How to search Alabama records
- Search the core words of the name without "LLC" or "Inc." first. Alabama compares names across entity types, so a corporation can block an LLC name.
- When you find a match, note the Entity ID. It is the number the Department of Revenue and banks will ask for when you request records.
- If nothing close appears, file the name reservation before the Certificate of Formation. The reservation certificate is part of the formation packet.
Open the official Alabama search
Alabama SOS, corporation and LLC search
Alabama Secretary of State Business Search
The Alabama Secretary of State business search is run by the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division through its Business Entity Records. Related queries such as "Alabama Secretary of State business entity search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its entity ID so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
Alabama Entity Search
An entity search of the Alabama business registry returns every registered type at once: domestic and foreign LLCs, corporations, partnerships and nonprofits. Read the status first, then the formation date and the registered agent. Because Alabama expects a Business Privilege Tax return yearly, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
Alabama Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "AL sec of state corp search" land here too. The record shows whether it is a for-profit corporation or a nonprofit, and the entity types guide explains how each one appears. Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation, so the formation date on the record is the date those articles took effect.
Alabama LLC Lookup
Run the Alabama LLC lookup with the exact name, then note the entity ID. Forming an Alabama LLC costs $200, and the Business Privilege Tax return carries no flat fee. Whether members appear depends on the filings; our LLC lookup guide covers what the state shows, and the business owner lookup covers what it does not. A state record never shows an EIN; use the EIN lookup for that.
Alabama Business Name Search
An Alabama business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Alabama lets you hold a name for 365 days for $28 (required before forming most entities). The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names.
State of Alabama Business License Lookup
An Alabama entity record is not a business license. Licenses come from the state board for a regulated trade or from the city or county where the business operates, so check those separately. The business verification checklist lists which official records to pull and in what order.
Alabama UCC Search
UCC financing statements against Alabama businesses are filed with the Secretary of State. A filing shows a lender's claim on the company's assets, and it must be searched under the exact legal name on the entity record. The UCC lien search guide explains how to read one.
Alabama Tax ID Lookup
An Alabama tax ID can mean the federal EIN from the IRS or a state account number from the Alabama tax agency for sales or payroll tax. Neither appears in the business entity record. The EIN lookup covers the federal number; the state tax agency confirms its own accounts.
Why Alabama filings start with a name reservation
Most states treat a name reservation as optional. Alabama builds it into formation: for most domestic entities, the reservation certificate is part of the packet the Secretary of State expects with a Certificate of Formation. That changes the order of work. You search, reserve, and only then file, so a name conflict surfaces before you pay the $200 formation fee rather than after. The reservation runs for a year, which gives you room to line up a registered agent and an operating agreement first.
Alabama filing facts
| Record number | Entity ID |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $200. Certificate of Formation filed with the Secretary of State. |
| Recurring filing | Business Privilege Tax return (Department of Revenue), $0, yearly |
| Due | April 15 for calendar-year filers. Since tax year 2024, a computed privilege tax of $100 or less is not owed, but the return is still filed. |
| Name reservation | $28 for 365 days. Required before forming most entities. |
| Agency phone | 334-242-5324 |
What an Alabama LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $200 | $0 | $200 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Three-year state total | $200 | ||
Records from the probate era
Until filings were centralized in Montgomery, Alabama entities were formed through county probate judges, and older companies still carry filing details from that period. When an older record looks thin, the original articles may sit with the county where the company was first filed. The Secretary of State record still controls status. Ongoing compliance is handled by the Department of Revenue through the Business Privilege Tax return, so a company can look fine at the Secretary of State and still owe the state money. For a lender or buyer, a clean good standing certificate plus a Revenue clearance is the safer pair. The full cost comparison with neighboring states is in the fee directory.
A worked example: opening a shop in Birmingham
Suppose you plan to open a store under the name Magic City Supply. You search the Business Entity Records, find nothing close, reserve the name online for $28, then file the Certificate of Formation for $200 with the reservation attached. Next you register with the Department of Revenue, because that is where the Business Privilege Tax return will be filed each year. If your computed tax is $100 or less, you owe nothing, but you still file. Skipping that return does not change your status at the Secretary of State right away, which is exactly why buyers ask for a Revenue clearance as well as a certificate of good standing.
How Alabama compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $200 | $0 | Yearly | $28 |
| Georgia | $100 | $50 | Yearly | $25 |
| Mississippi | $50 | $0 | Yearly | $25 |
| Tennessee | $300 | $300 | Yearly | $20 |
Before you rely on an Alabama result
- Annual compliance runs through the Alabama Department of Revenue, not the Secretary of State. LLCs file the Business Privilege Tax return (Form PPT for pass-through entities).
- A record showing "Exists" means the entity is on file. It does not confirm the privilege tax is current, so ask for a Department of Revenue clearance when buying a business.
Bulk Alabama business data
Not offered. No bulk product found.
Searching beyond Alabama
Registries next to Alabama: Georgia business search, Mississippi business search, Tennessee business search.
Alabama business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Alabama?
The state filing fee is $200. Certificate of Formation filed with the Secretary of State. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $0 a year in state fees.
When is the Alabama annual report due?
Alabama calls it the business Privilege Tax return (Department of Revenue). There is no filing fee, it is filed yearly, and it is due April 15 for calendar-year filers. Since tax year 2024, a computed privilege tax of $100 or less is not owed, but the return is still filed.
Can I reserve a business name in Alabama?
Yes. A name reservation costs $28 and holds the name for 365 days. Required before forming most entities.
Do I have to reserve a name before forming an Alabama LLC?
For most domestic entities, yes. Alabama expects the name reservation certificate with the formation filing, and the reservation costs $28 online and lasts one year.
Is the Alabama business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the Business Entity Records costs nothing. The Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Alabama?
The Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division. Its business line is 334-242-5324, and its free search is the Business Entity Records.
What number identifies a business in Alabama?
Alabama assigns each entity an entity ID. It is different from the federal EIN and from the number the same company holds in any other state, and searching by it returns exactly one record.
Can I download a list of all Alabama businesses?
No bulk download is offered. No bulk product found. Individual records can still be searched for free.
Sources
- Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities
- Alabama Business Entity Records search
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Business Privilege Tax
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