How to search Georgia records
- Search eCorp by business name, control number, or registered agent.
- A status of "Active/Noncompliance" means the annual registration is late but the entity has not been dissolved yet.
- Use "Filing History" on the record to see whether the company has filed every annual registration.
Open the official Georgia search
Georgia SOS, corporation and LLC search
Georgia Secretary of State Business Search
The Georgia Secretary of State business search is run by the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division through its eCorp Business Search. Related queries such as "GA Secretary of State business search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its control number so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
Georgia Entity Search
An entity search of the Georgia 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 Georgia expects an annual registration yearly, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
Georgia Secretary of State Corporation Lookup
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "find a corporation in Georgia" 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.
Georgia LLC Search
Run the Georgia LLC search with the exact name, then note the control number. Forming a Georgia LLC costs $100 and the annual registration is $50. 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.
Georgia Business Name Search
A Georgia business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Georgia lets you hold a name for 30 days for $25. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names.
Georgia Business License Search
A Georgia 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.
Georgia Tax ID Lookup
A Georgia tax ID can mean the federal EIN from the IRS or a state account number from the Georgia 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.
Control numbers and annual registration
Georgia calls its yearly filing the annual registration and identifies every entity by a control number. The registration window runs from January 1 to April 1, and the first one is due the year after formation. A late filing turns the status to Active/Noncompliance, a halfway state that still counts as existing but signals trouble to any bank that checks.
Georgia filing facts
| Record number | Control number |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $100. Online Articles of Organization ($110 on paper). |
| Recurring filing | Annual registration, $50, yearly |
| Due | Between January 1 and April 1 |
| Name reservation | $25 for 30 days |
| Agency phone | 404-656-2817 |
What a Georgia LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $100 | $0 | $100 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $50 | $50 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $50 | $50 |
| Three-year state total | $200 | ||
A 30-day reservation and county trade names
Georgia name reservations last only 30 days, or until the formation filing is submitted, whichever comes first. That short window means most people search and form in the same week. Trade names are not filed with the Secretary of State at all: they go to the clerk of superior court in each county, so a brand you cannot find in eCorp may still be registered locally; see DBA. Georgia sells its corporations database in bulk for $1,000, or by monthly FTP subscription, which is listed with other states in data downloads by state.
A worked example: forming in Atlanta
Search eCorp for the name, reserve it if you need a few weeks, and file the Articles of Organization online for $100 within the 30-day reservation. Your first annual registration is due between January 1 and April 1 of the following year. If you will trade under a brand, register it with the clerk of superior court in the county where the business operates, since Georgia keeps no statewide trade name list.
How Georgia compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $100 | $50 | Yearly | $25 |
| Florida | $125 | $138.75 | Yearly | None |
| Alabama | $200 | $0 | Yearly | $28 |
| South Carolina | $110 | $0 | None | $25 |
Before you rely on a Georgia result
- The first annual registration is due between January 1 and April 1 of the year after formation.
- Georgia trade names are registered with the Clerk of Superior Court in each county, not with the Secretary of State.
Bulk Georgia business data
Sold by the state. $1,000 one time, or $100 setup plus $500 per month by FTP. Tab-separated text; payment by check or money order. Official source
Searching beyond Georgia
Registries next to Georgia: Florida business search, Alabama business search, South Carolina business search.
Georgia business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Georgia?
The state filing fee is $100. Online Articles of Organization ($110 on paper). Keeping the LLC on file then averages $50 a year in state fees.
When is the Georgia annual report due?
Georgia calls it the annual registration. It costs $50, it is filed yearly, and it is due between January 1 and April 1.
Can I reserve a business name in Georgia?
Yes. A name reservation costs $25 and holds the name for 30 days.
How long does a Georgia name reservation last?
30 days, or until you submit the formation filing, whichever comes first.
Is the Georgia business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the eCorp Business Search costs nothing. The Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Georgia?
The Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Its business line is 404-656-2817, and its free search is the eCorp Business Search.
What number identifies a business in Georgia?
Georgia assigns each entity a control 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 Georgia businesses?
Only by buying it. $1,000 one time, or $100 setup plus $500 per month by FTP. Tab-separated text; payment by check or money order.
Sources
Data Updated Recently