America

Anguilla

Anguilla Financial Services

You have to submit a request for information using the company search form. The information is then emailed to you usually within 24 hours. Company status, registration number and date of incorporation are provided free of charge. There is a fee for additional information.

Aruba

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aruba

Free company register searchable by company name by name, trade name or branch. The free information includes name, address, status, legal form, date of incorporation and directors. Copies of deeds of incorporation and business listings by ISIC are priced.

Burmuda

Bermuda Registrar of Companies

You can browser the public register A-Z and view company name, registration number, date of incorporation and status. For additional information, if available, and company name search you have to apply for an account.

British Virgin Islands

Financial Services Commission Registry of Corporation Affairs Division — Related News This section of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Financial Services Commission provides information on incorporating in the BVI. There are no facilities for carrying out direct online searches for companies registered in the BVI but information can be be obtained from the Registry of Corporate Affairs by filling in a form and on payment of a fee. Select «Form Library» from the menu on the left hand side of the screen, thne Registry of Corporate Affairs, Other Requests and finally Search Request Form. Information on filing and disclosure requirements for companies in the BVI are described in detail in the article Guiding You Through… Company Searches In The British Virgin Islands — Withers LLP — 03/04/2011. Note that «A company is not required to file its register of directors, register of members, register of charges or an annual return».

Canada

CBSC — Canada Business

This is the «Government service for entrepreneurs» and provides information on how to start up a business in Canada. Information is organised by province. For a searchable database of companies use the Strategis service.

Strategis: Canada’s Business and Consumer site

This site hosts a searchable database of Canadian federal corporations. Search by corporate number, name, city, province, status, creation date. Available information includes name, previous names, status, address, names of directors, date of incorporation, when annual returns/summaries have been filed, amalgamations and subsidiaries/parents. Free of charge.

SEDAR

System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval. The electronic filing system for the disclosure documents of public companies and mutual funds across Canada. Search by name, industry, document type and date. Free of charge.

Cayman Islands

Cayman Islands Company Incorporation

This page only provides information on how to incorporate in the Cayman Islands. There is no searchable database but contact details for the Registrar of Companies are given. The Registrar is allowed to release only the name and type of company, the date of registration, and the address of its registered office.

General Regsitry Cayman Islandswww.ciregistry.gov.ky

The General Registry Cayman Islands enables you to order birth, marriage and death certificates and now has a company search option. To gain access to the company search you first have to register (free of charge). To view records you have to set up an account and deposit US$ 73.18, which is the cost of two company records. You can revisit the results of a search, free of charge, up to 24 hours after performing the search. Results include Company name, File number, Formation date, Registration date, Entity type, Registered Office, Status & Status date.

Curacao

Curacao Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Free searchable registry of companies. Search by company name or registry number. Information on each company includes trade name, official name, registry number, address, legal form, date of incorporation, capital, directors.

Jamaica

The Office of the Registrar of Companies, Jamaica

Free search by company name or business name. Company name, registration number, industry sector and status are displayed free of charge. There is a fee for searches using other criteria, for example director or shareholder name, and for viewing more detailed information on a company.

Mexico

Sistema de Informacion Empresarial Mexicano, SIEM

The National Business Information Registry is searchable online and provides contact details, date of incorporation, number of employees and some information on products and services. Free of charge. In Spanish only.

Panama

Registro Público de Panamáwww.registro-publico.gob.pa

The Public Registry for incorporations of Companies and Foundations in Panama. There is a searchable online register but only in Spanish. Click on the white box «Consulta Registral», which is towards the bottom of the page, and you will then be taken to the register which currently at https://www.registro-publico.gob.pa/scripts/nwwisapi.dll/conweb/prinpage In Spanish only.

US

Incorporation is the responsibility of the State governments and detailed requirements vary according to State law. The amount of information available on a company also varies and, in some cases, you may find data to be virtually non-existent. Corporations whose shares are to be traded publicly have to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission and file their documents electronically with the SEC. If you are looking for information on non publicly traded companies, you will have to know where it is incorporated. The Knowx service (see below) is a useful way of tracking down the state of incorporation and you can also purchase information on the company.

U.S. State Corporations Databases

This is part of a Company Research list of resources provided by Rutgers Business Librarians Roberta Tipton and Ka-Neng Au.

SEC EDGAR Database

The official archive of SEC filings. Since May 1996 all SEC listed companies are required to file electronically. The information on this site is free and some data goes back to 1993.

US State Corporations Divisions

Alabama

Corporations Division — Alabama Secretary of State

Provides free access to public information maintained by the Secretary of State’s office in electronic format. Information includes name, place of incorporation, date, agent, address, names of directors/members/partners.

Alaska

Alaska Division of Occupational Licensing

Free searchable database providing name, registered number, legal forma, status, date of creation, agent name and address, names and address of directors, officers, members and managers. There is also a list of reports and documents that have been filed and the more of these can be viewed as PDFs free of charge.

Arizona

Arizona Corporation Commission Corporations Division

Browsable list of corporations or you can search by name or number. Information includes address, agent, names and addresses of officers/directors, incorporation date, legal form. You can also view free of charge any scanned company documents that have been made available.

Arkansas

Arkansas Secretary of State: Business/ Commercial Services

Information available includes name of corporation, filing number, type, status, address, agent and officers names. Free of charge.

California

California Secretary of State — Business Portal

Search for Corporations and Limited Partnerships/Limited Liability Companies separately. Information available includes name, number, date filed, status, address, agent. Free of charge.

Colorado

Colorado Secretary of State

Free searchable database providing name, ID number, agent name and address, status, form, formation date and filed documents as PDFs.

Connecticut

CT Secretary of the State

No searchable database available.

Delaware

Division of Corporations

You can search the database by following the Services — General Information link on the left hand side of the screen. Free information includes entity name, file number, incorporation/formation date, registered agent name, address, phone number and residency. Additional information may be available for a fee.

District of Columbia

Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs

Information and regulations on company formation in the District of Columbia. You can search the database of registered organizations at http://mblr.dc.gov/corp/lookup/index.asp. Information available includes name, status, registered agent, file number, initial date of registration and type of organization.

Florida

Division of Corporations — Florida Department of State

Provides free of charge company name, status, address, FEI number, directors/officers name and address, agent. You can also view ‘events’ and ‘name history’ as well as documents such as annual reports as TIFF files.

Georgia

Georgia Secretary of State | Corporations Division

Database can be searched by company name or agent. Information includes name, address, status, legal form, filing date, when last annual return was filed, agent and corporate officers (corporations only). Free of charge.

Hawaii

eHawaii.gov — Connecting You to Hawai`i State Government

Follow the ‘Search for a Business Name’ link. Information includes name, address, file number, legal form, status, formation date, agent, annual filing information, officer information, transaction information for example change of agent, address change. Free of charge.

Idaho

IDSOS Business Entity Index

Search by business name, city, filing number, agent name, agent city, date of origination. Information provided includes name, filing number, legal form, status, address, agent, date of last annual report, amendments, for example name change. Documents and annual reports can be viewed as TIFF files. Free of charge.

Illinois

Business Services

Search by name or file number. Information includes name, file number, status, legal form, date of incorporation, filing date, agent, annual return filing date, officers names and addresses (corporations only).

Indiana

Secretary of State — Business Services Division

Free information includes name type, legal form, address, control number, status, entity creation date, entity expiration date (if applicable), entity inactive date (if applicable) and any other names. Additional information costs $ 1.00 to subscribers or $2.04 if you use a credit card and includes registered agent, principals, transactions made with the Secretary of State’s office, and corporate report information.

Iowa

Iowa Secretary of State

Search by name or corporation number. Information provided includes name, alternative names, number, status, address, date created, agent, officers names and addresses. You can also view documents such as articles of incorporation and biennial reports as TIFF files. Free of charge.

Kansas

Kansas Business Entity Search

Search by name, agent name, number, city and date. Information includes name, address, tax year end, date of incorporation, date of last annual report, agent, entity type, status. Free of charge.

Kentucky

Kentucky: Secretary of State — Overvie

Search by name or number. Information available includes name, type, status, filing date, date of last annual return, address, agent, officers, trading names, annual reports as TIFF or PDF. You can also search by officer name. Free of charge.

Louisiana

Louisiana Secretary of State/Corporations Database

search by business name, individual or charter number. Information provided includes name, type, charter number, status, date of filing of last report, address, date created, agent and officers names and addresses. Free of charge.

Maine

Maine Corporations Division

Search by name or charter number. You can also restrict your search to a category such as limited partnership, bank corporation, local independent church. Free information includes name, charter number, business type, status, filing date, other names and agent.

Maryland

SDAT: Data Search

Search by name or ID. Information provided includes ID number, name, status, primary owner, address, amendments, agent, date of formation and filing dates. Free of charge.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Corporations Division

Search by name, ID, directors or officers. Information provided includes name, ID number, entity type, date of registration, name changes, agent, officers/directors names and addresses. Recent documents such as annual reports can be viewed online as PDF files. Free of charge.

Michigan

DLEG-BCS-Corporation Division Database Lookup

Search by name or ID number. Information provided includes name, ID number, type, agent, address, incorporation date, year of most recent annual report. Documents such as annual returns, articles of incorporation are available online as TIFF files. Free of charge.

Minnesota

Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State — Business Center

Search by name. Free information includes name, ID number, entity type, original date of filing, status, date of last annual return, address. Additional information costs $4 per record.

Mississippi

Business Services

Search by name, ID, officers or registered agent. Information includes name, charter number, type, status, address, creation date, agent, officers and directors. Filed documents are available as PDFs. Free of charge.

Missouri

SOS, Missouri — Business Services

Search by name, charter number or agent. Information includes name, charter number, type, status, creation date and agent. Filed documents can be viewed as PDFs. Free of charge.

Montana

Business Entity Search — Montana Secretary of State

Search by name. Information includes name, type, city, state, status, ID number, date of incorporation, date of filing of last annual return, agent. Free of charge.

Nebraska

Nebraska Secretary of State

Search by name. Free information includes name, number, type, status, address, agent, nature of business, officers names and addresses. Images of filed documents cost $0.45/page.

Nevada

Corporation Search — Secretary of State, Nevada

Search by name, number, officer name, or agent. Information includes name, number, agent, officers names and addresses and actions/amendments. Free of charge.

New Hampshire

Corporation Search

Search by name, ID number or agent. Information includes name, type, ID number, status, date of creation, address, date of filing of last annual report, agent. You can also view a list of filed documents, the more recent of which are available as PDFs. Free of charge.

New Jersey

N.J. Department of Treasury — Division of Revenue, Business Services

Search by name, ID number, or officer/director name. Name, ID number and type are free of charge. Additional information (Status Report) costs $5.00.

New Mexico

Corporations Information Inquiry

Search by corporation name or director. Information includes name, number, date of creation, type, status, purpose, filing date, address, agent, names of directors/officers. Free of charge.

New York

NYS Division of Corporations, State Records and UCC www.dos.ny.gov/corps/bus_entity_search.html

Search by name. Information includes name, initial filing date, county, type, status, address an agent. Free of charge.

North Carolina

Corporations Home

Search by corporate name or registered agent. Information includes name, type, status, date formed, ID number and agent. Filed documents can be viewed as PDFs. Free of charge.

North Dakota

Business Records Search: North Dakota Secretary of State

Search by name or ID number. Information includes name, ID number, type, status, original filing date, nature of business, address, agent. Free of charge.

Ohio

Ohio Secretary of State

Search by name, charter number, agent, document ID, prior business name or church name. Under the entity name search you can further limit your search by type, status, location, county or state. Information includes name, charter number, type, original filing date, status, location and agent. Free of charge.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma SoonerAccess Online Home Page

Search by name, agent, name of person (incorporator, partner, member or manager), or filing number. Name, filing number, type and agent are provided free of charge. There is a $5 charge for viewing entity details on one to three entities.

Oregon

Corporation Division

Search by name or registry number. Free information includes name, registry number, type, status, address, agent, officers, name history and list of filed documents. Copies of filings cost $5 each.

Pennsylvania

Corporations

Search by entity number or name. Information includes name, ID number, type, address, filing date, purpose, corporate officers, and «instrument history». Free of charge.

Rhode Island

Secretary of State — Corporations Division Home Page

Search by name, ID number, agent, officer, purpose or street address. Information includes name, ID number, type, status, purpose, SIC code, file date, last report date, address, agent, officers and event history. Annual Reports can be viewed as TIF files. Free of charge.

South Carolina

South Carolina Secretary of State

Search by name. Information includes name, type, status, agent and a list of filings. Free of charge.

South Dakota

Corporations Administrator

Search by name or ID number. Information includes name, ID number, date of incorporation, last annual report, type, agent, directors/officers names. Free of charge.

Tennessee

Business Services — Corporations

Information includes name, ID number, type, status, date of formation, address, agent, business filing history.

Texas

Corporations Section

You must have an account to access the SOSDirect service. You can apparently login as a temporary user and pay for information and documents with a credit card. However, the registration form will not accept non-US addresses.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — Taxable Entity Searchecpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/Index.html

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — Taxable Entity Search has basic business entity information including name, status, location, agent, file number, SOS (Secretary of State) registration date, and taxpayer ID.  You can search by file number, tax ID or entity name. The information is free of charge.

Utah

Utah Department of Commerce

Search by name or entity number. Free information includes name, type, status, address, registration date and agent. Additional information on principal individuals associated with the entity costs $1.

Vermont

Vermont Secretary of State — Corporations

Search by name. Information includes name, status, file number, incorporation date, agent, officers names and description. Free of charge.

Virginia

Virginia State Corporation Commission — Office of the Clerk

This service is not very easy to use and the screens can be confusing. The information available includes name, entity ID number, status, agent and officers names. Free of charge.

Washington

Department of Revenue

Search by business or owner name and town, or by tax registration number. Information includes name, trading name, registration number, city, status, address, type. Free of charge.

West Virginia

West Virginia Secretary of State

Search by name. Information includes name, type, date of incorporation, addresses, officers, name change information, mergers, subsidiaries and a list of filed annual reports. Free of charge.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin On-Line Business Services

Wyoming

Wyoming Secretary of State Corporations

Search by name. Information includes name, ID number, type, status, address, initial filing date, agent, officers and directors. You can also download the entire corporations data file. Free of charge.