Nationwide Business Entity Search: How to Look Up a Company in Any US State
Looking for one nationwide business entity search that covers the whole United States? There is no single official register for all US companies. Start with the company's legal name and a likely state, then verify its record at the source. This page explains how the US registry system actually works and routes you to the right official database.
A company can have official records in more than one state. The task is to connect those records to the same legal entity, rather than treat every matching name as the company you want. Basic searches are often free, but search access, documents and certified copies can carry fees.
How to find which state a company is registered in
- Collect the legal name and any registration details. Look at a contract, invoice, website legal notice or company-supplied document. Keep the full name, entity type, address and any state file number. A brand name alone may not match the registered entity.
- Search a state supported by those details. If you only have an operating address, start with that state’s official registry. Try a distinctive part of the name if an exact search returns nothing. An address is a lead, not proof of the formation state.
- Look for the jurisdiction of formation. An operating-state result may identify the company as a foreign entity and name its home jurisdiction. For example, California’s search definitions distinguish the jurisdiction where an entity was organized from its California registration date. Follow that jurisdiction to the original record.
- Match the records before relying on them. Compare the legal name, entity type, jurisdiction, file numbers and dated filings. Each state can assign its own number. A shared name or registered agent alone does not establish that two records belong to the same company.
- Use other sources to fill a specific gap. For an SEC filer, check EDGAR and its incorporation details. Commercial aggregators can suggest a state or prior name, but confirm the result in the official registry. If you still cannot identify the company, ask it for its legal name, formation jurisdiction and registration number.
No result is not proof that the business is unregistered. You may have the wrong jurisdiction, a trade name instead of a legal name, or a search that excludes older records. For help interpreting a match, see our LLC lookup guide.
Why the United States has no national company registry
Ordinary LLCs and corporations are formed under state law, usually through a Secretary of State or another designated agency. The formation jurisdiction holds the original entity record. A company may also register to do business in other states, creating additional official records through foreign qualification, as the SBA explains.
Two distinctions matter when you search:
- Formation and local registration are different events. A Delaware LLC registered in California can have records in both states. California’s registration date is not necessarily its original formation date, and its California status concerns that registration. In this context, “foreign” can mean another US state, not another country.
- The same name can refer to unrelated companies. Record the jurisdiction and file number with the name. A name search in one state does not resolve another state’s naming rules or anyone’s trademark rights.
Federal databases serve particular purposes. They do not combine all state LLC and corporation records into a general US company register.
Which registry do you actually need?
Choose the source that answers your question. An absent result in a specialized federal system does not establish that a company does not exist.
| You want to… | Search this system | What you get | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find an LLC or corporation’s registration | Official state registry | Status, registration details and available filings | Entities formed or registered in that jurisdiction |
| Research a securities filer | SEC EDGAR | Securities filings, including financial reports where filed | Public companies and other SEC filers, not every US business |
| Check federal award registration or exclusions | SAM.gov | Entity information, Unique Entity ID and exclusion records | Federal award-related records |
| Check a federal trademark | USPTO trademark search | Applications and registrations | Federal trademark records, not entity formation records |
| Check federal tax-exempt status | IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search | Exemption information and available Form 990 filings | Organizations and filings covered by IRS search datasets |
| Research who owns or controls a company | Business owner lookup guide | Ways to interpret public roles and ownership disclosures | Varies by entity and filing; FinCEN reports are not a public owner directory |
A registry status is not a credit assessment, trade license or endorsement. Read the state’s definition of the status and the dates of the underlying filings.
Search the official registry in each state
Each link opens a guide to that state’s official database: where to search, how to read results and what the record shows. Use the government source to verify the record you find.
For official portal links, agency contacts and filing facts in one table, use the Secretary of State business search directory.
The EntitySearch.us home page also has a state filter and a preliminary name search.
The US equivalent of Companies House
There is no single US service with the same coverage as the UK’s Companies House. Its company information service includes registered details, officers and document images. In the US, you may need several sources, and some information will not be public.
| On Companies House | Closest US source | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Company number | State entity or file number | Use the number with its issuing jurisdiction; other states can assign different numbers to the same entity |
| Registered office | State address and registered agent fields | These have different purposes; a registered agent receives legal papers and is not necessarily an owner or operating location |
| Officers and directors | State filings and relevant SEC disclosures | Names and roles disclosed vary; a listed officer or manager is not automatically an owner |
| Filing history | State filing list | Access and copy fees vary; read documents as well as summary fields |
| Annual accounts | Relevant SEC filings, if the company is an SEC filer | A state annual report is generally an entity-information filing, not a Companies House-style set of accounts; no general state financial-statement lookup covers every private company |
| Company status | Each state’s status field | Check whether it describes formation-state status or registration in another state |
| People with significant control | Available ownership disclosures, depending on the entity | No equivalent public FinCEN search; do not assume a state record provides a complete ownership list |
FinCEN reporting is not a public company register. As reviewed September 24, 2026, FinCEN’s August 2026 final rule exempts US-created entities from beneficial ownership reporting. Certain entities formed under foreign-country law and registered in the US remain within the reporting framework. That is different from a Delaware company being called “foreign” in California. See FinCEN’s current notice and access rules.
For financial information, check whether the entity files relevant reports with the SEC. Otherwise, you may need to request documents from the company. An empty state filing list does not prove that no financial disclosures exist elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a nationwide LLC search database?
There is no single official nationwide LLC register. Search the relevant state databases or use a commercial aggregator to locate a possible record, then verify it at the government source. Our state directory links to guides for all 50 states and DC.
What is the US equivalent of Companies House?
State registries are the closest starting point for entity registration and status. SEC EDGAR provides securities filings for companies within its coverage. Neither provides every item available through Companies House for every US company.
Is there a federal business entity search?
There are federal searches for specific records, including EDGAR, SAM.gov, federal trademarks and tax-exempt organizations. None is a general register of every US LLC and corporation. Choose the system according to the question you need answered.
How do I check if a company is registered in the USA?
Collect its legal name and a likely jurisdiction, search the official state database and compare the identifying details. If a result is a foreign registration, follow its formation jurisdiction. Ask the company for its registration details if you cannot establish a match; do not treat a similar name as confirmation.
Can I check a business name across all states at once?
There is no single official all-state entity-name clearance. Check each state where you plan to register and separately investigate trademark conflicts. A commercial all-state search can supply leads, but it does not approve a name or establish rights to use it.
Checking a business name across states
If you are researching an existing company, use the identification steps above. If you are naming a new business, start with the state where you plan to register. A preliminary search result is not state approval or trademark clearance. Our business name guide explains the next steps.
Sources reviewed
Reviewed September 24, 2026. These sources support the registry distinctions and comparison above; individual state guides cover their own search procedures.
- SBA — Launch your business, registration and foreign qualification
- California Secretary of State — Business Search field and status definitions
- SEC — Search filings
- SAM.gov — Entity information
- USPTO — Trademark search
- IRS — Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Companies House — Get information about a company
- Companies House — Preparing and filing accounts
- FinCEN — Current beneficial ownership reporting notice
- FinCEN — Beneficial ownership information access, FAQ A.3
EntitySearch.us is an independent reference site, not a government agency or a national company registry. Each state guide links to the official government source.