Resources and glossary
State records use short labels that carry legal weight. A status of "dissolved" or a missing annual report changes what you can do with a name or a company. The glossary below explains each label in the context of a search, with links to the states where it works differently.
Guides
Nationwide business entity search
Which official system answers which question when you do not know the state.
Secretary of State fee directory
All 51 registries with search links, phones, LLC fees and report deadlines.
LLC lookup
Reading an LLC record and finding who stands behind it.
Business owner lookup
Which public records name who owns a company, by type of business.
Business data downloads by state
Which states give away, sell or withhold their full business register.
EIN lookup
Find nonprofit and public company EINs and check any EIN prefix.
Verify a business
Ten official checks before you pay a vendor, contractor or landlord.
UCC lien search
Which state holds a company's lien filings and how to read them.
Business entity types
How each structure is created, taxed and shown in state records.
Claim a business name
From an empty search result to a name the state has accepted.
Glossary
Annual Report
- A recurring state filing that confirms an entity still exists and updates its addresses, agent and leaders.
Articles of Incorporation
- The state filing that creates a corporation, also called a certificate of incorporation.
Articles of Organization
- The state filing that creates a limited liability company.
Certificate of Formation
- The name some states give the filing that creates an LLC.
Corporation
- A legal entity owned by shareholders, managed by a board, and formed by filing articles of incorporation.
DBA (Assumed or Fictitious Name)
- A registered trade name that a person or company uses instead of its legal name.
Dissolved Entity
- An entity whose legal existence has ended, by its own choice or by state action.
Domestic Entity
- A business entity formed under the laws of the state where you are looking it up.
Entity ID
- The unique number a state assigns to a business entity when it is formed or registered.
Foreign Entity
- A business formed in one state that registers to do business in another state.
Good Standing
- A status showing the entity is current with required state filings and fees.
LLC (Limited Liability Company)
- A business entity that offers liability protection with pass-through taxation by default.
Nonprofit Corporation
- A corporation formed for a public, charitable or mutual-benefit purpose rather than profit for owners.
Operating Agreement
- The internal contract among LLC members that sets ownership, management and profit rules.
Registered Agent
- The person or company designated to receive legal papers and official notices for a business.
SOS ID
- The Secretary of State's identifying number for a registered business.
UCC Filing
- A public notice, usually a UCC-1 financing statement, that a lender has a security interest in a business's assets.
Resource questions
What do the terms in a business entity search mean?
Each term in this glossary, such as good standing, registered agent or foreign entity, has its own page explaining how it appears on a state record.
Which guide should I read first?
Start with the nationwide search guide if you do not know the state, the LLC lookup guide if you are checking a company, or the name claim guide if you are starting one.
Are these guides legal advice?
No. They explain public records and official sources. For decisions about forming or dissolving a company, check with the state agency or a licensed attorney.