Quick Answer
To run a Louisiana business entity search, use the official Louisiana Secretary of State Commercial Database. You can search by business name, charter number, officer, or registered agent. For name availability checks, choose the Entity Name search option, enter your proposed name (omitting ending designators like “LLC”), and look for exact matches or highly similar active names.
How to Search Louisiana Business Entity Records
Louisiana business entity lookups are conducted through the Secretary of State Commercial Division database. The online search portal is free and open to the public, allowing you to check name availability or gather official details about registered corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and trade names.
Access the Louisiana Business Entity Search
Go to the official Louisiana Secretary of State Commercial Search page to begin your search. The portal displays several search criteria options including Name, Charter Number, Officer, and Agent.
Enter Search Criteria
Ensure the first radio button (Name) is selected. Type your desired business name into the text field. You can search using a full name or a partial keyword to identify similar entities. Complete the checkbox security verification (“I’m not a robot”), then click the Search button.
View Search Results
The portal returns a table of matching business records. The results table displays key details for each record:
- Entity Name
- Entity Type (e.g., LLC, Corporation)
- City
- Details (link to the full profile)
Review the list for similar names. To open the comprehensive record for a specific business, click the Details button next to its entry.
Review Entity Information
The detailed record page displays the company’s full registry profile, including:
- Name, Type, and Charter Number
- Registry Status (e.g., Active, Dissolved, Inactive)
- Domicile Address, Mailing Address, and Registered Office
- Registered Agent names and addresses
- Officers (Directors, Members, Managers)
- Amendments and Mergers On File
From this page, you can print the detailed record, subscribe to electronic notifications, or purchase certified copies and certificates.
If the search results return no matches for Louisiana, your desired business name is likely available. If it is available, you can proceed with the formation of your company under this name.
How to Interpret Louisiana Results
Louisiana name availability depends on whether a proposed name is distinguishable from all existing registered entities on the Secretary of State’s records.
- Active (or Good Standing): The business is current with its filings (including annual reports) and has the exclusive right to use its name.
- Inactive / Dissolved: The business has either voluntarily closed or has been administratively dissolved. In Louisiana, administratively dissolved entities lose exclusive name rights after a specific statutory period, freeing up the name for others.
- Distinguishability: The name must be unique. Adding or removing punctuation, articles, spaces, or changing entity suffixes (such as swapping “LLC” for “Inc.”) does not make a name distinguishable.
Louisiana Business Name and Filing Notes
When registering and maintaining a business in Louisiana, keep the following official rules, timelines, and costs in mind:
- LLC Filing Fees: Filing the domestic Articles of Organization for a Louisiana LLC costs $100.
- Name Reservation: If you have selected a name but are not ready to file, you can reserve it for 120 days by filing a Name Reservation application. The filing fee is $25.
- Annual Reports: Louisiana business entities must file an annual report each year. The report is due on the anniversary date of your original filing. For a domestic LLC, the filing fee is $30. Filings are completed online via the state’s geauxBIZ portal.
- Trade Names (DBAs): If you plan to operate your business under a name other than your formal legal name, you must register a Trade Name with the Secretary of State.
Common Mistakes
- Searching Only the Full Name: Not searching for partial keywords or spelling variations. A partial search helps catch similar names that could cause the state to reject your filing.
- Including Suffixes: Entering “LLC” or “L.L.C.” in the search query. This can omit similar names that use a different suffix or no suffix at all.
- Confusing Search Availability with Approval: Assuming that a clean search result guarantees your name will be approved. The Secretary of State conducts a final manual review when you submit your formation documents.
- Forgetting the Anniversary Date: Missing the annual report deadline. In Louisiana, annual reports are due on the anniversary date of formation (not a fixed calendar date), and missing this deadline can lead to administrative dissolution.