Find Georgia LLC & Corporation Records
This guide helps you use Georgia’s official Corporations Division business search to look up LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, registered agents, officers, control numbers, filings, certificates, and annual registration paths.
Use it before you file a new Georgia entity, verify a vendor, check a registered agent, order a certificate, complete annual registration, or decide whether a search result is enough for your next step.
Fast answer: Use the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division Business Search to look up a Georgia LLC, corporation, limited partnership, foreign entity, registered agent, officer, or designated agent. You can search by business name, control number, registered agent name, officer name, or designated agent name.
Important name note: The Georgia business search is useful for record lookup, but the official page says it is not intended to serve as a name availability search. Do not assume a business name is available only because one search result looks clear.
Best practical workflow: search the business name broadly → open close matches → confirm entity status and type → save control number → review agent/officer details → use certificates, copies, annual registration, or filing services only after confirming the exact record.
I Want To… Pick the Right Georgia SOS Path
Choose your real task first. Georgia has separate paths for business search, annual registration, domestic formation, foreign registration, filing fees, and online services.
Find a Georgia business
Use the official Business Search when you know the business name or only part of the legal name.
Search businessUse control number
Use control number search when you already have the exact number from a record, filing, certificate, or annual registration notice.
Search control numberSearch agent or officer
Use registered agent, officer, or designated agent fields when the business name is unclear or changed.
Search agent/officerAnnual registration
Use the annual registration path to update management, mailing address, registered agent, and registered office details.
Annual registrationCreate a domestic entity
Use the domestic entity guide for Georgia LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships formed in Georgia.
Domestic entityRegister a foreign entity
Use the foreign entity guide if an out-of-state company needs authority to transact business in Georgia.
Foreign entityCheck filing fees
Use the official fees page before paying for filings, expedited processing, certificates, or registration tasks.
Filing feesAsk the SOS office
For record questions, keep the business name and control number ready before contacting the Corporations Division.
View contactGeorgia Search Helper Before You Click
Tap the situation closest to your task. This tells you which official Georgia search field or follow-up page to use first.
Choose your search situation
How to Search Georgia Business Records by Name, Control Number, Agent or Officer
The Georgia Business Search page is powerful, but the wrong search field can miss useful records. Use these steps while you search.
Open the official Georgia Business Search page
Use the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division search page. It includes Business Search, Service of Process Search, Trademark Search, and multiple search fields.
Open official search
Image description: this user-help visual reference shows the Georgia business search screen where users can search by business name, control number, registered agent, officer, or designated agent. It is not a claim that this website is the official state website.
Select the best search type
Use Business Name for normal lookup, Control Number for exact record lookup, Registered Agent Name for agent-based searches, Officer Name for officer clues, or Designated Agent Name when that field is your best clue.
Use Starts With, Contains or Exact Match carefully
Starts With is useful when you know the first word. Contains is better for partial names. Exact Match is best only when you know the legal name exactly.
Open close matches, not only the first result
Georgia names can be similar. Open close matches, abbreviations, punctuation variations, old names, and similar legal suffixes before deciding.
Copy the control number
The control number is the safest way to return to the exact record later. Save it before ordering certificates, filing annual registration, or contacting the Corporations Division.
Check status, agent and officer details
Review entity status, entity type, principal office, registered agent, registered office, officers, and filing history where available.
Use follow-up services only after confirming the exact entity
After confirming the correct record, use annual registration, certificate requests, certified copies, foreign registration, or domestic formation pages only when that task is truly needed.
How to Read a Georgia Business Record Without Making a Wrong Assumption
A Georgia entity record is useful only when you understand what each field can and cannot prove.
Business name
Compare exact spelling, suffix, punctuation, and close variations. Similar names may belong to different entities.
Control number
Save this number. It helps you return to the same record, file annual registration, order certificates, or contact SOS.
Entity type
LLC, corporation, nonprofit, limited partnership, and foreign entity records have different filing rules and fees.
Status
Status helps you understand whether the entity appears active/compliant, administratively dissolved, revoked, or otherwise changed.
Registered agent
The registered agent and registered office matter for official notices and service of process. Confirm details before relying on them.
Filing history
Filing history can show formation, annual registrations, amendments, address updates, agent changes, and other official actions.
Georgia Business Name Availability Do Not Confuse Lookup With Approval
The official business search is a helpful screening tool, but it is not the final name availability decision.
Good screening method
- Search the exact proposed name first.
- Search the strongest unique words only.
- Try Starts With and Contains before assuming no record exists.
- Search singular, plural, abbreviation, and spelling variations.
- Check registered agent and officer clues if the name is unclear.
Do not rely on these alone
- Domain availability.
- Google search results.
- Social media usernames.
- One exact-match business search only.
- Removing LLC, Inc, Corp, punctuation, or capitalization only.
Georgia Annual Registration Why Search Matters Before You File
Annual registration keeps the state record current. Search the entity first so you update the correct business.
Due window
Georgia annual registrations are due by April 1 of the year due and may be filed as early as January 1.
What it updates
Annual registration provides a current record of management structure, mailing address, registered agent, and registered agent address.
Late risk
Entities that do not timely file annual registrations with required fees may face administrative dissolution or revocation.
Certificates, Certified Copies and Online Services After You Find the Record
Search results are useful for quick verification. Certificates and certified copies are used when a bank, lender, vendor, agency, contract, or legal process needs official proof.
Certificate of Existence
Use this when a third party needs official proof that the entity exists in Georgia records.
Georgia eCorpCertified copies
Use certified copies when a plain screenshot or online record page is not accepted by the requesting party.
Certificate/copy fee infoSave immediately
After ordering online documents, download and save them immediately with the entity name, control number, and order date.
Georgia Business Entity Fees Common Costs Users Ask About
Business search is free. Formation, foreign registration, annual registration, certificates, copies, and expedited processing may have fees.
| Service or filing | Listed fee | Best for | Action / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Business Search | Free | Looking up LLCs, corporations, agents, officers, and control numbers. | Search records |
| Domestic LLC formation | $110 online total | Creating a Georgia LLC. | $100 filing fee + $10 service charge listed in SOS guide. |
| Domestic corporation formation | $110 online total | Creating a Georgia corporation. | $100 filing fee + $10 service charge listed in SOS guide. |
| Domestic limited partnership formation | $110 online total | Creating a Georgia limited partnership. | Confirm entity type before filing. |
| Foreign entity registration | $235 total | Registering an out-of-state entity to transact business in Georgia. | $225 filing fee + $10 service charge listed in SOS guide. |
| Annual registration | $60 total | Updating management, mailing address, and registered agent details. | $50 filing fee + $10 service charge listed in SOS guide. |
| Two business days expedited service | $60 or $120 depending on filing type | Faster processing for eligible filings. | Check the official fees page before selecting expedite. |
| Same day expedited service | $275 | Same-day processing for eligible filings submitted under the rules. | Timing rules apply. |
| One hour expedited service | $1,200 | Fastest eligible paper filing review option. | Requests are reviewed on business days between stated business-hour limits. |
| Online certificate/certified copy requests | Processed immediately; fee varies by request | Official proof or certified copies. | Online certificate/copy requests do not require expedite fee according to SOS fee guidance. |
Common Georgia Business Search Problems and Fast Fixes
If you cannot find a Georgia entity, change the search method before assuming the business is missing.
No results found
Remove LLC, Inc, Corp, punctuation, apostrophes, commas, and “The.” Try Contains instead of Exact Match.
Too many results
Add one more unique word, use control number if available, or compare registered agent and officer details.
Control number mismatch
Use the control number from the official record, not a tax ID, license number, invoice number, or third-party reference.
Agent or officer changed
Use annual registration and filing history clues when agent, officer, or address information looks outdated.
Need official proof
Use certificate or certified copy options instead of relying on a screenshot when a bank or agency requests official proof.
Business license confusion
Georgia SOS corporation records do not automatically prove professional license, tax compliance, insurance, or permit status.
Local Insider Tips for Georgia LLC and Corporation Lookup
These practical habits make Georgia SOS searching faster, cleaner, and safer.
For name search
- Start with the strongest unique words, not the full legal name.
- Try Contains before Exact Match when spelling is uncertain.
- Search without punctuation and entity suffixes.
- Open close matches before assuming a name is clear.
- Remember the official search is not a final name availability search.
For verification
- Compare the SOS name with invoice, W-9, contract, bank details, and website footer.
- Save the control number before contacting the company or SOS office.
- Check registered agent and principal office, but do not assume it is a storefront.
- Use official certificates or certified copies when a screenshot is not accepted.
- For licenses, taxes, insurance, or permits, check the separate agency that controls that requirement.
Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division Phone, Address and Map
Use the business name and control number when contacting the Corporations Division about a Georgia entity record.
Corporations Division
Phone: 404-656-2817
Toll-free: 844-753-7825
Website: sos.ga.gov
Physical / mailing reference
Office of Secretary of State
Corporations Division
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 313 West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Before contacting
Have the business name, control number, filing type, order number if any, and the exact issue ready.
This saves time and reduces back-and-forth.
Official Georgia Business Entity Resources Use These After Reading
These official Georgia SOS pages are the safest starting points for business entity lookup and filing actions.
Georgia Business Search
Main official lookup for business name, control number, registered agent, officer, and designated agent searches.
Open business searchGeorgia Business Forms hub
Central page for business search, domestic entity creation, annual registration, foreign registration, filing fees, and online services.
Open business hubAnnual Registration
Use this for management structure, mailing address, registered agent, and registered office updates.
Annual registrationCreate a Domestic Entity
Use this guide for Georgia LLC, corporation, or limited partnership formation steps and fees.
Domestic entity guideRegister a Foreign Entity
Use this guide for out-of-state entities seeking authority to transact business in Georgia.
Foreign entity guideFiling Fees
Use this before paying for formation, annual registration, certificates, certified copies, or expedited processing.
Filing feesOnline Services
Use online services for many Georgia business filing and record tasks.
Online servicesBusiness FAQs
Use FAQs for common Georgia Corporations Division questions before filing or paying.
Business FAQsGeorgia eCorp
Use eCorp for Georgia business search, online services, and official corporation-service actions.
Open eCorpGeorgia Business Entity Search FAQ
Is the Georgia business entity search free?
Yes. Georgia’s official Corporations Division Business Search is free for public lookup. Fees apply when you file documents, complete annual registration, request certificates, request copies, or use expedited processing.
Where do I search for a Georgia LLC or corporation?
Use the official Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division Business Search at eCorp. You can search by business name, control number, registered agent name, officer name, or designated agent name.
Can I search Georgia businesses by control number?
Yes. Control number search is the best exact-match option when you already have the Georgia control number from a record, filing, certificate, or annual registration notice.
Can I search by registered agent in Georgia?
Yes. The official Georgia Business Search page includes a Registered Agent Name field. It also includes Officer Name and Designated Agent Name fields.
Does the Georgia Business Search prove name availability?
No. The official search page notes that it is not intended to serve as a name availability search. Use it for record research, then follow official name standards or filing guidance before relying on a new name.
How much does it cost to form a Georgia LLC online?
The Georgia SOS domestic entity guide lists a $110 online total for a domestic LLC, made up of a $100 filing fee and $10 service charge.
How much is Georgia annual registration?
The Georgia SOS domestic entity guide lists annual registration at $60 total, made up of a $50 filing fee and $10 service charge.
When is Georgia annual registration due?
Georgia annual registrations are due by April 1 of the year due and may be filed as early as January 1. Entities may also file in advance for up to three calendar years.
How much does it cost to register a foreign entity in Georgia?
The Georgia SOS foreign entity guide lists $235 total, made up of a $225 filing fee and $10 service charge.
Who do I call for Georgia business entity search help?
The Georgia Business Search page lists the Corporations Division phone as 404-656-2817 and toll-free number as 844-753-7825.
Does a Georgia SOS record prove a business is licensed or trustworthy?
No. A Georgia SOS business record mainly shows corporation/entity filing information. Professional licenses, tax status, insurance, permits, and fraud concerns may require checking other agencies or getting professional advice.
Final Practical Advice
For most users, the safest Georgia business entity search workflow is: search the business name broadly, open close matches, confirm entity type and status, copy the control number, check registered agent and officer details, then use annual registration, certificates, copies, or filings only after confirming the exact entity.
Best path: Official Business Search → open entity detail → save control number → check agent/officer details → review filing history → use annual registration or certificate/copy services only when needed.
Editorial verification note: official Georgia Secretary of State and Georgia eCorp resources checked on July 7, 2026. This guide is informational and does not provide legal, tax, licensing, fraud-investigation, or business formation advice.