How to search California records
- Run a basic search on bizfile Online by name or entity number, then use Advanced to filter by entity type and status.
- Open the detail panel and compare "Standing - SOS" with "Standing - FTB". Either one marked not good means the entity has a problem.
- Use "View History" to see each Statement of Information and any termination filing before treating a match as a conflict.
Open the official California search
California SOS, corporation and LLC search
California Secretary of State Business Search
The California Secretary of State business search is run by the California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division through its bizfile Online Business Search. Related queries such as "CA SOS business search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its entity number so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
California Entity Search
An entity search of the California 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 California expects a Statement of Information every 2 years, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
California Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "California company 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.
California LLC Search
Run the California LLC search with the exact name, then note the entity number. Forming a California LLC costs $70 and the Statement of Information is $20. 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.
California Business Name Search
A California business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. California lets you hold a name for 60 days for $10. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names. California fictitious business names are filed with the county clerk-recorder, not the Secretary of State, so a California DBA search happens county by county.
California Business License Search
California has no statewide general business license. Cities and counties issue them, while the bizfile record from the Secretary of State shows registration only. For other checks, see the business verification checklist.
California UCC Search
UCC financing statements against California businesses are filed with the Secretary of State, searchable free in bizfile Online. 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.
California Tax ID Lookup
A California tax ID can mean the federal EIN from the IRS or a state account number from the California 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.
Two agencies decide whether a California company is in good standing
California is the clearest case of why status and standing are different things. The Secretary of State tracks filings, including the Statement of Information due within 90 days of formation and every two years after. The Franchise Tax Board tracks taxes, including the $800 minimum annual tax every LLC owes. Either agency can suspend an entity. An FTB suspension is serious: the company loses its rights to defend itself in court, and contracts it signs while suspended can be voidable. That is why bizfile shows two standing fields, and why you should read both.
California filing facts
| Record number | Entity number |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $70. Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), filed online. |
| Recurring filing | Statement of Information, $20, every 2 years |
| Due | End of the anniversary month, every two years. First statement due within 90 days of formation. LLCs also owe the $800 Franchise Tax Board annual tax. |
| Other yearly state cost | $800, Franchise Tax Board minimum annual tax |
| Name reservation | $10 for 60 days |
| Agency phone | 916-657-5448 |
What a California LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in the formation year; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Franchise Tax Board minimum annual tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $70 | $20 | $800 | $890 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $0 | $800 | $800 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $20 | $800 | $820 |
| Three-year state total | $2,510 | |||
The $800 tax and the Statement of Information
The first-year exemption from the $800 tax that applied to LLCs formed from 2021 to 2023 has ended, so a new California LLC owes the tax for its first taxable year. A late Statement of Information can bring a $250 penalty and, if ignored, suspension. To get a company back into good standing, it files the missing statements and pays FTB, then applies for revivor. Out-of-state LLCs that do business in California owe the same $800 once they register as a foreign entity, and the Franchise Tax Board can pursue companies that operate there without registering.
What happens to a suspended California company
A suspended California company cannot sue or defend itself in court, and the Franchise Tax Board can make contracts it signs while suspended voidable at the other party's request. To revive it, the company files every missing tax return and Statement of Information, pays the balance, and asks for a certificate of revivor. Revivor restores the entity, but not always its name: if another company took the name during the suspension, the revived company may have to change its own. For anyone buying a California business, a clean record in both bizfile standing fields is the minimum.
How California compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $70 | $810 | Every 2 years | $10 |
| Nevada | $425 | $350 | Yearly | $25 |
| Oregon | $100 | $100 | Yearly | $100 |
| Arizona | $50 | $0 | None | $10 |
Before you rely on a California result
- The online search is preliminary. California decides name availability when a formation or reservation is filed, and it compares against like entity types.
- Every LLC doing business or organized in California owes the $800 minimum annual tax to the Franchise Tax Board, regardless of revenue.
- UCC lien filings can be searched free in the same bizfile Online portal, which helps when you are checking whether a company's assets are already pledged.
Bulk California business data
Sold by the state. Master Unload: $100 data, $800 images, $900 both (reported). Ordered through the BE and UCC Bulk Orders link in bizfile Online (account required). Official source
Searching beyond California
Registries next to California: Nevada business search, Oregon business search, Arizona business search.
California business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in California?
The state filing fee is $70. Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), filed online. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $810 a year in state fees, including the Franchise Tax Board minimum annual tax of $800.
When is the California annual report due?
California calls it the Statement of Information. It costs $20, it is filed every 2 years, and it is due end of the anniversary month, every two years. First statement due within 90 days of formation. LLCs also owe the $800 Franchise Tax Board annual tax.
Can I reserve a business name in California?
Yes. A name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 60 days.
Why does a California record show two standings?
The Secretary of State and the Franchise Tax Board each track compliance. A company can be current with one and suspended by the other, so check both fields in bizfile Online.
Is the California business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the bizfile Online Business Search costs nothing. The California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in California?
The California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division. Its business line is 916-657-5448, and its free search is the bizfile Online Business Search.
What number identifies a business in California?
California assigns each entity an entity number. 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 California businesses?
Only by buying it. Master Unload: $100 data, $800 images, $900 both (reported). Ordered through the BE and UCC Bulk Orders link in bizfile Online (account required).
Sources
- California bizfile Online business search
- California Secretary of State, Business Entities
- California Franchise Tax Board, LLC
- California bulk data source
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