's exactly how to search for free using official government databases — no fees, no signup.
Read articleFind out who owns any property for free using official government sources. No paid lookup sites needed — just your county assessor and a few free tools.
Read articleForming an LLC is the easy part. Staying compliant — registered agent, annual reports, and licenses — is where most small businesses slip up. Here's what business compliance actually means and how to spot the gaps.
Read articleYou can search most court records online for free — federal cases through PACER and state cases through each state's judiciary portal. Here's exactly how to do it without paying a lookup service.
Read articleTo look up a business license or registration, search the state's official Secretary of State entity database and the relevant licensing board — both are free and public. Here's the step-by-step.
Read articleA background check typically pulls from public records: criminal history, court cases, and identity and address history. Here's exactly what shows up, what doesn't, and how to check the same sources yourself for free.
Read articleBefore you wire money, sign a contract, or hire a company, you can confirm it is real and in good standing in about five minutes — using free, official government sources. Here is the exact process.
Read articleBuying, lending to, or partnering with a small business? You can complete most of the due diligence yourself using free public records. Here is a complete, source-by-source checklist.
Read articleA UCC lien search tells you whether a business's assets are already pledged to a lender. It is one of the most important free searches in commercial lending and M&A — here is how to do it.
Read articleHiring an unlicensed contractor can void your contract and leave you with no recourse. Verifying a contractor's license is free and takes two minutes — here is the step-by-step.
Read articleEvery LLC and corporation in the U.S. is required to have a registered agent. Here is what a registered agent does, who qualifies, and what happens if you do not have one.
Read articleFederal court records are public and searchable through PACER. Here is how to register, when you pay nothing, and how to search efficiently for cases, dockets, and filings.
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