Glossary & Knowledge Base
Resources
Understand business entity search terms, LLC formation rules, and public records terminology.
- 14 glossary terms
- 5 in-depth references
- Official sources linked
Guides & references
In-depth references
Nationwide Business Entity Search
Why the US has no national company registry or Companies House equivalent, which official system answers which question, and links to all 51 state databases.
Secretary of State Business Search Directory
A state-by-state matrix of official business search portals, registry agencies, contact details, filing facts, and business application activity from Census data via FRED.
LLC Lookup
How to find any LLC in official state records, run an LLC name search before filing, and read status, registered agent, and document details, with free official lookup links for all 51 jurisdictions.
LLC Not Showing Up in Search
Why a newly filed LLC is missing from the state business search: approval and indexing timelines, state-by-state processing examples, and the checks that find a record that exists but hides.
How to Claim a Business Name
What an availability result really means and the steps that make a name legally yours: entity type, registered agent, formation filing, and the free EIN.
A
Annual Report (Business Compliance)
An Annual Report is a mandatory filing required by most state governments to keep your LLC or corporation's contact and ownership information up to date.
Articles of Organization
Articles of Organization is the official legal document filed with the state to create and register a new Limited Liability Company (LLC).
C
Certificate of Formation
A Certificate of Formation is the official legal document filed with a state government to create and register a Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Corporation
A Corporation is a legal business entity completely separate from its owners, offering the highest level of personal liability protection and the ability to issue stock.
D
Dissolved Entity
A dissolved entity has entered a state-law closing process. It usually continues for limited winding-up purposes, and dissolution does not automatically make its owners personally liable.
Domestic Entity
A Domestic Entity is a business (such as an LLC or corporation) operating in the same state where it was originally formed and registered.
E
Entity ID
An Entity ID is a number a state business registry uses to identify one business record. The official label and meaning vary by state.
F
Foreign Entity
A Foreign Entity is a business (like an LLC or corporation) that is registered to legally operate in a state other than the one where it was originally formed.
G
Good Standing
Good standing generally means a state business filing office's records show that an entity has met the filings and fees that office uses to determine status. The exact meaning varies by state.
L
LLC (Limited Liability Company)
A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a U.S. business structure that combines the pass-through taxation of a sole proprietorship or partnership with the limited liability of a corporation.
N
Nonprofit Corporation
A Nonprofit Corporation is a legal entity formed to pursue a public or mutual benefit mission rather than to distribute profits to owners or shareholders.
O
Operating Agreement
An Operating Agreement is an internal legal document that outlines the ownership structure, financial rules, and operating procedures of an LLC.
R
Registered Agent
A Registered Agent is a designated individual or third-party service authorized to receive official government correspondence, tax notices, and legal documents on behalf of a business.
S
SOS ID
An SOS ID is a state registry number used to identify a business record. The exact name and meaning of that number depend on the state.