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Idaho

Idaho Business Entity Search

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

The short answer

Idaho businesses are searched for free on the Secretary of State's SOSBiz Business Search by name or file number, and each record shows the status, registered agent, addresses and the next annual report due date. Idaho LLCs file an annual report every year by the end of their formation month, and it costs nothing.

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

Idaho at a glance

Who runs it
Idaho Secretary of State
SOSBiz Business Search
Cost to search
Free
Searching is free. A certificate of existence is $10 under Idaho Code 30-21-214.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Name or file number (the search starts with your keyword), Advanced Search Options

State fees

  • Form an LLC$100$100 online. Paper filings add a $20 manual processing fee.Certificate of OrganizationOfficial source
  • Annual ReportNoneNo fee under Idaho Code 30-21-214.Every year by close of business on the last day of the month the LLC was formed, starting one year after formation.Official source
  • Certificate of Existence$10Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agentNo feeNo fee when you update the agent on the annual report. A paper Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent form costs the $20 manual processing fee.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

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

The SOSBiz Business Search search page, with the name box marked 1 and the search button marked 2.
The SOSBiz Business Search 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 SOSBiz Business Search. You don't need an account.
  2. Type the start of the business name, or the file number, in the box marked "Search by name or file number". The search starts with your keyword.
  3. Use "Advanced Search Options" to narrow the results.
  4. Click a row to expand it. You'll see the status, addresses, initial filing date, AR Due Date and registered agent.
  5. To file an annual report or a change, log in to SOSBiz and open your business record.

Good to know in Idaho: The annual report is free but has a hard deadline: it must reach the Secretary of State by close of business on the last day of your formation month, every year. The record shows the next "AR Due Date", and a company that misses it can be administratively dissolved after a 60-day notice. Assumed business names are filed with the state too, and they no longer expire.

What the search shows you

  • Business name with the file number in parentheses, and filing type
  • Status
  • Filing date
  • Registered agent
  • Formed in and term of duration
  • Principal and mailing addresses
  • AR Due Date (next annual report due date)
  • Registered agent address, marked commercial or noncommercial

What the status words mean

Idaho 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 SOSBiz Business Search, in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
Active-ExistingAn active entity on record. SOSBiz shows this on active domestic LLCs. The Secretary of State's help pages don't define it.
Active-Good StandingAn active entity. The help pages don't explain how it differs from Active-Existing, so check the AR Due Date on the record.
Inactive-Dissolved (Administrative)The Secretary of State administratively dissolved the entity, for example for not filing its annual report or not having a registered agent for 60 consecutive days. It may only wind up its affairs. An Idaho entity can apply for reinstatement within 10 years ($30).
Inactive-DissolvedNot defined in the help pages. An Idaho LLC closes voluntarily by filing a Statement of Dissolution, which has no filing fee.
Inactive-Merged OutShown when the entity merged into another entity. The help pages don't define it further.

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

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

In the expanded record, with the agent's address and whether it's a commercial or noncommercial agent. The agent needs a physical street address in Idaho, not a PO box.

Filing history

Copies of filed records cost 25 cents per page, plus $10 for certification, under Idaho Code 30-21-214.

Owners, managers and officers

Each annual report must name at least one governor. The Secretary of State doesn't keep records of stock ownership. 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 an Idaho File number

Idaho 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
A number shown in parentheses after the business name in search results (for example 408878).
Where to find yours
In the SOSBiz search results, next to the business name.
Search by it
Yes. The SOSBiz Business Search accepts it.

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

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 Idaho

  1. Search the name in the SOSBiz Business Search.
  2. Reserve a name for 4 months with an Application for Reservation of Legal Entity Name ($20 online, $40 on paper).
  3. An assumed business name that isn't distinguishable from a registered name needs a written consent letter from that name's owner.

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 Idaho

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Assumed Business Name (ABN)
Where they're filed
Filed with the Idaho Secretary of State through SOSBiz. Check existing names in the SOSBiz Business Search.
State fee
$25. $25 online. Paper filings add a $20 manual processing fee.
How long it lasts
No expiration. An ABN stays active until the owner cancels it.

UCC liens

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

Idaho 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

$100
  • Certificate of Organization.
  • Processing times vary with volume. SOSBiz posts current estimates on its Processed Through Date page.
  • Faster options: $40 for filing within 8 working hours, or $100 for same-day service when received by 1 p.m. Mountain Time.
File online Fee source

Annual Report

None
  • Due: Every year by close of business on the last day of the month the LLC was formed, starting one year after formation.
  • If you're late: No late fee. If the report isn't filed, the Secretary of State sends a notice, and an entity that doesn't cure the problem within 60 days is administratively dissolved. Reinstatement within 10 years costs $30.
  • The report must name at least one governor and give the principal office address and registered agent. A new agent listed on the report counts as a statement of change.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

No fee
  • Every Idaho LLC must have one.
  • No fee when you update the agent on the annual report. A paper Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent form costs the $20 manual processing fee.
Fee source

Certificate of Existence

$10
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Idaho Secretary of State.
Order one Fee source

30,567 new business applications were filed in Idaho from January to September 2026, up 19.7% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in Idaho?

A lot of people search the SOSBiz Business Search 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 IdahoTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateCertificate of Organization, $100 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 Idaho?

Search the SOSBiz Business Search, the official database kept by the Idaho Secretary of State. You can search by 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 Idaho business entity search free?

Yes. SOSBiz searches are free and don't need an account. A certificate of existence is $10.

Does an Idaho LLC have to pay for its annual report?

No. The report is free, but it's required every year by the end of the LLC's formation month, and the record shows the next "AR Due Date".

What does "Inactive-Dissolved (Administrative)" mean?

The Secretary of State dissolved the entity, usually for a missed annual report or no registered agent. An Idaho entity can reinstate within 10 years for $30 by fixing the problem.

Can I find who owns an Idaho LLC?

Not directly. The record shows the registered agent and addresses. Annual reports name at least one governor, and the Secretary of State doesn't track ownership shares.

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.SOSBiz Business SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.SOSBiz Liens SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.SOSBiz online formsChecked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Secretary of State: business forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Secretary of State: business FAQChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Idaho Code 30-21-213 (annual report)Checked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Idaho Code 30-21-214 (fees)Checked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.Idaho Code 30-21-601 (grounds for administrative dissolution)Checked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.Idaho Code 30-21-602 (procedure and effect)Checked November 8, 2026
  10. 10.Idaho Code 30-21-603 (reinstatement)Checked November 8, 2026
  11. 11.Idaho Code 28-9-525 (UCC fees)Checked November 8, 2026
  12. 12.Idaho State Tax Commission: getting tax permitsChecked November 8, 2026

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