Search North Dakota Business Entity Records
The North Dakota Secretary of State provides its public business lookup through the FirstStop Portal. You can search corporations, LLCs, nonprofits, partnerships and other registered entities by business name or the state’s System ID.
The safest workflow is simple: find the entity first, save its System ID, check status and registered-agent information, then use FirstStop for annual reports, amendments, certificates or other filings.
Fast answer: open North Dakota FirstStop and search by business name or System ID. The public search shows the System ID format as ###-#####.
If you know only part of the name: start with the strongest distinctive words rather than a long legal name. Open the matching result and compare entity type, status and agent details before relying on it.
What the search does not prove: tax compliance, professional licensing, insurance, ownership percentages, financial health or whether a vendor is trustworthy.
How to Search North Dakota FirstStop
Use the public search before starting an annual report, amendment or certificate request. It reduces the risk of filing under the wrong business.
- Open the official FirstStop Business Search.
- Enter the business name or System ID.
- If searching by name, begin with the strongest distinctive words.
- If you already have the System ID, enter it in the format shown by FirstStop.
- Use the Advanced option when a basic search is too broad or does not find the record.
- Open the matching record and compare status, entity type and registered-agent information.
- Save the System ID before taking any filing action.
What to Check on a North Dakota Business Record
Entity identity
- Exact registered name
- System ID
- Entity type
- Domestic or foreign registration
- Current Secretary of State status
Maintenance details
- Registered agent
- Registered-office information
- Annual-report status
- Filed amendments or record updates
- Good-standing status
Checking North Dakota Business Name Availability
North Dakota uses a distinguishable on record standard for business names. The FirstStop search is useful for screening a proposed name, but the Secretary of State makes the final availability decision when a filing is submitted.
- Search the complete proposed name.
- Search only its strongest distinctive words.
- Try singular/plural and close spelling variations.
- Search with and without LLC, Inc., Corporation or Company.
- Use FirstStop’s trademark search if branding conflicts may matter.
- Do not make major commitments to the name until the state accepts the filing.
Read North Dakota’s official business-registration and name guidance.
North Dakota Annual Report Deadlines
Most registered businesses must file an annual report to remain in good standing. The deadline depends on entity type. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships do not file these Secretary of State annual reports.
| Entity type | Standard deadline | Current base fee | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit corporation / nonprofit LLC | February 1 | $10 | A separately registered charitable organization may also have a separate charitable annual report. |
| LP, LLP, LLLP, PLLP | March 31 | $25 for partnership annual reports | Confirm the exact partnership type in FirstStop. |
| Cooperative | March 31 | $20 | Different cooperative structures can have additional rules. |
| Farm/ranch LLC or corporation | April 15 | $50 LLC / $25 corporation | Farm and ranch entities can have additional ownership, income and land-reporting requirements. |
| Authorized Livestock Farm entity | April 15 | $50 LLC / $25 corporation | The annual-report form is not available through FirstStop; contact the SOS office for the form. |
| Foreign business / professional corporation | May 15 | $25 | Foreign authority can be revoked if compliance is not restored. |
| Domestic business / professional corporation | August 1 | $25 | The first report is generally due in the year after registration. |
| Business LLC / PLLC | November 15 | $50 | FirstStop currently displays November 16, 2026 for the 2026 LLC deadline because November 15 falls on a Sunday. |
Open North Dakota annual-report and registration-maintenance guidance.
- Open FirstStop.
- Select File annual report under Business.
- Identify the correct entity using its name or System ID.
- Review the business mailing address, activities and stakeholder/officer information requested for that entity type.
- Submit the report and required filing fee.
- Save the confirmation for your records.
What Happens When a Business Is Not in Good Standing?
When a required annual report is not filed on time, North Dakota can place the business into Not Good Standing status. That can create problems with lenders, investors, vendors and expansion into other states where a Certificate of Good Standing may be required.
The Secretary of State says a business generally has one year to restore good standing. If the past-due report remains unfiled, a domestic entity can be involuntarily dissolved or terminated. A foreign entity’s authority to transact business in North Dakota can be revoked.
- Open the entity in FirstStop and confirm the missing annual report.
- Check that the registered agent is still valid.
- File the past-due report and applicable late fee.
- Contact Business Services if FirstStop does not provide the restoration action you need.
- Do not wait beyond the one-year reinstatement period.
North Dakota Registered-Agent Requirements
Corporations, LLCs and partnerships other than general partnerships must maintain a North Dakota registered agent with a physical address in the state. Cooperatives may choose a registered agent; if they do not, they must maintain a principal office address in North Dakota.
Commercial registered agent
A commercial registered agent has filed a commercial-agent listing with the Secretary of State. FirstStop provides a list that can be used to verify commercial-agent status.
Noncommercial registered agent
This can be a North Dakota resident or an eligible corporation or LLC with a physical North Dakota business office. An entity acting as agent must be authorized and in good standing.
Current agent/office change fee: $10 per entity when a noncommercial registered agent is involved.
Certificate of Good Standing & Certificate of Fact
A public search is usually enough for basic research. Use a certificate when a bank, lender, vendor, investor, licensing authority or another state specifically asks for formal proof.
| Certificate | Current fee | How to request |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | Submit a Request Certificate form through FirstStop. |
| Certificate of Fact — trade name / fictitious partnership name | $15 | Contact the Secretary of State by email or phone. |
| Certificate of Fact — other business structures | $20 | Contact the Secretary of State by email or phone. |
- Search the business first.
- Confirm the exact legal name and System ID.
- Open FirstStop.
- Select Request Certificate of Good Standing.
- Complete the request and pay the $20 fee.
Common North Dakota Business Entity Fees
These are the fees most likely to matter after a business search. Confirm the current amount on the official page before submitting payment.
| Service or filing | Current listed fee | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| FirstStop Business Search | Free public lookup | Find registered business records by name or System ID. |
| Domestic or foreign LLC registration | $135 | Registering an LLC in North Dakota. |
| LLC annual report | $50 | Maintaining a business or professional LLC. |
| LLC amendment | $50 | Amending a domestic or foreign LLC registration. |
| Domestic business corporation registration | $100 | Forming a domestic North Dakota business corporation. |
| Foreign business corporation registration | $145 | Registering an out-of-state corporation in North Dakota. |
| Corporation annual report | $25 | Maintaining domestic or foreign business corporations. |
| Registered agent / office change | $10 | Updating a noncommercial registered-agent or office record. |
| Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | Formal state proof of good standing. |
Professional Entities: New Requirement Starting January 1, 2027
North Dakota has announced an important annual-report change for professional corporations and professional LLCs.
The Secretary of State recommends contacting the licensing board well before the annual-report deadline so there is enough time to obtain the completed certificate.
Professional LLCs must also provide a copy of the annual report filed with the Secretary of State to the North Dakota regulatory board that licenses the members providing the professional service.
North Dakota Business Search Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| No result appears | Search fewer words and remove LLC, Inc., Corporation, Company and punctuation. |
| Too many similar businesses | Open each likely record and compare System ID, entity type, status and registered agent. |
| You have the System ID | Use the exact state identifier instead of repeating a name search. |
| Business shows Not Good Standing | Check for a missing annual report and confirm the registered agent is still valid. |
| You need an owner list | Do not assume the registered agent is the owner. Annual reports disclose different people depending on entity type and do not create a universal ownership registry. |
| You need UCC or lien records | Use North Dakota’s separate Central Indexing System rather than the business entity search. |
Open North Dakota Central Indexing System for UCC and lien searches.
North Dakota Secretary of State Business Services Contact
Office & mailing address
North Dakota Secretary of State
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 108
Bismarck, ND 58505
Business Services email
For record-specific help, include the legal business name, System ID and the filing or status question.
Open the official North Dakota Secretary of State contact page.
Official North Dakota Business Resources
Official public search by business name or System ID.
Annual reports, amendments, address updates, certificates and other online business services.
Annual-report deadlines, good-standing rules, reinstatement guidance and certificate information.
LLC fees, annual-report deadline, naming rules and professional-LLC requirements.
Corporation fees, annual-report deadlines and naming requirements.
Commercial and noncommercial registered-agent qualifications and filing rules.
North Dakota Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the North Dakota business entity search free?
Yes. The North Dakota Secretary of State provides a public Business Search through FirstStop. Fees apply when you file reports, amendments, registrations or certificate requests.
2. Where do I search for a North Dakota LLC or corporation?
Use the official FirstStop Business Search at firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business. You can search by business name or System ID.
3. What is a North Dakota System ID?
It is the state identifier attached to the business record. FirstStop displays the search format as ###-#####. Saving the System ID makes later filings and certificate requests easier.
4. When is a North Dakota LLC annual report due?
The standard deadline for a business LLC or PLLC is November 15. For 2026, FirstStop currently shows November 16 because November 15 falls on a Sunday. The current annual-report fee is $50.
5. When is a North Dakota corporation annual report due?
A domestic business or professional corporation generally files by August 1. A foreign business or professional corporation generally files by May 15. The current annual-report fee is $25.
6. How much is a North Dakota Certificate of Good Standing?
The Secretary of State currently lists a $20 fee. The request is submitted through the FirstStop Portal.
7. What happens if a North Dakota business misses its annual report?
The business can be placed into Not Good Standing status. The state generally allows one year to restore good standing before a domestic entity is involuntarily dissolved or terminated or a foreign entity’s authority is revoked.
8. Does North Dakota require a registered agent?
Corporations, LLCs and partnerships other than general partnerships generally must maintain a North Dakota registered agent with a physical address in the state. Different rules apply to cooperatives.
9. Does FirstStop show who owns a North Dakota business?
Not as a universal ownership database. Annual reports list different officers, directors, managers, governors or general partners depending on entity type, and ordinary business corporations are not required to list shareholders in the annual report.
10. Does a North Dakota Secretary of State record prove that a company is licensed or trustworthy?
No. The entity record primarily shows information filed with the Secretary of State. Tax status, professional licensing, insurance, permits, UCC liens and other compliance questions may require separate official sources.