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Connecticut

Connecticut Business Search

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

The short answer

Connecticut businesses are searched for free on the Secretary of the State's Business Records Search by business name, business ALEI or filing number, and each record shows the principals, the agent and the annual reports as PDFs. The search runs behind a reCAPTCHA check, and the Secretary of the State also publishes the whole business registry as free open data on data.ct.gov.

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

Connecticut at a glance

Who runs it
Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division
Business Records Search (Business.CT.gov)
Cost to search
Free
Searching is free, and business records filed electronically can be viewed at no cost. A short-form Certificate of Legal Existence for an LLC is $50.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Business name, Business ALEI
and 3 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$120Includes the appointment of the agent.Certificate of OrganizationOfficial source
  • Annual Report$80Filed online every year between January 1 and March 31.Official source
  • Certificate of Legal Existence$50Short-form or Express certificate for an LLC. The long-form certificate is $100.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agent$50Change of Agent. Changing the agent's address is also $50.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in Connecticut is the same search as a business search. The Business Records Search (Business.CT.gov), kept by the Connecticut Secretary of the State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by business name, business ALEI, filing number or "Search on exact name" option. It's free, and you don't need an account.

  1. Open the Business Records Search. Type a business name, business ALEI or filing number in the box, and tick "Search on exact name" if you know the full name.
  2. Complete the reCAPTCHA check if it appears, then run the search. Use "advanced search" to narrow the results.
  3. Click the business name under "Business Search Results" to open the Business Information page with the principal, agent, date formed and address.
  4. Select "View Filing History" at the bottom, then "VIEW PDF" or "VIEW HTML" next to a filing. Records older than 15 years may not be available this way.
  5. Trade names and UCC liens have their own searches: the Trade Name Search and the Lien Records Search.

Good to know in Connecticut: The search runs behind a reCAPTCHA check, so you can't link straight to a results page. For bulk work you don't need it: the Secretary of the State publishes the Connecticut Business Registry as free open data on data.ct.gov, updated daily, with each business's status and Business ID. Connecticut records also list the principals reported on the annual report, which many states leave off.

What the search shows you

  • Business name and Business ID (ALEI)
  • Status and annual report due date
  • Principal
  • Agent
  • Date formed and business entity type
  • Street address, city, state and zip code
  • Annual reports ("View as PDF") and filing history ("VIEW PDF" or "VIEW HTML")

What the status words mean

Connecticut 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 Business Records Search (Business.CT.gov), in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
ActiveThe business is active. The Secretary of the State says a business is in good standing when the status is "active" and the annual report due date is in the future.
ForfeitedThe status given to a business that was administratively dissolved, usually for not filing annual reports. It may not conduct business except to wrap up its affairs, and its name becomes available to others. A Connecticut business can file a reinstatement online to become active again.
RevokedA foreign business (formed outside Connecticut) whose registration was revoked. It may not legally transact business in Connecticut and must re-register. The revocation doesn't affect its status in its home state.
DissolvedA status the registry uses. The Secretary of the State's help pages don't define it. A Connecticut LLC closes by filing a Certificate of Dissolution, which has no fee.
WithdrawnA status the registry uses. The help pages don't define it, so check the filing history for the filing that ended the registration.

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

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

Shown on the Business Information page. Changing an LLC's agent, or the agent's address, costs $50.

Filing history

Select "View Filing History" on the Business Information page, then "VIEW PDF" or "VIEW HTML" next to each filing. Records filed electronically are free. Records older than 15 years may not be available online.

Owners, managers and officers

The record lists the business's principals. They come from the annual report, which asks for each principal's name, title and business and residence addresses. 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 Connecticut Business ID (ALEI)

Connecticut gives every business on its register a Business ID (ALEI). It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
A number, usually 7 digits (for example 2730125). Connecticut also calls it the ALEI, short for authoritative legal entity identifier.
Where to find yours
On the business's record in the Business Records Search, and on letters from the Secretary of the State such as a Notice of Intent to Dissolve or Revoke.
Search by it
Yes. The Business Records Search (Business.CT.gov) accepts it.

It's easy to mix it up with these, which come from other offices:

  • Connecticut Tax Registration Number (Department of Revenue Services (DRS)). Issued when you register the business for state taxes in myconneCT. It's a tax account number, not the Business ID.

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 Connecticut

  1. Search the name in the Business Records Search. Once a business is forfeited, its name becomes available to others.
  2. Reserve a name online with an Application for Reservation of Name. The fee is $60.
  3. A trade name filed with a town clerk doesn't protect a name from use by someone else.

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 Connecticut

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Trade Name
Where they're filed
Connecticut has no county filing office for this. A trade name is filed with the town clerk in the town where the business is mainly carried on, in one town only. The Secretary of the State runs a statewide Trade Name Search.
State fee
$20. Paid to the town clerk.

Trade names filed on or after October 1, 2026 use new forms that must be signed and notarized. An LLC filing one must be active and current on its annual reports.

UCC liens

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

Connecticut 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

$120
  • Certificate of Organization.
  • Most filings made on Business.CT.gov are accepted automatically. You need a Business.CT.gov account to file online.
  • Faster options: $50 per transaction, offered at the end of the online filing when available. Expedited service isn't available for mailed filings.
File online Fee source

Annual Report

$80
  • Due: Filed online every year between January 1 and March 31.
  • If you're late: The fee schedule lists no late fee. While a report is overdue you can't get a Certificate of Legal Existence. After a Notice of Intent to Dissolve or Revoke, the missing reports must be accepted within 90 days or the business is forfeited.
  • The report updates the agent, principals and NAICS code. It doesn't include financial information. The state emails a reminder about a month before it's due.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

$50
  • Every Connecticut LLC must have one.
  • Change of Agent. Changing the agent's address is also $50.
Fee source

Certificate of Legal Existence

$50
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Connecticut Secretary of the State.
  • Short-form or Express certificate for an LLC. The long-form certificate is $100.
Order one Fee source

44,391 new business applications were filed in Connecticut from January to September 2026, up 19.1% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in Connecticut?

A lot of people search the Business Records Search (Business.CT.gov) 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 ConnecticutTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateCertificate of Organization, $120 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 Connecticut?

Search the Business Records Search (Business.CT.gov), the official database kept by the Connecticut Secretary of the State. You can search by business name, business ALEI, filing number or "Search on exact name" option. 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 Connecticut business search free?

Yes. Searching is free, and filings made electronically can be opened as PDFs at no cost. A Certificate of Legal Existence for an LLC costs $50.

Can I find who runs a Connecticut LLC?

The Business Information page lists the principals and the agent reported on the company's annual report.

What does "Forfeited" mean in a CT business lookup?

The business was administratively dissolved, usually for not filing annual reports. It may only wrap up its affairs, and its name is open to others. A Connecticut business can file a reinstatement online to return to active status.

When is the Connecticut LLC annual report due?

Between January 1 and March 31 each year. It costs $80 and is filed online with a Business.CT.gov account.

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.Business Records SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.Business Records Search help articleChecked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.Copies of your recordsChecked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Domestic LLC forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.File an annual reportChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Administrative dissolutionChecked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Notice of Intent to Dissolve or RevokeChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.Certificate of Dissolution or RevocationChecked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.Certificate of Legal Existence forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
  10. 10.Expedited servicesChecked November 8, 2026
  11. 11.Trade namesChecked November 8, 2026
  12. 12.Uniform Commercial Code forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
  13. 13.Lien Records SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  14. 14.Connecticut Business Registry, Business Master (data.ct.gov)Checked November 8, 2026
  15. 15.DRS: registering your businessChecked November 8, 2026

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