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California

California Business Entity Search (CA SOS bizfile Online)

Written byRegistryWise Editorial TeamFact-checked against the California Secretary of State · How we research

The short answer

California business records are searched for free on bizfile Online, the Secretary of State's portal, by name or entity number. The result shows the entity's status, formation date, registered agent, and the documents it has filed, and you can download most filings without an account.

On this page
  1. LLC lookup, step by step
  2. What the status means
  3. Agent, filings, owners
  4. Your Entity Number
  5. Is the name available?
  6. DBA and UCC search
  7. Fees and deadlines
  8. Questions
  9. Sources

California at a glance

Who runs it
California Secretary of State
bizfile Online
Cost to search
Free
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Entity name (contains or starts with), Entity number
and 1 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$70Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1)Official source
  • Statement of Information$20Within 90 days of forming, then every two years during a six-month window that ends on the last day of the month you formed.Official source
  • Certificate of Status$5Ordered online in bizfile. You need to sign in to order.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change agent for service of processNo feeChange it by filing an updated Statement of Information. There's no fee for an update filed between the required filings.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in California is the same search as a business search. The bizfile Online, kept by the California Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by entity name or entity number. It's free, and you don't need an account.

  1. Open bizfile Online and choose Search. You don't need an account to search.
  2. Type part of the name or the entity number. The basic search is a contains match and only returns active entities.
  3. To find suspended, dissolved, or cancelled entities, open Advanced and set Status to All. You can also filter by entity type and initial filing date, or switch to a starts-with match.
  4. Click the entity name. The record shows status, standing with the SOS and FTB, addresses, the agent, and the Statement of Information due date.
  5. Click View History to open or download filed documents. The latest Statement of Information lists the managers or members and the CEO.

Good to know in California: The basic search only returns active entities. To find a suspended, dissolved, or cancelled company, open Advanced and set Status to All. The record also shows separate standing lines for the Secretary of State and the Franchise Tax Board. Either one can suspend an LLC, or both at once, and an FTB suspension has to be cleared with the FTB.

What the search shows you

  • Entity name and number
  • Status
  • Initial filing date
  • Entity type and where it was formed
  • Standing with the SOS, the FTB, Agent, and VCFCF
  • Principal and mailing addresses
  • Agent for service of process
  • Statement of Information due date
  • Filing history with free document images

What the status words mean

California uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the bizfile Online, in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
ActiveThe entity is active on the Secretary of State's records. Check the separate FTB standing line too, since tax problems show up there.
Suspended or ForfeitedThe SOS, the FTB, or both took away the entity's rights. The SOS does it for a missing Statement of Information. The FTB does it for unfiled returns or unpaid tax, penalties, fees, or interest. A suspended business can't legally do business or defend itself in court.
DissolvedThe entity filed a Certificate of Dissolution.
CancelledThe LLC filed a Certificate of Cancellation and no longer exists as a California LLC.
TerminatedThe entity has ended. Open View History to see which filing ended it.

For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Agent for Service of Process

On the entity record under "Agent for Service of Process". It's either an individual with a California street address or a registered corporate agent.

Filing history

Click "View History" on the entity record. Filed documents, including Statements of Information, open as free images.

Owners, managers and officers

Open the most recent Statement of Information (Form LLC-12 for LLCs). It lists the managers, or each member if there are no managers, plus the CEO if there is one. If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.

Finding a California Entity Number

California gives every business on its register an Entity Number. It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
LLCs have a 12-digit number. The Secretary of State's LLC forms ask for "the exact 12-digit Entity (File) Number issued by the California Secretary of State."
Where to find yours
On the entity's record in bizfile Online, which shows the entity name and number in the search results.
Search by it
Yes. The bizfile Online accepts it.

Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.

Checking whether a business name is available in California

  1. Search bizfile for the words you want. An LLC name has to be "distinguishable in the records" from other LLCs on file, and it can't be likely to mislead the public.
  2. Names are only checked against the same entity type. They aren't checked against trademarks or fictitious business names, so check those yourself.
  3. The search is only a preliminary check. If the name looks clear, you can reserve it for 60 days ($10) or just file the Articles.

A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.

DBA and UCC search in California

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Fictitious Business Name
Where they're filed
Filed with the county clerk where the business has its principal place of business, or with the Sacramento County Clerk if it has no place of business in California. The Secretary of State doesn't register them, so search the county clerk's index.
Search
No statewide online search.
How long it lasts
Five years from the date it was filed with the county clerk, unless it expires earlier.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the California Secretary of State. The online search is free. Our California UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

California fees and deadlines

These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.

Form an LLC

$70
  • Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1).
  • The SOS says online filings take 5 days or less. Paper forms take 10 or more days.
  • Faster options: Online or drop-off in Sacramento: 24-hour ($350) or same-day ($750). Drop-off only: 4-hour ($500, the document must be precleared first) and 24-hour preclearance ($500).
File online Fee source

Statement of Information

$20
  • Due: Within 90 days of forming, then every two years during a six-month window that ends on the last day of the month you formed.
  • If you're late: A $250 penalty for filing late, collected by the Franchise Tax Board. The SOS can also suspend the LLC.
  • On top of this filing, every California LLC owes at least $800 a year in tax to the Franchise Tax Board, even with no business activity. Since August 1, 2026, you need User Access set up in bizfile to file a Statement of Information online.
File the report Fee source

Change your agent for service of process

No fee
  • Every California LLC must have one.
  • Change it by filing an updated Statement of Information. There's no fee for an update filed between the required filings.
Fee source

Certificate of Status

$5
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the California Secretary of State.
  • Ordered online in bizfile. You need to sign in to order.
Order one Fee source

497,172 new business applications were filed in California from January to September 2026, up 18.1% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in California?

A lot of people search the bizfile Online to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.

  1. 1Check the name is free in CaliforniaTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $70 state fee
  3. 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two

Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.

Frequently asked questions

How do I look up an LLC in California?

Search the bizfile Online, the official database kept by the California Secretary of State. You can search by entity name or entity number. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.

Is the California business search free?

Yes. Searching bizfile Online and viewing filed document images is free. A Certificate of Status costs $5, and certified copies cost $5 per document.

What does "FTB Suspended" mean on bizfile?

The Franchise Tax Board suspended the entity, usually for an unfiled return or unpaid tax, penalties, fees, or interest. That includes the $800 minimum annual tax. To revive it, the company files the past due returns, pays the balance, and files a revivor request with the FTB.

How do I find out who owns a California LLC?

The SOS doesn't keep ownership records. The Statement of Information lists the managers, or each member if there are no managers, plus the CEO. Open the most recent one from View History.

Why can't I find a company I know exists?

Try fewer words, and use Advanced with Status set to All, since the basic search only shows active entities. Sole proprietors aren't registered with the SOS, and fictitious business names are filed with the county, not the state.

Can I search by owner name?

No. Bizfile searches by entity name or number only. Manager and member names appear inside the Statement of Information, not as a search field.

Sources

We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.

  1. 1.bizfile Online business searchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.SOS: bizfile Online help guide (search, records, certificates)Checked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.SOS: California LLC forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.SOS: Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) and instructionsChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.SOS: Statements of Information filing tipsChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.SOS: Name reservationsChecked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.SOS: Service options (expedite and preclearance)Checked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.SOS: Business entities records requestChecked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.FTB: My business is suspendedChecked November 8, 2026

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