Washington Business Entity Search | WA Secretary of State

Quick Answer

Use the Washington Secretary of State CCFS Corporation Search to run a Washington entity search by business name or UBI number. For name research, enter the proposed wording, choose Starts With or Contains, and compare matching registered entities. A clear search is only preliminary; final acceptance happens during Washington’s filing or reservation review.

How to Search Washington Business Entity Records

The Corporations and Charities Division of the Washington Secretary of State maintains the registration of all corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and charities in the state. You can access these public records for free online.

Access the Search Portal

Go to the official Washington Corporations Search tool to begin.

Washington Secretary of State Corporation Search landing page — Navigate to the official Washington Corporations Search portal.

Enter Search Criteria

Type the target business name or UBI number into the designated search box. Select the radio button to search by Business Name or UBI. Click Advanced Search > to expand additional filters (such as date range, registered agent, or governors) if needed. Click the Search button to execute the query.

Washington search box showing option to search by business name or UBI number — Type your business name and choose the search type.

Review Search Results

Analyze the matching records returned in the results table. The table displays:

Business Name
UBI# (Unified Business Identifier)
Business Type (e.g., WA Profit Corporation, WA Limited Liability Company)
Principal Office Address
Registered Agent Name
Status (e.g., Active, Administratively Dissolved)

Click directly on the target business name in the first column to open its detailed record page.

Washington business search results table showing matching entities with UBI and status — Inspect the search results table to review conflicting businesses.

Examine Entity Details

Examine the comprehensive record page to verify the company’s status and management. The details are organized into sections:

Business Information: Displays the Business Name, Business Type, UBI Number, Status, Expiration Date, Formation/Registration Date, Period of Duration, and Nature of Business.
Registered Agent Information: Shows the Agent Name, physical address, and mailing address.
Governors: Lists names and titles of managers, directors, or officers.

Use the menu buttons at the bottom of the page to access Filing History, Name History, or to print the record (Print).

Washington detailed business information page showing status, dates, and governors list — Examine the complete public record, agent address, and history links.

Access Account Creation

To register a new business or file official documents, navigate to the Customer Login screen and select the Create a User Account button.

Washington CCFS customer login screen with create a user account section — Navigate to the registration portal to create a user account.

Select Account Type

Click the Continue button under Free User Account to proceed with creating a standard user login (or select Commercial Registered Agent if you provide agent services).

Washington user registration page showing option for Free User Account — Select the Free User Account option to proceed.

Select User Type

Select the appropriate radio button to indicate if the account is for an Individual or an Entity. Click Continue to proceed.

Washington user registration page asking to select individual or entity user type — Select whether the account is for an individual or an entity.

Set Login Credentials

Enter your preferred credentials in the required fields:

User ID (minimum of 6 characters)
Password (minimum of 10 characters, including uppercase, lowercase, numbers, or symbols)
Confirm Password

Click the Continue button.

Washington registration page showing login details fields like User ID and Password — Enter your preferred login credentials.

Provide Contact Details

Fill in your personal contact details:

First Name and Last Name
Email Address (and Confirm Email Address)
Phone Number

Click the Continue button.

Washington registration page showing contact information fields like name and email — Enter your contact name, email, and phone number.

Provide Address Information

Enter your full physical and mailing address details:

Street Address
City, State (select Washington if registering a WA office), and Zip Code
Mailing Address

Click the Register button to submit your request.

Washington registration page showing street address and mailing address fields — Enter your physical and mailing address to complete registration.

Activate and Log In

Check your email inbox for an activation link from the Secretary of State. Follow the link to activate your credentials, then return to the sign-in screen to log into your verified account.

Washington customer login screen ready for sign in — Log in to your verified account after activating via email.

If the search results return no close matches for Washington, treat that as a preliminary screening signal only. Verify the name in the official state database, and wait for the state filing or name-reservation review before treating the name as accepted.

How to Interpret Washington Results

A business search in Washington reveals status and compliance indicators:

Active: The business is compliant with its annual reporting requirements and holds the exclusive right to use its name.
Administratively Dissolved / Inactive / Voluntarily Dissolved: The entity is no longer active in the state. Dissolved names may become available for registration, but there may be statutory waiting periods or reinstatement privileges.
Name Distinguishability: A proposed business name must be distinguishable from all other active registered names on file with the Washington Secretary of State. Differences in spacing, punctuation, capitalization, or entity designators (e.g., from LLC to Corporation) are not enough to make a name distinguishable.

Washington Business Name and Filing Notes

Before filing in Washington, compare the Secretary of State’s online and mail fees, name reservation period, annual report timing, and foreign registration costs:

LLC Filing Fees: Filing the Certificate of Formation for a domestic Washington LLC costs $180 by mail, or $200 online (includes a $20 online processing fee).
Name Reservation: You can reserve a unique name for up to 180 days before registration. The reservation fee is $30.
Annual Reports: Domestic Washington LLCs must file an annual report each year by the last day of their anniversary month of formation. The online filing fee is $70.
Foreign LLCs: Registering an out-of-state LLC to do business in Washington requires a Foreign Registration Statement. The registration fee is $180 by mail, or $200 online.

Common Mistakes

Searching Only the Full Name: Searching only your exact planned name may overlook similar names that could cause the Secretary of State to reject your application. Always search for the core distinctive keywords.
Including Suffixes in Search Input: Avoid typing entity designators (such as “LLC” or “Inc”) into the search box, as this will restrict results or yield false availability matches.
Missing the Annual Report Deadline: Washington requires annual reports by the last day of the anniversary month of formation. Late filings result in a penalty fee and eventually lead to administrative dissolution.
Assuming Search Availability Equals Approval: A search returning no matches is a preliminary check. The Corporations Division has the final authority to approve or reject your business name during filing.