Business records are the official filings every LLC, corporation, and partnership makes with a state government to legally exist. Maintained by each state's Secretary of State (or equivalent), they confirm an entity's status, registered agent, and formation date — and every state offers a free online business entity search.
Last Updated: June 2026 · Reviewed quarterly by the Searchadex editorial team.
A business record, in the public-records sense, is the registration an entity files to operate legally. It shows the legal name, entity type (LLC, corporation, LP, nonprofit), status (active, suspended, dissolved), formation date, registered agent, and often the officers or organizers of record.
Every formally registered business must appear in its home state's database to remain in good standing. These filings exist so the public can confirm a company is real, identify who to serve with legal process, and verify standing before signing contracts or extending credit.
Registration is handled state-by-state, almost always by the Secretary of State. Delaware, Nevada, and Wyoming are popular formation states for companies that operate elsewhere, so a business may be registered in one state and qualified to do business in several others.
All 50 states offer free business entity searches through their Secretary of State portals. The table lists the official portal for the 15 most-populated states.
| State | Free Online? | Official Portal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Yes | California BizFile Online | Search LLCs and corporations; Statement of Information status shown. |
| Texas | Partial | Texas SOSDirect / Comptroller Taxable Entity Search | Free Comptroller search; certified SOSDirect documents carry fees. |
| Florida | Yes | Florida Sunbiz (Division of Corporations) | Free officer lists, annual reports, and filed documents. |
| New York | Yes | NY DOS Corporation & Business Entity Database | Free entity search; registered agent and DOS process address shown. |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | PA Business Entity Search (file.dos.pa.gov) | Free statewide entity and filing search. |
| Illinois | Yes | Illinois SOS Business Entity Search | Free LLC and corporation lookup with annual report history. |
| Ohio | Yes | Ohio SOS Business Search | Free entity, agent, and filing-document search. |
| Georgia | Yes | Georgia SOS eCorp Business Search | Free entity status and registered agent lookup. |
| North Carolina | Yes | NC SOS Business Registration Search | Free entity, officer, and document search. |
| Michigan | Yes | Michigan LARA Business Entity Search | Free entity and resident agent lookup via LARA. |
| New Jersey | Partial | NJ Business Records Service | Free status check; detailed business records reports carry a fee. |
| Virginia | Yes | Virginia SCC Clerk's Information System | Free entity search via the State Corporation Commission. |
| Washington | Yes | Washington SOS Corporations Search | Free entity, agent, and governing-person lookup. |
| Arizona | Yes | Arizona Corporation Commission eCorp | Free entity, agent, and document search. |
| Tennessee | Yes | Tennessee SOS Business Information Search | Free entity status and filing history search. |
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Search the Secretary of State business entity portal for the state where the business is registered. Enter the legal name to see status, registered agent, and formation date — all free.
Yes. Every state offers a free business entity name search. Some states charge only for certified copies of underlying documents like Articles of Incorporation.
Usually only the registered agent and organizer are public. True beneficial ownership is reported separately under the federal Corporate Transparency Act and is not in public state databases.
It means the entity lost its right to do business, typically for unpaid franchise taxes or unfiled annual reports. A suspended entity generally cannot sue or sign binding contracts until reinstated.
Start with the state where it is headquartered, then check common formation states — Delaware, Nevada, and Wyoming — and any state where it operates as a foreign entity.
Not through the Secretary of State. DBAs and sole proprietorships are usually filed with the county clerk where the business operates.
Official portals are perfect for verifying a single record. When you need compiled reports — combined people search, contact data, or multi-source background information — these professional lookup tools go further. They are paid services, not government sources.
People search, contact info, and background reports.
Reverse phone, email, and people lookup.
Background checks and public-records reports.
Disclosure: links to professional tools are affiliate links. Searchadex may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. These are not government sources, and results are not FCRA-compliant for employment, housing, or credit decisions.
Occasional updates when we add new record types, states, or official portals. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.