US company search: find the right state registry
Identify the state of formation, compare entity records and request the right company documents.
Official services open in a new tab. Guidance reviewed: 7 October 2026. Service interfaces and access may change.
Establish the state of formation first
A US business address does not necessarily identify the state where its legal entity was formed. A warehouse, sales office and registered agent may be in different places. Ask for the exact legal name, entity type, formation state and state file number. A trading brand can represent several separate LLCs or corporations.
Company records are generally maintained through the relevant state authority, such as a Secretary of State or Division of Corporations. The official links above provide starting points for Delaware and California. They are examples, not a nationwide company database. For another state, include its name in your assistance request.
Follow the entity through the state service
- Open the authority serving the state named in the company's documents.
- Search the legal name or file number where that field is offered.
- Compare the entity type, identifier, formation date and available address details.
- Distinguish an original formation record from registration of an out-of-state entity.
- Save the result and the date on which you viewed it.
Delaware provides an entity name/file-number search. For California, follow the business-search service within bizfile. Do not assume that every state uses the same fields, terminology or document ordering process.
Interpret the result carefully
A matching trading name is only a lead. Compare the entity named in the proposed contract with the record and the documents supplied by the counterparty. A registered agent is not necessarily an owner, and its address does not by itself establish where operations take place.
A corporate record also does not establish that a business holds a specialist operating licence. If the proposed service is regulated, identify the relevant authority and check that permission separately. Keep a company-identity search distinct from a judgement about a transaction.
Ask for the document the recipient actually needs
A bank or transaction adviser may request formation documents, a certificate of status or good standing, or a certified copy. A search result is not automatically interchangeable with any of these. Ordering conditions and availability depend on the state authority.
Send the formation state, exact name, file number and intended use when asking LegalRegistr for document assistance. If the state is unknown, describe the documents and addresses you already have so that identification can come before an order.