Search California LLC & Corporation Records
Use the California Secretary of State’s bizfile Online Business Search to find corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships by name or entity number.
The official record can show entity status, jurisdiction, addresses, agent for service of process, Statement of Information due date, officers or managers where available, standing information and filed documents.
Best starting point: search the business name broadly, open the correct California record and save the exact entity number before ordering certificates or filing anything.
Corporation number tip: California corporation entity numbers use the letter C followed by seven digits. LLC and limited partnership entity numbers use 12 digits without a leading letter.
Important limitation: the online Business Search does not cover every type of business. General partnerships and limited liability partnerships are among the records that may require a formal records request instead.
How to Search California Business Records
The search is most reliable when you start with a short, distinctive part of the business name rather than entering a long legal name immediately.
- Open the California bizfile Online Business Search.
- Search by entity name or exact entity number.
- If searching by name, begin with one or more distinctive keywords.
- Try a Begins With search if you know the first word or words of the registered name.
- Open close matches rather than relying only on the first result.
- Confirm entity type, entity number, status, jurisdiction and agent.
- Save the entity number before ordering records or filing a Statement of Information.
California Business Search Options Explained
| Search method | Use it when | California-specific tip |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword | You know one or more words in the entity name. | A single strong keyword usually produces broader results. Keywords longer than 12 characters may be truncated by the search system. |
| Begins With | You know the beginning of the legal name. | Useful when Keyword results are too broad. |
| Exact | You know the complete registered name. | Spaces and punctuation must match the record. |
| Corporation entity number | You know the exact corporation number. | Enter the letter C followed by the seven-digit number, such as C0254285. |
| LLC / LP entity number | You know the exact LLC or limited partnership number. | Enter the 12-digit number without a leading letter. |
What a California Entity Record Can Show
California’s public record includes more than the entity’s name. Check the detail page carefully before relying on a business.
Core entity information
- Entity name
- California entity number
- Formation, registration or conversion date
- Entity type
- Jurisdiction
- Current entity status
- Street and mailing addresses
People, compliance & filings
- Agent for service of process
- Statement of Information due date when applicable
- Officer, director, member or manager information where available
- SOS, FTB, Agent and VCFCF standing fields
- Imaged Statements of Information
- Other available filed documents
How to Read California Status & Standing Fields
California’s search can show an overall entity status plus separate standing indicators. Do not assume that one “Good” field means every state requirement is satisfied.
| Field / status | What it generally tells you |
|---|---|
| Active | The entity is currently authorized under the SOS record, subject to other legal requirements. |
| FTB Suspended / Forfeited | The Franchise Tax Board suspended or forfeited the entity for a tax-related compliance problem such as missing returns, taxes, penalties or interest. |
| SOS / FTB Suspended or Forfeited | Both the Secretary of State and Franchise Tax Board have recorded compliance problems. |
| Dissolved | A domestic entity has ended or is winding up under the applicable filing shown in the state record. |
| Canceled | Depending on entity type, the filing or entity has been canceled and its California rights or registration have ceased. |
| Surrender | A foreign corporation has surrendered its authority to transact business in California. |
| Merged Out / Converted-Out | The entity merged into another entity or converted to a different entity type or jurisdiction. |
What “Agent for Service of Process” Means
The agent for service of process is the person or qualified corporate agent designated to accept lawsuits, subpoenas and other official legal notices for the entity.
Individual agent
An individual agent must reside in California and have a physical California street address.
Registered corporate agent
A corporation may serve as agent when it is qualified as a registered corporate agent under California Corporations Code section 1505.
California Business Name Availability Is Only Preliminary in Search
California expressly says its public Business Search is a preliminary search, not a formal name-availability determination.
- Search the exact proposed name.
- Search the strongest distinctive words only.
- Try singular, plural and abbreviation variants.
- Review close names of the same entity type.
- Check California’s business-name regulations.
- Reserve the name only if a reservation is genuinely needed.
Name reservation period
A California corporation, LLC or limited partnership name may generally be reserved for 60 days.
Current reservation fee: $10.
Not checked against every name system
California checks proposed entity names against like entities in the Secretary of State’s records. The entity-name process does not replace trademark searches or county fictitious business name research.
California Statement of Information Rules
The Statement of Information is one of the most common compliance tasks users encounter after finding a California business record.
| Entity type | Initial filing | Ongoing filing | Current fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| California LLC | Within 90 days after initial registration | Every two years | $20 |
| Domestic / foreign stock corporation | Within 90 days after initial registration | Every year | $25 |
| California nonprofit corporation | Follow entity-specific SOS requirements | According to the applicable nonprofit reporting cycle | $20 |
Open California Statement of Information filing guidance.
- Confirm the entity and Statement due date in Business Search.
- Sign into bizfile Online.
- Make sure your account has User Access to the entity.
- Open the Statement of Information filing option.
- Review agent, addresses, officers/managers and other required fields.
- Submit the filing and retain the confirmation for your records.
Free Filed Documents, Certified Copies & Certificates
California provides free online access to millions of business-entity document images. Search the entity and check available documents before paying for a copy request.
Free online documents
Available records can include formation or registration filings, amendments, terminations and imaged Statements of Information.
Paid official proof
Use a certified copy or Certificate of Status when a bank, lender, court, agency, marketplace or contract specifically requires official certification.
| Service | Current fee | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Business Search / available online document images | Free | Basic research and plain copies of available imaged filings. |
| Certified copy | $5 per document certification | When an ordinary downloaded filing is not accepted. |
| Certificate of Status | $5 per entity | Formal evidence of the entity’s current California status. |
| Certificate of No Record | $5 | Formal confirmation that no qualifying record was found. |
Open California Business Entity Records Request guidance.
- Search the exact entity.
- Save its entity number.
- Review free document images first.
- Ask the receiving party whether it needs a plain copy, certified copy or Certificate of Status.
- Order only the document it requires.
Common California Business Entity Fees
| Service or filing | Current listed fee | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Public Business Search | Free | Entity lookup, status, standing, agent, addresses and available filings. |
| Domestic LLC Articles of Organization | $70 | Forming a California LLC. |
| LLC Statement of Information | $20 | Initial and biennial LLC reporting. |
| Domestic stock corporation Articles of Incorporation | $100 | Forming a California stock corporation. |
| Stock corporation Statement of Information | $25 | Initial and annual stock corporation reporting. |
| Name reservation | $10 | Reserving an eligible entity name for 60 days. |
| Certified copy | $5 per document certification | Official certified filing copy. |
| Certificate of Status | $5 | Official status / good-standing-style proof. |
California SOS Search Does Not Cover Every Business Name or License
This distinction prevents many failed searches. The California Secretary of State does not register sole proprietorships as entities and does not maintain county fictitious business name filings.
Fictitious Business Name / DBA
Fictitious business name statements are generally filed with the county where the principal place of business is located.
If the company trades under a name different from its legal entity name, check the appropriate county clerk’s FBN records.
Licenses & permits
The California Secretary of State does not issue general business licenses or professional licenses. Local licenses, state permits and professional authorizations must be checked with the responsible agency.
Use California CalGold for permit and licensing agency information.
California Business Search Troubleshooting
| Problem | Best next step |
|---|---|
| No result by entity number | For a corporation, include the leading C plus all seven digits. LLC and LP numbers should be entered as the full 12-digit number. |
| No result by exact name | Use fewer keywords or try Begins With. Exact searches are sensitive to spaces and punctuation. |
| Too many similar entities | Compare entity number, type, jurisdiction, status, agent, addresses and registration date. |
| General partnership or LLP not found | These entity types are not fully included in the standard Business Search. Use the Business Entities Records Request process. |
| “Image not available online” | Use the official records-request process to obtain the filing. |
| Entity is FTB Suspended / Forfeited | The problem is tax-related. Review Franchise Tax Board revival requirements in addition to Secretary of State filings. |
| Statement filing option missing | Confirm your bizfile account has User Access to the entity. User Access became required for online Statement filings on August 1, 2026. |
| Searching a DBA or sole proprietor | Search county fictitious business name records instead of relying only on bizfile. |
Current California SOS Processing Snapshot
California publishes live processing dates rather than a fixed turnaround promise. The page is updated frequently, so use it when a filing or certificate seems delayed.
As of the Secretary of State’s October 15, 2026 update, online corporate and LLC formation/registration filings being reviewed were generally from October 13, while online copy, certificate and status-report requests were being reviewed through October 15. Mail and in-person queues were several days behind some online categories.
California Secretary of State Business Entities Contact
Business Entities phone
Office hours:
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
excluding state holidays
Sacramento office
California Secretary of State
Business Programs Division
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Business Programs Division counter services are provided in the Sacramento building. Use the official contact page for the correct mailing address for your filing type.
Official California Business Entity Resources
Main official lookup for California corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships.
Official keyword, exact, begins-with and entity-number search instructions.
Explains Active, Suspended, Forfeited, Dissolved, Canceled and other entity statuses.
Current filing guidance, penalties and 2026 User Access requirement.
Certificates of Status, certified copies, plain copies and formal records requests.
60-day reservations and California’s preliminary name-search warning.
Who may serve as an agent and what the agent record means.
Current LLC, corporation, limited partnership, statement and records fees.
Live processing queues for filings, copies, certificates and name reservations.
Phone, office hours, Sacramento location and service-specific mailing addresses.
California Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the California business entity search free?
Yes. California Secretary of State bizfile Online Business Search is free for public lookup. Fees apply to filings, name reservations, certified copies, Certificates of Status and other paid services.
2. Where do I search for a California LLC or corporation?
Use the California Secretary of State bizfile Online Business Search. It is the main public search for California corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships.
3. How do I search a California corporation by entity number?
Enter the letter C followed by the corporation’s seven-digit entity number. Searching only the seven digits can fail. LLC and limited partnership numbers use the full 12-digit number without a leading letter.
4. Why can’t I find a California general partnership or LLP in Business Search?
The standard Business Search does not contain every registered entity type. California specifically notes that general partnerships and limited liability partnerships are not included in the main search and may require a formal records request.
5. What does FTB Suspended or FTB Forfeited mean?
It means the California Franchise Tax Board suspended or forfeited the entity because of a tax-compliance problem, such as failure to file a return or pay taxes, penalties or interest.
6. How often does a California LLC file a Statement of Information?
A California LLC generally files its first Statement of Information within 90 days after registration and then every two years. The current filing fee is $20.
7. How often does a California stock corporation file a Statement of Information?
Domestic and foreign stock corporations generally file within 90 days after initial registration and every year thereafter. The current filing fee is $25.
8. How much is a California Certificate of Status?
The California Secretary of State currently lists the Certificate of Status fee at $5 per entity.
9. Is the California SOS Business Search a formal name-availability check?
No. California says the public Business Search is only a preliminary name search. Name reservations and formation filings are reviewed under the state’s entity-name rules before acceptance.
10. Where do I search a California DBA or fictitious business name?
Fictitious business name statements are generally filed with the county where the principal place of business is located, not with the California Secretary of State. Check the appropriate county clerk’s FBN records.
Best Way to Verify a California Business
Start with bizfile Online, find the exact entity and save its California entity number. Review status, jurisdiction, standing fields, agent, addresses, Statement due date and filed documents before relying on the record.
If the business uses a DBA, check county fictitious business name records too. If the work requires a professional or local business license, verify that separately. Order a certified copy or Certificate of Status only when the receiving party specifically requires official proof.
Editorial review: California Secretary of State bizfile Online search guidance, status definitions, Statements of Information rules, 2026 User Access changes, records-request fees, name reservations, service-of-process guidance, processing dates and Business Entities contact information were reviewed October 16, 2026. This independent website is not the California Secretary of State and does not provide legal, tax, licensing or trademark advice.