Skip to content
RegistryWise

Delaware

Delaware LLC Lookup and Entity Search (Division of Corporations)

Written byRegistryWise Editorial TeamFact-checked against the Delaware Division of Corporations · How we research

The short answer

Delaware's free entity search returns the entity name, file number, formation date, kind, type, residency, and registered agent for any entity on file with the Division of Corporations. Status costs $10, and a more detailed report with the tax assessment and filing history costs $20. Certificates and copies are ordered separately.

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

Delaware at a glance

Who runs it
Delaware Division of Corporations
Delaware Entity Search (iCIS)
Cost to search
Free
Search is free. Status is $10 per entity, and the detailed report with tax assessment and filing history is $20. You can pay by card or ACH.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Entity name, File number

State fees

  • Form an LLC$110Certificate of FormationOfficial source
  • LLC Annual Tax$400Was $300 through tax year 2025. The $400 rate applies to tax year 2026, paid by June 1, 2027. There's no proration.June 1 each year, for the prior tax year.Official source
  • Certificate of Good Standing$50Short form $50, which states the name and status. Long form $175, which also lists every document filed.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agent$50Change of Agent Only Amendment.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in Delaware is the same search as a business search. The Delaware Entity Search (iCIS), kept by the Delaware Division of Corporations, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by entity name or file number. It's free, and you don't need an account.

The Delaware Entity Search (iCIS) search page, with the name box marked 1 and the search button marked 2.
The Delaware Entity Search (iCIS) as we found it on November 8, 2026. We marked where to type (1) and what to click (2). The state may change its layout.
  1. Open the Division of Corporations entity search. Enter the entity name or the file number.
  2. Click Search. Results list matching entities with their file numbers, active and inactive alike. Put the name in quotation marks for an exact match.
  3. Click the entity name to open the free details: formation date, kind, type, residency, and the registered agent's name, address, and phone number.
  4. For status, pay $10 per entity. For the tax assessment and filing history, pay $20. Card and ACH are accepted.
  5. For a Certificate of Good Standing or copies of filed documents, use a Delaware online agent or the Division's Document Filing and Certificate Request Service.

Good to know in Delaware: The free page lists the registered agent but not the entity's status. The Division says results include active and inactive entities and aren't an indication of current status. If you need status, pay $10 for it online or order a Certificate of Good Standing. Don't assume "found in the search" means "active".

What the search shows you

  • Entity name and file number
  • Incorporation or formation date
  • Entity kind and type
  • Residency (Domestic or Foreign)
  • Registered agent name, address, and phone number
  • Status, tax assessment, and filing history (paid)

What the status words mean

Delaware 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 Delaware Entity Search (iCIS), in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
Good StandingThe entity's existence hasn't been ended, voluntarily or administratively.
Ceased Good StandingThe entity didn't pay its annual taxes on time. For an LLC, the annual tax wasn't received by June 1.
Cancelled, Failure to Pay TaxAn LLC, LP, or partnership that didn't pay its annual tax for 3 years from the date it was due.
Cancelled, Failure to Appoint a R/AAn LLC, LP, or partnership whose registered agent resigned, and no new agent was appointed within 30 days.
Voluntarily CancelledThe entity filed a Certificate of Cancellation to end its existence after winding up.
Void, AR's or Tax DelinquentA corporation that didn't pay its annual franchise tax for 1 year, or a foreign corporation that didn't file its annual reports for 2 years.
Forfeited, Failure to appoint a R/AA corporation whose registered agent resigned, and no new agent was appointed within 30 days.
DissolvedA corporation filed a Certificate of Dissolution.
MergedA Certificate of Merger was filed, and this entity didn't survive. It merged into another entity.

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

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

On the free detail page, with the agent's name, address, and phone number. Every Delaware entity has to keep a registered agent with a physical street address in Delaware.

Filing history

The $20 report adds the current filing history. Certified copies cost $50 per document plus $2 per page. Plain copies cost $10 for the first page plus $2 for each extra page.

Owners, managers and officers

The Division doesn't collect LLC members or managers. Its FAQ says alternative entities aren't required to list them. For corporations, current officers and directors are on the most recent annual report. 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 Delaware File Number

Delaware gives every business on its register a File Number. It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
Seven digits on most records, and eight on newer ones (for example 10211017). The Division's tax filing page says a file number "can be up to 9 digits in length."
Where to find yours
Search the entity name in the free Delaware entity search. The file number appears next to each name. You need it to file the annual report or pay the tax online.
Search by it
Yes. The Delaware Entity Search (iCIS) 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 Delaware

  1. Search the free database for the name you want. It has to be distinguishable from other entities reserved or registered in Delaware.
  2. A name reservation isn't required, but it holds the name, and the Division says it may reduce processing time.
  3. Reserve a name for 120 days for $75. You can do it online, or by upload, fax, or mail.

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 Delaware

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Trade Name (DBA)
Where they're filed
Since February 2, 2026 the Division of Revenue runs one statewide DBA registry through Delaware One Stop. Before that, trade names were filed with the Prothonotary in each county, and those older filings are in a historic list on the Division of Revenue site.
State fee
$25. One statewide fee, no longer charged per county.
How long it lasts
Doesn't expire and doesn't need to be renewed.

You need a Delaware business license to register a DBA. A company that doesn't do business in Delaware can get a $25 Trade Name Only license instead.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the Delaware Division of Corporations, UCC Section. The online search is paid. Our Delaware UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

Delaware 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

$110
  • Certificate of Formation.
  • The Division says regular, non-expedited processing time varies with the volume of work it receives.
  • Faster options: For a new LLC: 24-hour ($50), same-day ($100), 2-hour ($500), or 1-hour ($1,000).
File online Fee source

LLC Annual Tax

$400
  • Due: June 1 each year, for the prior tax year.
  • If you're late: $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month on the tax and penalty.
  • The tax is owed for any year the LLC is active on the Division's records, even for part of the year. The $400 rate comes from House Bill 400, which made the LLC tax change effective January 1, 2026. Corporations are different: they file an annual report ($50 for non-exempt corporations) and pay franchise tax by March 1.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

$50
  • Every Delaware LLC must have one.
  • Change of Agent Only Amendment.
Fee source

Certificate of Good Standing

$50
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Delaware Division of Corporations.
  • Short form $50, which states the name and status. Long form $175, which also lists every document filed.
Order one Fee source

47,277 new business applications were filed in Delaware from January to September 2026, up 4.1% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in Delaware?

A lot of people search the Delaware Entity Search (iCIS) 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 DelawareTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateCertificate of Formation, $110 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 Delaware?

Search the Delaware Entity Search (iCIS), the official database kept by the Delaware Division of Corporations. You can search by entity name or file 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 Delaware entity search free?

Searching is free, and the detail page shows the registered agent at no charge. Status costs $10 per entity, and the detailed report with the tax assessment and filing history costs $20.

How can I find out who owns a Delaware LLC?

Usually you can't from public records. The Division doesn't collect member or manager names for LLCs. The registered agent is the public contact point on file.

What does "Ceased Good Standing" mean for a Delaware LLC?

The LLC didn't pay its annual tax by June 1. The tax is $400 for tax year 2026, paid by June 1, 2027. Paying late adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month. If the tax goes unpaid for 3 years, the LLC is cancelled for failure to pay tax.

Do Delaware LLCs file an annual report?

No. LLCs pay a flat annual tax by June 1 and don't file an annual report. The tax is $400 starting with tax year 2026, up from $300. Corporations file an annual report with their franchise tax by March 1.

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.Division of Corporations entity searchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.Division of Corporations glossary (status definitions)Checked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.Division of Corporations fee schedule (August 2026)Checked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.LLC/LP/GP annual tax instructionsChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Delaware General Assembly: House Bill 400Checked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Accessing corporate information (status checks and certificates)Checked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Division of Corporations FAQsChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.How to form a new business entityChecked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.Corporate annual report and franchise taxChecked November 8, 2026

See something out of date? Report it and we'll look into it.

Guides people read next