Nearly all companies that claim to help with a business name search require your information or, worse, charge you a fee. These companies do a simple job that you can easily complete yourself. Do not give out your personal information or cash to these companies for a business-name check that you can do in minutes.
Find your state name and find out how to check for name availability in your state. Find other useful links for business websites such as the Department of Revenue, Secretary of State, and Department of Licensing.
Links to Search for Business Names in Each of the 50 States
Alabama
Contact Information
Voice: 334-242-7200
Fax: 334-242-4993
Mailing Address
PO Box 5616Montgomery (AL 36103-5616).
Physical Address
11 S. Union St. Suite 2017
Montgomery, AL 36104
Alabama Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Alabama?
- Visit: http://arc-sos.state.al.us/CGI/CORPNAME.MBR/INPUT
- In the search box, enter your business name. You can get the most comprehensive match by omitting the city and place of formation. Instead, choose “all records” or “exists” to search for type and status.
- Click “Search.”
The list of companies using the keyword or business name you entered in Alabama is what you get. You should note that Alabama is the only US state that requires you to have a name reservation prior to registering your business.
Corporation Forms
https://www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities/business-downloads/#bdCategory-2865
LLC forms:
https://www.sos.alabama.gov/business-entities/business-downloads/#bdCategory-2867
Filing fees:
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Alaska
Contact Information
Voice: 907-465-2550
Fax: 907-465-2974
Email: Corporations@alaska.gov
Mailing Address
PO Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0808
Physical Address
333 W. Willoughby Ave., 9th Floor
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
Alaska Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Alaska?
- Visit: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/cbp/main/search/entities
- Click “I’m a human being”
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search” to choose “Starts with” or “Contains”, and then click “Search.”
The list will include all Alaskan businesses with business names matching your search criteria. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is in good standing, dissolved or expired.
LLC Forms and Corporation Forms:
https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/Corporations/CorpFormsFees/FormsbyEntity.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/corporations/corpformsfees.aspx#
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/professionallicensing.aspx
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Arizona
Contact Information
Voice: 602-542-3026
Fax: 602-542-4100
Email: Records.corp@azcc.gov
Mailing Address
1st Floor, 1300 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007-29929
Physical Address
1st Floor, 1300 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007-29929
Arizona Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Arizona?
- Visit: https://ecorp.azcc.gov/EntitySearch/Index
- Select your “Search Type” (Starts with,” “Contains”, or “Exact Match”)
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Filter your search to reduce the number of results. If your search returns more than 500 results it will ask you to filter your search.
- To see a list if Arizona companies use the same terms as you, click “Search”. Click “Name Availability Test” to see if the name is available.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://www.azcc.gov/corporations/forms
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.azcc.gov/corporations/fee-and-payment-info
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
https://azdor.gov/transaction-privilege-tax/tpt-license/license-fees-cancellation-and-other-changes
Arkansas
Contact Information
Voice: 501-682-3409
Email: Corporations@sos.arkansas.gov
Mailing Address
1401 West Capitol Ste. 250
Little Rock, AR 72201
Physical Address
1401 West Capitol Ste. 250
Little Rock, AR 72201
Arkansas Business Name Search
How to search for a business name in Arkansas:
- Visit: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/corps/search_all.php
- In the “Name” field, enter all or part your business name. You have additional options and boxes available, but these are not meant to determine whether your business name is available.
- Click “Search.”
A list of Arkansas registered businesses that use the terms in your business name will be displayed. The status of each company will also be displayed, including whether it is in good standing, dissolved or revoked.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://www.ark.org/sos/ofs/docs/index.php
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/forms-fees
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
California
Contact Information
Voice: 916-657-5448
Fax: 916-653-4795
Mailing Address
P.O. P.O. Box 944230
Sacramento, CA 94244-2300
Physical Address
1500 11th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
California Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in California?
- Visit: https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business
- Scroll down to the Search bar and type all or part your business name.
- For Advanced Search, click the down arrow.
- Filter by keyword, exact match or “begins With.”
- Click “Search.”
A list of California corporations, LPs/LLCs that use your business name or keyword will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is active or closed. This search is not final and preliminary, according to the state. To conduct a formal name availability check, businesses must submit a free paper form called the NameAvailability Inquiry letter.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/
Corporation and LLC Fees
https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/
Department of Revenue
https://www.ftb.ca.gov/?WT.mc_id=akHome
Department of Licensing
Colorado
Contact Information
Voice: 303-894-2200
Fax: 303-869-4864
Email: Sos.business@sos.state.co.us
Mailing Address
1700 Broadway Suite 200
Denver, CO 80290
Physical Address
1700 Broadway Suite 200
Denver, CO 80290
Colorado Business Name Search
How do you search for a Colorado business name?
- Visit: https://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/BusinessEntityCriteriaExt.do?resetTransTyp=Y
- In the search box, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
If you get too many results from your search, you will need to refine your search by changing or adding words to the search box. The results will show you a list all Colorado registered businesses that use the keywords you have entered. The status of each company will also be displayed, including whether it is in good standing.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/business/forms_main.html
Corporation and LLC Fees
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/fees/business.html
Department of Revenue
https://www.colorado.gov/revenue
Department of Professions and Occupations
Connecticut
Connecticut Secretary of State
Contact Information
Voice: 860-509-6002
Fax: 860-509-6069
Email: Crd@ct.gov
Mailing Address
PO Box 150470
Hartford, CT 06115-0470
Physical Address
165 Capitol Avenue Suite 1000
Hartford, CT 06106
Connecticut Business Name Search
How do I search for a Connecticut business name?
- Visit: https://service.ct.gov/business/s/onlinebusinesssearch?language=en_US
- Next to “Search By Name:”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of Connecticut registered businesses that use the terms in your business name will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is active or withdrawn.
LLC Forms and Corporation Forms:
https://business.ct.gov/manage/all-business-filings?language=en_US
Corporation and LLC Fees
https://business.ct.gov/-/media/BusinessOneStop/Fee-Schedule-Revised-712020.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Delaware
Contact Information
Voice: 302-739-3073
Fax: 302-739-3812
Email: Corp@delaware.gov
Mailing Address
PO Box 898
Dover, DE 19903
Physical Address
401 Federal Street – Suite 4
Dover, DE 19901
Delaware Business Name Search
How do you search for a Delaware business name?
- Visit: https://icis.corp.delaware.gov/Ecorp/EntitySearch/NameSearch.aspx
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search”.
A list of Delaware registered businesses that include the terms you have entered will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://corp.delaware.gov/formsentitytype09/
Corporation and LLC Fees
Department of Revenue
Division of Professional Regulation
DC
Contact Information
Voice: 202-442-4400
Fax: 302-739-3812
Email: dcra.corp@dc.gov
Mailing Address
Corporations Division
P.O. P.O. Box 92300
Washington, D.C. 20090
Physical Address
941 North Capitol Street NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
District Of Columbia Business Names Search
How do you search for a business name in Washington DC?
To conduct a entity search, users must create an account with the DCRA. To create an account:
- Visit: https://corponline.dcra.dc.gov/Account.aspx/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2f
- Register for a CorpOnline account here.
- Enter your username, email, password and first and last names.
- To create an account, click “Register”.
After logging into your account:
- Select “Business Filings Search”
- You can enter all or part of the business name. If you wish, narrow your search by adding information in other fields.
- Click “Search.”
This search returns a list of all registered businesses in District of Columbia that use these terms in their business names.
LLC, Corporation Forms and Fees:
LLC and Corporation Forms and Charges
https://dcra.dc.gov/book/fees-corporate-registration-services
Department of Revenue
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Florida
Contact Information
Voice: 850-245-6000
Email: corphelp@dos.state.fl.us
Mailing Address
Department of State, Corporate Filings
P.O. P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Physical Address
2661 Executive Center Circle
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Florida Business Name Search
How do you search for a Florida business name?
- Visit: http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ByName
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search Now.”
A list of all Florida registered businesses that use the terms in their business names will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/forms/
Corporation and LLC Fees
https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/forms/
Department of Revenue
https://floridarevenue.com/pages/default.aspx
Department of Licensing
Georgia
Contact Information
Voice: 404-656-2817
Fax: 404-657-2248
Mailing Address
MLK Jr. Drive
Suite 313, Floyd West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334-1530
Physical Address
315 West Tower 2 MLK Jr. Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30334-1530
Georgia Business Name Search
How do you search for a Georgia business name?
- Visit: https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch
- Choose “Starts with,” “Contains”, or “Exact match.”
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
This search will return a list all registered Georgia businesses that use the keywords or business name you have entered.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://sos.ga.gov/page/georgia-business-forms
Corporation and LLC Fees
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
https://sos.ga.gov/licensing-division-georgia-secretary-states-office
Hawaii
Contact Information
Voice: 808-586-2744
Fax: 808-586-2733
Email: Breg@dcca.hawaii.gov
Mailing Address
PO Box 40
Honolulu, Hawaii 96810
Physical Address
335 Merchant Street, Rm. 201
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Hawaii Business Name Search
How do you search for a Hawaiian business name?
- Visit: https://hbe.ehawaii.gov/documents/search.html;jsessionid=A7A9C8ACF3C11D38CBDFB10D71AE659F.app4
- Choose “Begins With” or “Contains”.
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of registered businesses in Hawaii using the keywords or business name you have entered will be displayed. The status of each company will also be displayed, including whether it is active or dissolved.
LLC and Corporation forms:
http://cca.hawaii.gov/breg/registration/
Corporation and LLC Fees
https://cca.hawaii.gov/breg/files/2021/04/Form-Fee-Schedule-04-2021.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Idaho
Contact Information
Voice: 208-334-2301
Fax: 208-334-2080
Email: sosinfo@sos.idaho.gov
Mailing Address
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0080
Physical Address
450 N. 4th Street
Boise, ID 83720-0080
Idaho Business Name Search
How to search for a business name in Idaho:
- Visit: https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/search/business
- In the “Business Search” box, enter all or part your business name.
A list of Idaho’s registered businesses that use the terms in your business name will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is in good standing or dissolution.
LLC and Corporation forms:
https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/forms/business
Corporation and LLC Fees
https://sosbiz.idaho.gov/forms/business
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Welcome to Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
Illinois
Contact Information
Voice: 312-793-3380
Mailing Address
69 W. Washington Suite 1240
Chicago, IL 60602
Physical Address
69 W. Washington Suite 1240
Chicago, IL 60602
Illinois Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Illinois?
- Click “Submit” after selecting “Corporate & LLC”.
- You can search by name or keyword.
- Click “Continue” to enter all or part your business name.
Corporation Forms and Fees:
LLC Forms and Fees
Department of Revenue
https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/Pages/default.aspx
Department of Licensing
Indiana
Contact Information
Voice: 317-232-6576
Fax: 317-233-3387
Mailing Address
302 W. Washington Street Room A-018
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Physical Address
302 W. Washington Street Room A-018
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Indiana Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Indiana?
- Visit: https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch
- Click “I’m a human being”
- Select “Contains”, “Starts with” or “Exact match.”
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.in.gov/sos/business/division-forms/business-forms/
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://inbiz.in.gov/Inbiz/FeeCalculator/Index
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Iowa
Contact Information
Voice: 515-281-5204
Fax: 515-242-5953
Email: Sos@sos.state.ia.us
Mailing Address
First Floor, Lucas Building
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 55319
Physical Address
First Floor, Lucas Building
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 55319
Iowa Business Name Search
How to search for a business name in Iowa:
- Visit: https://sos.iowa.gov/search/business/search.aspx
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of Iowa businesses that use the same words as you will be able to see.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://sos.iowa.gov/business/FormsAndFees.html#DLLC489
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sos.iowa.gov/business/FormsAndFees.html#DPC490
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Kansas
Contact Information
Voice: 785-296-4564
Email: Kssos@ks.gov
Mailing Address
Memorial Hall, 1st floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
Physical Address
Memorial Hall, 1st floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
Kansas Business Name Search
How do you search for a Kansas business name?
- Visit: https://www.kansas.gov/bess/flow/main?execution=e1s3
- Click “Name Availability.”
- In the search box, enter your exact business name.
It will tell you if the name is still available. You can search by keyword if you are interested in similar businesses to the one you’re looking for.
LLC Forms and Fees
Corporation Forms and Fees:
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Kentucky
Contact Information
Voice: 502-564-3490
Fax: 502-564-4075
Mailing Address
Records Branch
PO Box 718
700 Capital Avenue, Suite 15
Frankfort, KY 46002
Physical Address
Records Branch
PO Box 718
700 Capital Avenue, Suite 15
Frankfort, KY 46002
Kentucky Business Name Search
How do you search for a Kentucky business name?
- In the search box, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Continue”
A list of all registered businesses in Kentucky using the keywords you have entered will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.sos.ky.gov/bus/Forms/Pages/default.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://sos.ky.gov/bus/business-filings/Pages/Fees.aspx
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Louisiana
Contact Information
Voice: 225-925-4704
Fax: 225-922-0452
Email: commercial@sos.louisiana.gov
Mailing Address
P. O. P.O. Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125
Physical Address
8585 Archives Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Louisiana Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Louisiana?
- Visit: https://coraweb.sos.la.gov/CommercialSearch/CommercialSearch.aspx
- Select “Search by Entity name”
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
The system will return a list all registered businesses in Louisiana that have the same words as your business name. You can narrow down your search by changing or adding words. The maximum number of results returned by the system is 250.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.sos.la.gov/BusinessServices/FileBusinessDocuments/GetFormsAndFeeSchedule/
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.sos.la.gov/BusinessServices/FileBusinessDocuments/GetFormsAndFeeSchedule/
Department of Revenue
https://revenue.louisiana.gov/
Department of Licensing
Maine
Contact Information
Voice: 207-624-7752
Fax: 207-287-5874
Email: cec.corporations@maine.gov
Mailing Address
Sec. of State, Corporate Examining Section
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
Physical Address
Sec. of State, Corporate Examining Section
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
Search for Maine business names
How to search for a Maine business name:
- Visit: https://icrs.informe.org/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS?MainPage=x
- In the box marked “Keyword from name to search”, enter the business name.
- Click “Click here to Search”
The list will include all Maine businesses that have this keyword in their business names. You can narrow down your search by changing or adding words.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/corp/llc.html
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/corp/corp.html
Department of Revenue
https://www.maine.gov/revenue/
Department of Licensing
Maryland
Contact Information
Voice: 410-767-1340
Fax: 410-333-7097
Email: cec.corporations@maine.gov
Mailing Address
301 W. Preston Street, 8th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201-2395.
Physical Address
301 W. Preston Street, 8th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201-2395.
Maryland Business Name Search
How do you search for a Maryland business name?
- Visit: https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress/entitysearch
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Select “Search by Business Name”
- Click “Search.”
Maryland businesses that use the words in their business names will be listed.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://dat.maryland.gov/Pages/sdatforms.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Documents/FEES.pdf
Department of Revenue
https://dat.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Department of Licensing
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Secretary of State
Contact Information
Voice: 617-727-9640
Fax: 617-742-4538
Email: corpinfo@sec.state.ma.us
Mailing Address
Secretary of the Commonwealth
One Ashburton Place 17th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Physical Address
Secretary of the Commonwealth
One Ashburton Place 17th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Massachusetts Business Name Search
How do I search for a Massachusetts business name?
- Visit: http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corpweb/corpsearch/CorpSearch.aspx
- Select “Search by entity”
- In the box, enter all or part your business name.
- Choose “Begins With,” “Exact Match,” “Full Text” or “Soundex” (a code that allows for you to search similar words)
- Click “Search corporations.”
A list of Massachusetts registered businesses that use the terms in your business name will be displayed.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/cordom/dominf.htm
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/corllc/llcinf.htm
Department of Revenue
https://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dorhomepage
Department of Licensing
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-professional-licensure
Michigan
Contact Information
Voice: 517-241-6470
Fax: 517-241-0538
Email: corpsmail@michigan.gov
Mailing Address
P.O. P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909
Physical Address
P.O. P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909
Michigan Business Name Search
How do you search for a Michigan business name?
- Visit: https://cofs.lara.state.mi.us/corpweb/CorpSearch/CorpSearch.aspx
- Select “Search by Entity name”
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Choose “Begins With,” “Exact Match,” “Full Text” or “Soundex” (a code that allows for you to search similar words)
A list of Michigan businesses that use the same words as you will be able to see.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/forms/limited-liability-company-forms
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/forms/corporation-forms
Department of Revenue
https://www.michigan.gov/treasury
Department of Licensing
Minnesota
Contact Information
Voice: 651-296-2803
Fax: 651-297-7067
Email: business.services@state.mn.us
Mailing Address
332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201
St. Paul, MN 55101
Physical Address
332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201
St. Paul, MN 55101
Minnesota Business Name Search
How do you search for a Minnesota business name?
- Visit: http://da.sos.state.mn.us/minnesota/corp_inquiry
- Choose “Business Name” or “Filing Number”.
- Click “Search” to enter all or part your business name.
Below the search box will be a list of Minnesota registered businesses that use the keywords you have entered.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.sos.state.mn.us/business-liens/business-forms-fees/
Corporation Fees and LLC:
Department of Revenue
https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/minnesota-department-revenue
Department of Licensing
Mississippi
Secretary of State for Mississippi
Contact Information
Voice: 601-359-1633
Fax: 601-359-1607
Mailing Address
700 North Street
Jackson, MS 39202
Physical Address
700 North Street
Jackson, MS 39202
Mississippi Business Name Search
How do you search for a Mississippi business name?
- Visit: https://corp.sos.ms.gov/corp/portal/c/page/corpBusinessIdSearch/portal.aspx?#clear=1
- Choose “Starting with,” “All Words,” or “Any Words,” and then click “Exact Match.”
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
The search box will display a list with names of Mississippi businesses matching the search criteria. Each company’s status will be displayed, including whether it is in good standing or dissolution.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://corp.sos.ms.gov/corp/portal/c/page/corpNewFilings/portal.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.sos.ms.gov/content/documents/Business/FeeSchedule.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Regulation
Missouri
Contact Information
Voice: 573-751-4153
Email: corporations@sos.mo.gov
Mailing Address
P.O. P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Physical Address
600 W Main St.
Missouri State Information Center, Room 322
Jefferson City, MO 65101-0778
Missouri Business Name Search
How do you search for a Missouri business name?
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- You can choose to select “Starting with,” “All Words,”” “Any Words,” and “Exact Match”. By ticking the box “Only Active Corporations”, you can narrow down your search to active companies.
- Click “Search.”
A list of all Missouri registered businesses matching your search criteria will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/forms#gen
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/ScheduleofCorporationfeesandcharges.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Montana
Contact Information
Voice: 406-444-3665
Fax: 406-444-3976
Email: sosbusiness@mt.gov
Mailing Address
P.O. P.O. Box 202801
Helena, MT 59620-281
Physical Address
State Capitol, Room 2260
1301 6th Avenue
Helena, MT 59620
Montana Business Name Search
How do I search for a Montana business name?
- Visit: https://biz.sosmt.gov/search/business
- Click “Search Name Availability.”
- You can choose between “Starts with” and “Contains.”
- Click “Search” to enter all or part your business name.
A list of Montana registered businesses that use the same words as you have will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://biz.sosmt.gov/forms/business
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://sosmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/business_filing_fees.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Nebraska
Secretary of State for Nebraska
Contact Information
Voice: 402-471-4079
Fax: 402-471-3666
Email: sos.corp@nebraska.gov
Mailing Address
P.O. P.O. Box 94608
Lincoln, NE 68509-46808
Physical Address
State Capitol Building, Room 1301.
1445 K Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
Nebraska Business Name Search
How to search for a Nebraska business name:
- Visit: https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi?nav=search
- Choose from the following search options: Name Starts With, Name Keyword Search, Name Sounds Like, Name Exact Match. (You can also search using an account number but this is only for specific businesses and not for name availability.
- In the “Name” field, enter your company name or keyword.
- Click “I’m a human being”
- Click “Perform search.”
A list of Nebraska registered businesses that use the same terms as you have will be displayed.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/forms-and-fee-information
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sos.nebraska.gov/business-services/forms-and-fee-information
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Nevada
Contact Information
Voice: 775-684-5708
Fax: 775-684-5724
Email: sosmail@sos.nv.gov
SilverFlume Support Email: support@nvsilverflume.gov
Mailing Address
202 North Carson Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701
Physical Address
202 North Carson Street
Carson City, Nevada 89701
Nevada Business Name Search
How do you search for a Nevada business name?
- Visit: https://esos.nv.gov/EntitySearch/OnlineEntitySearch
- Select “Starts with,” “Contains”, “Exact Match,” and “All Words.”
- In the “Name” field, enter all or part your business name. You can narrow down your search by changing or adding to your name if your search returns more results than 500.
- Click “Search.”
The system will produce a list of all Nevada registered businesses that use the terms you have entered.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/forms-fees/all-business-forms
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/forms-fees
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
New Hampshire
Secretary of State for New Hampshire
Contact Information
Voice: 603-271-3246
Fax: 775-684-5724
Mailing Address
Department of State, Corporation Division
107 N Main St.
Concord, NH 03301-9899.
Physical Address
Corporation Division
Department of State
107 N Main St.
Concord, NH 03301-9899.
New Hampshire Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in New Hampshire?
- Visit: https://quickstart.sos.nh.gov/online/BusinessInquire
- Choose “Starts with,” “Exact Match,” or “All Words.”
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name. You might also want to tick the box “Show me similar-sounding business names.”
- Click “Search” to complete the reCAPTCHA.
A list of all New Hampshire businesses that use the words in their business names will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is in good standing or dissolution.
LLC Forms and Fees
Corporation Forms and Fees:
Department of Revenue
https://www.revenue.nh.gov/businesses/index.htm
Department of Licensing
New Jersey
Secretary of State for New Jersey
Contact Information
Voice: 609-292-9292
Fax: 609-984-6851
Mailing Address
Unit for Corporate Filing
PO Box 308
Trenton, NJ 08646
Physical Address
Unit for Corporate Filing
PO Box 308
Trenton, NJ 08646
New Jersey Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in New Jersey?
- Visit: https://www.njportal.com/DOR/businessrecords/EntityDocs/BusinessCopies.aspx
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Continue”
A list of all New Jersey registered businesses that use the terms in your business name will be displayed.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/revenue/gettingregistered.shtml
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/revenue/gettingregistered.shtml
Department of Revenue
https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/
Department of Licensing
New Mexico
Secretary of State for New Mexico
Contact Information
Voice: 800-477-3632
Fax: 505-827-4387
Mailing Address
325 Don Gaspar Suite 300
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Physical Address
325 Don Gaspar Suite 300
Santa Fe, NM 87501
New Mexico Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in New Mexico?
- Choose “Start with,” “Exact Match,” and “Contains.”
- In the box “Entity Name/DBA name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “I’m a human being”
- Click “Search.”
A list of all New Mexico registered businesses will be displayed. It is divided into two sections: Partnerships/LLPs and Corporations/LLCs. Each search result shows you businesses that use the term you have entered.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.sos.state.nm.us/business-services/business-maintenance/domestic-limited-liability-company/
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.sos.state.nm.us/business-services/start-a-business/domestic-nm-profit-corporation/
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
New York
Contact Information
Voice: 518-473-2492
Fax: 518-474-1418
Email: Corporations@dos.state.ny.us
Mailing Address
One Commerce Plaza
99 Washington Avenue, Suite 600
Albany, NY 12231-0001
Physical Address
One Commerce Plaza
99 Washington Avenue, Suite 600
Albany, NY 12231-0001
New York Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in New York?
- Visit: https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Choose from “Active Only” or “All” options.
- Select “Begins with,” “Contains”, or “Partial”.
- You can complete the reCAPTCHA simply by entering the numbers or words you see in this image.
- Click “Search the Database.”
The system will generate a list of registered New York businesses that include the word or parts of your input.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://dos.ny.gov/form-corporation-or-business
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://dos.ny.gov/fee-schedules
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
North Carolina
North Carolina Secretary of State
Contact Information
Voice: 919-807-2225
Fax: 919-807-2039
Email: corpinfo@sosnc.com
Mailing Address
PO Box 29622
Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
Physical Address
2 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-2903
North Carolina Business Name Search
How do you search for a North Carolina business name?
- Visit: https://www.sosnc.gov/search/index/corp
- Select “Company” under “Search By”.
- You can choose “Starting with,” “Any Words”, “All Words” or “Exact.” The Secretary of State ID search option is also available. However, this is only for specific businesses and not names.
- In the “Search For” box, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of North Carolina registered businesses that use the terms in their business names will appear.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.sosnc.gov/Guides/launching_a_business/preparing_the_document_and_attachments
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.sosnc.gov/fees/by_title/_Business_Registration_Business_corporations
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
https://www.sosnc.gov/Guides/launching_a_business/license_permit
North Dakota
North Dakota Secretary of State
Contact Information
Voice: 701-328-4284
Fax: 701-328-2992
Email: corpinfo@sosnc.com
Mailing Address
600 E Boulevard Ave Dept. 108, 1st floor
Bismarck ND 58505-0500
Physical Address
600 E Boulevard Ave Dept. 108, 1st floor
Bismarck ND 58505-0500
North Dakota Business Name Search
How do you search for a North Dakota business name?
- Visit: https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Select your search criteria from the dropdown and decide whether you want results that include all of, none of, or just the words you have typed.
- Click “Search.”
A list of North Dakota registered businesses that use the same words or part of them will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is active or in good standing.
Forms and fees for LLCs
https://sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-companies/limited-liability-company-llc.html
Corporation Forms and Fees:
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Ohio
Contact Information
Voice: 614-466-3910
Mailing Address
P.O. P.O. Box 250
Columbus, OH 43216
Physical Address
Division of Business Services
160 E. Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Ohio Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Ohio?
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- You can choose whether you would like the search results to include all businesses that have your search term in their names or only active, canceled, or “dead”, businesses.
- Click “Search.”
A list of Ohio registered businesses that use the terms in your business name will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/business-registration-forms.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://sos.oregon.gov/business/Documents/business-registry-forms/br-fee-schedule.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Oklahoma
Contact Information
Voice: 405-521-3912
Fax: 405-521-3771
Mailing Address
Business Filing Department
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 101
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4897
Physical Address
Business Filing Department
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 101
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4897
Oklahoma Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Oklahoma?
- Visit: https://www.sos.ok.gov/corp/corpInquiryFind.aspx
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
Below is a list listing Oklahoma registered businesses that use the same words as you have entered. It also includes whether the company’s trade or legal name is included.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://www.sos.ok.gov/business/forms.aspx
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://www.sos.ok.gov/business/forms.aspx
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Oregon
Contact Information
Voice: 503-986-2200
Fax: 503-378-4381
Mailing Address
Corporation Division
255 Capitol St. NE Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310-1327
Physical Address
Corporation Division
255 Capitol St. NE Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310-1327
Oregon Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Oregon?
- Visit: https://sos.oregon.gov/business/pages/find.aspx
- In the search box, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of Oregon registered businesses that use the same words as your business name will be displayed. It will also tell you if the company is currently active or inactive.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/forms.aspx
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sos.oregon.gov/business/Pages/forms.aspx
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Secretary of State
Contact Information
Voice: 717-787-1057
Fax: 717-783-2244
Email: RA-CORPS@state.pa.us
Mailing Address
Building 206 North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Physical Address
Building 206 North Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Pennsylvania Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Pennsylvania?
- In the box “Business Entity Name/ID”, enter a portion of your business name.
- Select your search type from the drop-down menu (“starting with,” all words,” any words,” etc. ).
- Click “Search.”
A list of Pennsylvania registered businesses that use the same words as you have will be displayed.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.dos.pa.gov/BusinessCharities/Business/RegistrationForms/Pages/default.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.dos.pa.gov/BusinessCharities/Business/Resources/Pages/Fees-and-Payments.aspx
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/LicensingServices/Pages/default.aspx
Rhode Island
Secretary of State for Rhode Island
Contact Information
Voice: 401-222-3040
Fax: 401-222-3879
Email: corporations@sos.ri.gov
Mailing Address
Corporations Division
148 W. River Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2515
Physical Address
Corporations Division
148 W. River Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2515
Search for Rhode Island business names
How do you search for a business name in Rhode Island?
- Visit: business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearch.aspx
- Select “Search by entity”
- In the “Enter Name” box, enter a portion of your business name.
- Choose your search type: “begins With,” “exact Match,” “full Text,” “Soundex,” or “inactive.”
- Click “Search.”
A list of registered businesses in Rhode Island using the same business name as you have entered will be displayed.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://docs.sos.ri.gov/DocumentLibrarySearch
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://docs.sos.ri.gov/DocumentLibrarySearch
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
South Carolina
South Carolina Secretary of State
Contact Information
Voice: 803-734-2158
Fax: 803-734-1614
Mailing Address
Corporations Division
P.O. P.O. Box 11350
Columbia, SC 29211
Physical Address
Edgar Brown Building
1205 Pendleton Street Suite 525
Columbia, SC 29201
South Carolina Business Name Search
How do you search for a South Carolina business name?
- Visit: https://businessfilings.sc.gov/BusinessFiling/Entity/Search
- Choose “Begins With,” “Contains”, or “Exact Match.”
- In the box “Search by Business Name”, enter a portion of your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of South Carolina registered businesses that use the same words as yours will be displayed. The status of each business will be displayed, including whether it is in good standing or dissolution, the type of entity and the date and state of incorporation.
Forms and fees for LLCs
Corporation Forms and Fees:
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
South Dakota
Secretary of State for South Dakota
Contact Information
Voice: 605-773-4845
Fax: 605-773-4550
Mailing Address
500 East Capitol Avenue Ste. 204
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Physical Address
500 East Capitol Avenue Ste. 204
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
South Dakota Business Name Search
How do you search for a South Dakota business name?
- Visit: https://sosenterprise.sd.gov/BusinessServices/Business/FilingSearch.aspx
- In the “Search Name” field, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search” to choose “Starts with” or “Contains”, and then click “Search.”
A list of South Dakota registered businesses that use the same words as yours will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is in good standing or dissolution.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://sdsos.gov/business-services/corporations/corporate-forms/default.aspx
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sdsos.gov/general-information/filing-fees.aspx#corporations
Department of Revenue
Department of Public Safety
Tennessee
Contact Information
Voice: 615-741-2286
Email: business.services@tn.gov
Mailing Address
Filings for Corporates
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
6th Floor, Snodgrass Tower
Nashville, TN 37243-1102
Physical Address
Corporate Filings
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
6th Floor, Snodgrass Tower
Nashville, TN 37243-1102
Tennessee Business Name Search
How do you search for a Tennessee business name?
- Visit: http://tnbear.tn.gov/Ecommerce/FilingSearch.aspx
- In the “Search Name” field, enter all or part your business name.
- You can choose between “Starts with” and “Contains.”
- Click “I’m a human being”
- Click “Search.”
Below is a list listing all Tennessee registered businesses that use the terms you have entered. Each business’s status will be displayed, including whether it is active or inactive.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/forms-and-fees
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sos.tn.gov/businesses/forms-and-fees
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Texas
Contact Information
Voice: 512-463-5555
Email: Corpinfo@sos.state.tx.us
Mailing Address
Section on Corporations
Secretary of State
P.O. P.O. Box 13697
Austin, Texas 78711
Physical Address
Section on Corporations
Secretary of State
1019 Brazos
Austin, Texas 78701
Texas Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Texas?
You will need to create an SOSDirect account or temporary login in order to conduct a Texas Secretary of State search. You will be charged $1 per name search with either method. Some people choose to search for taxable entities through the Texas Comptroller. Although it is not as thorough, it is still free. Below are both methods.
Secretary Of State
- Visit https://direct.sos.state.tx.us/acct/acct-subscribe.asp to create an account or https://direct.sos.state.tx.us/acct/acct-templogin.asp for a one-time temporary login (both require contact info and credit card information).
- To continue, enter your business name.
- If you are creating an account, enter your address, phone number and email.
- Enter your credit card information. You will be charged $1 to verify it. However, this $1 will be refunded within 24hrs.
- Accept the user agreement. For accounts, you will be emailed your user ID, at which point you can go to http://www.sos.state.tx.us/, and click on the “SoSDirect” icon, and enter your user name and password. The next page will allow you to choose your payment method, verify your contact information and then close the email.
- Choose “Name Availability Search.” Each search costs $1. If you order any filings, this fee will be waived. You can search the database to see if any business has filed with the Secretary.
Comptroller
- Visit: https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/
- In the box “Entity Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “I’m Not a Robot” and “Search.”
The list will include all taxable entities in Texas that use the same words as your business name. You can narrow down your search by changing or adding words if you get too many results.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/forms_boc.shtml
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://direct.sos.state.tx.us/help/help-corp.asp?pg=fee
Department of Revenue
https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/
Department of Licensing
Utah
Contact Information
Voice: 801-530-4849
Fax: 801-530-6438
Mailing Address
160 East 300 South 2nd Floor
Box 146705
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-66705
Physical Address
160 East 300 South 2nd Floor
Box 146705
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-66705
Online
Utah Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Utah?
- Visit: https://secure.utah.gov/bes/action/index
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A list of Utah registered businesses that use the same words as yours will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is active or dead.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://corporations.utah.gov/business/lc.html
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://corporations.utah.gov/business/dp.html
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Vermont
Contact Information
Voice: 802-828-2386
Fax: 802-828-2853
Mailing Address
81 River Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1104
Physical Address
81 River Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1104
Search for Vermont business names
How do you search for a business name in Vermont?
- Visit: https://www.vtsosonline.com/online/BusinessInquire/
- Choose “Starts with,” “Exact Match,” and “Contains.”
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name. You can also check the box to indicate that you are interested in similar business names.
- Click “Search”.
The list will include all registered Vermont businesses with business names matching your search criteria. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is active, inactive or expired, dissolved or terminated.
LLC Forms and Fees
https://sos.vermont.gov/corporations/fees/#tllc
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sos.vermont.gov/corporations/fees/
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Virginia
Secretary of State for Virginia
Contact Information
Voice: 804-371-9733
Email: sccinfo@scc.virginia.gov
Mailing Address
Office of the Clerk
P.O. P.O. Box 1197
Richmond, Virginia 23218
Physical Address
Tyler Building
1300 E. Main St.
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Virginia Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Virginia?
- Visit: https://cis.scc.virginia.gov/EntitySearch/Index
- In the box beside “Enter Business Entity name or SCC ID”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search” to select “Keyword”, “Starts with,” or “Contains”
A list of Virginia registered businesses that use the same words as yours will be displayed. ”
LLC Forms and Fees
http://www.scc.virginia.gov/clk/formfee.aspx
Corporation Forms and Fees:
http://www.scc.virginia.gov/clk/formfee.aspx
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Washington
Contact Information
Voice: 360-725-0377
Fax: 360-664-8781
Mailing Address
PO Box 40234
Olympia, WA 98504-0234
Physical Address
801 Capitol Way South
Olympia, WA 98504
Washington Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in Washington?
- Visit: https://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/corps_search.asp
- Scroll down past customer login to find the box that reads “Corporation Search.”
- For your search term, choose “Contains”, “Begins with,” or “Exact Match”.
- In the box “Business Name”, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
A new screen will display a list all Washington registered businesses that use the terms you entered in your business name. A status bar will show you the status of each business. This includes whether it is active, inactive, or dissolved.
For LLCs and Corporations, Forms
https://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/forms.aspx
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/feescheduleexpeditedservice.aspx
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
West Virginia
Secretary of State West Virginia
Contact Information
Voice: 304-558-8000
Fax: 304-558-8381
Email: business@wvsos.com
Mailing Address
PO Box 40234
Olympia, WA 98504-0234
Physical Address
801 Capitol Way South
Olympia, WA 98504
West Virginia Business Name Search
How do you search for a business name in West Virginia?
- Visit: http://apps.sos.wv.gov/business
- In the “Organization” field, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search.”
The list will include all West Virginia registered businesses that use the keywords in the business name. The results can be sorted by name, DBA, name changes, registrations, reservations, and name.
LLC Forms and Fees
Corporation Forms and Fees:
https://sos.wv.gov/FormSearch/Business/FeeSchedule/feeschedule.pdf
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Wisconsin
Contact Information
Voice: 608-266-8888
Fax: 304-558-8381
Mailing Address
P O Box 7846
Madison, WI, 53707-7846
Physical Address
345 W. Washington Ave. 3rd Floor
Madison WI, 53703
Search for Wisconsin business names
How do you search for a business name in Wisconsin?
-
- In the search box, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search Records”.
A list of all registered businesses in Wisconsin using the same words as your business name will be displayed. The status of each company will also be displayed, including whether it has been dissolved, incorporated or withdrawn.
LLC Forms and Fees
Department of Revenue
Department of Licensing
Wyoming
Contact Information
Voice: 307-777-7311
Fax: 307-777-5339
Email: Corporations@state.wy.us
Mailing Address
Herschler Building East
122 West 25th Street
Suite 101
Cheyenne, WY82002-0020
Physical Address
Herschler Building East
122 West 25th Street
Suite 101
Cheyenne, WY82002-0020
Wyoming Business Name Search
How do you search for a Wyoming business name?
- Visit: https://wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/FilingSearch.aspx
- In the “Filing Name” field, enter all or part your business name.
- Click “Search” and choose “Starts with” or “Contains”, then click “Search.”
A list of Wyoming registered businesses that use the keywords in your business name will be displayed. The status of each business will also be displayed, including whether it is active or inactive.
LLC and Corporation Forms
https://sos.wyo.gov/forms/default.aspx?root=Business
Corporation Fees and LLC:
https://sos.wyo.gov/Business/docs/BusinessFees.pdf
Department of Revenue
Jeff Beckley is a business expert, journalist, book author, and founder of the website Best Inc Services. Jeff can be reached at, info@bestincservices.com
