Find Delaware LLC & Corporation Records
The official Delaware entity search lets you look up corporations, LLCs, partnerships, statutory trusts and other registered entities by name or Delaware file number.
The free lookup is useful for confirming an entity exists and identifying its registered agent, but Delaware separates that free search from paid status checks, official Certificates of Good Standing, filing-history products and franchise-tax services.
Best first search: enter the entity name in Delaware’s General Information Name Search. If you already know the Delaware file number, use it instead for a cleaner exact lookup.
What the free result can show: entity name, file number, incorporation or formation date, registered agent name, address, phone number, entity kind/type and residency information.
What it does not prove: the free result list can include both active and inactive entities. Appearing in search results is not proof of current status or good standing.
How to Search Delaware Business Entities
Delaware’s entity search is simple, but two details matter: exact searches use quotation marks, and the free result does not establish current status.
- Open the official Delaware entity search.
- Enter the entity name or Delaware file number.
- For a broad search, enter the strongest distinctive words first.
- Use quotation marks around the name only when you want an exact search.
- Open the matching entity instead of relying only on the result list.
- Save the Delaware file number before moving to status, tax, certificate or document services.
What Delaware’s Free Entity Search Actually Shows
Free entity information
- Entity name
- Delaware file number
- Incorporation or formation date
- Entity kind and type
- Domestic or foreign residency
- Registered agent name
- Registered agent address and phone information where shown
Information that needs another service
- Current entity status
- Official good-standing certificate
- Detailed tax information
- Full filing-history documents
- Officer and director information contained in annual-report images
- Certified or plain filed-document copies
Delaware Entity Status vs. Certificate of Good Standing
Delaware offers three different levels of proof. Choosing the right one can prevent an unnecessary document order.
| Service | Current cost | What it provides | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free entity search | Free | Basic entity and registered-agent details. | Initial lookup and identity check. |
| Online status | $10 | Current status screen that can be printed or emailed. | When you need current status but not a certified state document. |
| Status + tax/history | $20 | Status, last five filings, franchise-tax assessment, applicable shares information and tax due. | Deeper due diligence without ordering document images. |
| Short-form Certificate of Status / Good Standing | $50 | Entity name and official status when issued. | Banks, investors, vendors, contracts or agencies requiring certified status proof. |
| Long-form Certificate of Good Standing | $175 | Filed-document list, filing dates/times, name changes and current status. | Transactions requiring a more detailed certified history. |
Open Delaware online-status guidance.
- Decide whether a $10 status result is enough.
- Choose the $20 option only if tax and recent filing-history information is useful.
- Do not treat either online-status option as an official Certificate of Good Standing.
- If certified proof is required, use the official certificate-request process instead.
Delaware Annual Reports & Franchise Taxes
Delaware corporation rules are different from LLC, LP and GP rules. Do not assume every Delaware entity files the same annual report.
| Entity type | Annual requirement | Due date | Current amount / rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic corporation | Annual Report + franchise tax | March 1 | Non-exempt report fee $50; exempt domestic corporation report fee $25. Franchise tax is separate. |
| Domestic corporation — Authorized Shares Method | Franchise tax | March 1 | Minimum tax currently $175. |
| Domestic corporation — Assumed Par Value Capital Method | Franchise tax | March 1 | Minimum tax currently $400. |
| Delaware LLC / LP / GP | Annual tax; no annual report | June 1 | $400 annual tax. |
| Foreign corporation | Annual Report | June 30 | $250 report filing fee. |
Open Delaware Annual Report and Tax Instructions.
- Identify whether the entity is a domestic corporation, foreign corporation or alternative entity such as an LLC.
- For corporations, use the annual-report and franchise-tax path.
- For Delaware LLCs, LPs and GPs, use the annual-tax payment path rather than looking for an annual report.
- Confirm the current balance before paying because penalties and interest may change the amount due.
Delaware Name Availability & Reservation
The regular entity search is useful for preliminary research, but Delaware also provides a dedicated real-time name-availability and reservation system.
Name availability
Use Delaware’s dedicated name tool before assuming a proposed corporation, LLC, LP, GP, LLP, statutory trust or other supported entity name can be filed.
Name reservation
A Delaware entity name can currently be reserved for 120 days for $75 per name.
Name reservation is optional; Delaware does not require it before formation.
Check Delaware entity-name availability.
- Select the correct entity kind.
- Choose the appropriate entity ending separately where requested.
- Enter the proposed entity name.
- Review the real-time availability result.
- Reserve the name only if holding it for 120 days is genuinely useful.
Delaware Registered Agent: What the Search Tells You
Every Delaware entity must maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Delaware. The registered office generally must be open during normal business hours to accept service of process.
What free search can show
- Registered agent name
- Registered agent address
- Agent phone information where available
- Entity file number
- Formation date
What not to assume
- The registered agent is not automatically the owner.
- The agent address may not be the business’s operating location.
- State listing does not mean Delaware recommends the agent.
- The state’s registered-agent list is provided for convenience.
View Delaware’s registered-agent list.
- Use the list only as a starting point.
- Contact the agent directly about services and fees.
- Confirm the agent will consent to appointment before filing.
- Perform your own due diligence; Delaware states that it makes no warranties about listed agents.
Filing History, Copies & Document Requests
Delaware no longer provides entity filing history by telephone or live chat. For deeper records, use the online status/history tools or the Document Filing and Certificate Request Service.
Open Document Filing and Certificate Request information.
- Identify the exact Delaware entity and file number first.
- State whether you need a specific filing, plain copy, certified copy or certificate.
- Include relevant filing dates when requesting a particular document.
- Provide the required contact and return information.
- Understand that the upload service does not calculate the fee at submission; charges are applied when the request is processed.
The submission service is currently available Monday through Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., excluding state holidays and unexpected closures.
Common Delaware Entity Search & Record Fees
| Service | Current listed amount | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Basic entity search | Free | Entity name, file number, formation date and registered-agent details. |
| Online status | $10 | Current status screen. |
| Status + tax/history | $20 | Current status plus selected tax and recent filing-history information. |
| Short-form certified status / good standing | $50 | Official certified status proof. |
| Long-form Certificate of Good Standing | $175 | Certified status plus detailed filed-document listing and name-change history. |
| Entity name reservation | $75 | Holding an available name for 120 days. |
| LLC / LP / GP annual tax | $400 | Annual alternative-entity tax due June 1. |
| Foreign corporation annual report | $250 | Annual filing due June 30. |
Open Delaware’s current fee schedules.
- Choose the schedule for the exact filing or entity type.
- Check whether the amount is a base fee or an additional expedited charge.
- For stock corporations, use the official calculators when authorized shares or par value affects cost.
- Confirm the current fee immediately before submission.
A Delaware Entity Record Is Not a Business License
The Division of Corporations handles legal entity records. A Delaware business license is generally obtained through the Delaware Division of Revenue, and some businesses also need professional, state or local permits.
- Use it to review state business-registration and licensing tasks.
- Check whether the activity requires additional state or local licensing.
- Do not treat a Delaware Division of Corporations search result as proof that all operating licenses are current.
Common Delaware Business Search Problems
| Problem | Best next step |
|---|---|
| No result found | Search fewer words and remove LLC, Inc., Corp., punctuation and “The.” |
| Too many similar names | Add another distinctive word or use the Delaware file number. |
| Need exact-name search | Put quotation marks around the entity name in the official search. |
| Unsure whether entity is active | Do not rely on the free result list; use the paid status service or certified status proof. |
| Need filing history | Use online status/history or the Document Filing and Certificate Request Service; filing history is no longer supplied by phone or live chat. |
| Looking for an LLC annual report | Delaware LLCs do not file annual reports; they pay the annual alternative-entity tax instead. |
| Need owner/officer details | The free entity search is limited. Corporation officer/director details may require annual-report document images. |
| Need formal proof for a bank or investor | Ask whether a short-form Certificate of Status, long-form Good Standing certificate or certified filing copy is required. |
Delaware Division of Corporations Contact Information
General information
General Information: option 2
Franchise Tax: option 3
UCC: option 4
Service of Process: option 5
Other inquiries: option 0
Phone & live support hours
Phone operators:
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Monday–Friday, excluding state holidays.
Live support:
8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Monday–Friday, excluding state holidays.
Dover office
Division of Corporations
John G. Townsend Building
401 Federal Street, Suite 4
Dover, DE 19901
Regular mail:
PO Box 898
Dover, DE 19903
In-person assistance is by appointment only.
Open the official Delaware Division of Corporations contact page.
- Search the entity first.
- Write down its exact name and Delaware file number.
- Know whether your question concerns entity information, franchise tax, UCC, service of process or a document request.
- Do not call for filing history; Delaware directs users to online and document-request options instead.
Official Delaware Business Entity Resources
Free lookup by entity name or Delaware file number.
$10 status and $20 status with tax/history information.
Corporation annual reports, franchise-tax rules and LLC/LP/GP annual-tax information.
Real-time name check and optional $75, 120-day reservation.
Submit filings, certificate requests and document-copy requests.
Current filing, certificate, copy and expedited-service fee information.
State-provided registered-agent list with due-diligence disclaimer.
Phone options, live support, addresses and service hours.
Delaware Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the Delaware business entity search free?
Yes. Delaware’s official entity search provides basic entity and registered-agent information free of charge. Status checks, certificates, copies and filings can require fees.
2. Where do I search for a Delaware LLC or corporation?
Use the Delaware Division of Corporations General Information Name Search. You can search by entity name or Delaware file number.
3. Does the free Delaware search show whether an entity is active?
No. Delaware says the result list includes both active and inactive entities and is not an indication of current status. Use the paid online status service or certified status proof when current standing matters.
4. What information does the free Delaware entity search provide?
The free record can show the entity name, file number, incorporation or formation date, registered agent name, registered-agent address and phone information, entity kind/type and residency.
5. How much does it cost to check Delaware entity status?
Delaware currently charges $10 for online status and $20 for status with additional tax and recent filing-history information. Neither option is an official Certificate of Good Standing.
6. How much is a Delaware Certificate of Good Standing?
A short-form certified Certificate of Status is currently $50. A long-form Certificate of Good Standing, which includes a more detailed filing history and name-change information, is $175.
7. Do Delaware LLCs file annual reports?
No. Delaware LLCs do not file annual reports with the Division of Corporations. They currently pay a $400 annual tax due on or before June 1.
8. When is a Delaware corporation annual report due?
Domestic corporation annual reports and franchise taxes are due on or before March 1. Foreign corporation annual reports are due by June 30.
9. How much does it cost to reserve a Delaware entity name?
Delaware currently charges $75 to reserve an eligible entity name for 120 days. Name reservation is optional and is not required before formation.
10. Does a Delaware entity record prove that a company is licensed or trustworthy?
No. The Division of Corporations record mainly confirms entity-registration information. Business licenses, professional licensing, taxes, insurance, permits and fraud concerns may require separate verification.
Best Way to Use the Delaware Entity Search
Start with the free Division of Corporations search, open the correct entity and save its Delaware file number. That is usually enough for basic verification and gives you the identifier needed for later status, tax, certificate or document requests.
Only pay for the $10/$20 status products or certified documents when the transaction actually requires them. For Delaware LLCs, remember that there is no annual report—the current annual tax is $400 and is due June 1.
Editorial verification: Delaware Division of Corporations entity search, online status, October 2026 tax/report guidance, current name-reservation information, registered-agent requirements, certificate pricing, document-request procedures, fee resources and contact details were reviewed October 16, 2026. This independent informational website is not the Delaware Division of Corporations and does not provide legal, tax or licensing advice.