Skip to content
RegistryWise

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Business Search

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

The short answer

Massachusetts business records are searched for free on the Corporations Division's Business Entity Search, run by the Secretary of the Commonwealth (the office that handles secretary of state filings in Massachusetts), by entity name, an individual's name, the 9-digit identification number, or a filing number. Each LLC summary names its resident agent and its managers, and every LLC files a $500 annual report by the anniversary of its formation.

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

Massachusetts at a glance

Who runs it
Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division
Business Entity Search
Cost to search
Free
Searching is free. For an LLC, a Certificate of Good Standing is $25 and a Certificate of Legal Existence is $12, plus an expedite fee when ordered electronically.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Entity name, Individual name (officer, director, etc.)
and 2 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$500A $20 expedite fee is added when filed online or by fax.Certificate of OrganizationOfficial source
  • Annual Report$500A $20 expedite fee is added when filed online or by fax.On or before the anniversary date of the original certificate of organization, every year.Official source
  • Certificate of Good Standing$25Plus a $6 expedite fee when ordered electronically. LLC good standing certificates aren't delivered by email.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change resident agentNo feeNo fee when filed electronically. $25 on paper or by fax.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in Massachusetts is the same search as a business search. The Business Entity Search, kept by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by entity name, individual name, identification number or filing number. It's free, and you don't need an account.

The Business Entity Search search page, with the name box marked 1 and the search button marked 2.
The Business Entity 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 Business Entity Search. Under "Search by", choose Entity Name, Individual Name, Identification Number, or Filing Number.
  2. For a name search, pick a search type: "Begins with", "Exact match", "Full text" or "Soundex". An identification number must be 9 digits.
  3. Click the name in the results to open its "Business Entity Summary".
  4. Under "View filings for this business entity", choose ALL FILINGS or a filing type. If a link appears next to a filing, you can open it online as a PDF.
  5. To order a certificate, use the Certificate Request Form with the entity's ID Number. An LLC Certificate of Good Standing is $25.

Good to know in Massachusetts: You can search by a person's name, not just the business name, and the LLC summary lists each manager plus the people authorized to sign documents. There's no single status word on an LLC summary: instead it shows dates such as "Date of Revival" and "Last date certain". The entity name search has four modes: "Begins with", "Exact match", "Full text" and "Soundex".

What the search shows you

  • Exact name, entity type, and identification number
  • Date of Organization in Massachusetts, Date of Revival, and Last date certain
  • Address where the records are maintained
  • Resident agent name and address
  • Each manager's name and business address
  • People authorized to sign filings and real property documents
  • Filings by type, with a PDF link when the filing can be viewed online

What the status words mean

Massachusetts 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 Entity Search, in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
Administratively dissolvedUnder M.G.L. c. 156C §70, the state secretary can dissolve an LLC that fails for 2 consecutive years to file annual reports, or that has become inactive. The LLC gets written notice and 90 days to fix the problem. A dissolved LLC continues only to wind up its affairs.
Reinstatement Following Administrative DissolutionA filing type in the summary's filings list. An administratively dissolved LLC can apply at any time for $100, after filing every annual report it owes.
Date of RevivalA date field on the LLC summary. The search doesn't define it.
Last date certainA date field on the LLC summary. The search doesn't define it. Massachusetts law lets a certificate of organization state the latest date on which the LLC is to dissolve.
Certificate of CancellationFiled to cancel the certificate of organization when the LLC has dissolved and finished winding up, or has no members. It costs $100, and the LLC must be in good standing first.

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

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Resident Agent

The summary shows "The name and address of the Resident Agent". Massachusetts calls the registered agent a resident agent.

Filing history

Choose a filing type under "View filings for this business entity". Filings with a link can be viewed online as PDFs. Records and filings received before 2001 were microfilmed and can be inspected in the Public Room in Boston.

Owners, managers and officers

The summary lists each manager by name and business address, plus the people authorized to sign filings with the Corporations Division and real property documents. Massachusetts law asks for managers and authorized signers, not a list of members. 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 Massachusetts Identification Number (ID Number)

Massachusetts gives every business on its register an Identification Number (ID Number). It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
9 digits, including leading zeros (for example 001818831).
Where to find yours
At the top of the entity's Business Entity Summary. The Certificate Request Form also asks for it.
Search by it
Yes. The Business Entity Search 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 Massachusetts

  1. An LLC name can't be the same as, or deceptively similar to, an existing or reserved name without the other entity's written consent.
  2. Search both the corporate database and the Name Reservation database.
  3. The name must contain "limited liability company", "limited company", or L.L.C., L.C., LLC or LC.
  4. Reserve a name for 60 days for $30, and extend it once for another 60 days for $30.

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 Massachusetts

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Business Certificate
Where they're filed
Massachusetts has no statewide DBA filing. State law requires a business certificate to be filed with the clerk of every city or town where the business has an office, so search with each town clerk.
Search
No statewide online search.
How long it lasts
4 years from the date of issue, renewed every 4 years.

The filing is local to the city or town clerk, not the county. Doing business without one can bring a fine of up to $300 a month.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division. The online search is free. Our Massachusetts UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

Massachusetts 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

$500
  • Certificate of Organization.
  • The Corporations Division doesn't publish a processing time for LLC filings. Documents are filed between 8:45 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
  • Faster options: Online and fax filings carry a $20 expedite fee on top of the $500.
File online Fee source

Annual Report

$500
  • Due: On or before the anniversary date of the original certificate of organization, every year.
  • If you're late: The fee schedule lists no late fee. After 2 consecutive years without annual reports, the state secretary can start administrative dissolution, and reinstatement costs $100 once every missing report is filed.
  • The annual report repeats all the information in the certificate of organization, with any changes.
File the report Fee source

Change your resident agent

No fee
  • Every Massachusetts LLC must have one.
  • No fee when filed electronically. $25 on paper or by fax.
Fee source

Certificate of Good Standing

$25
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
  • Plus a $6 expedite fee when ordered electronically. LLC good standing certificates aren't delivered by email.
Order one Fee source

68,670 new business applications were filed in Massachusetts from January to September 2026, up 14.1% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in Massachusetts?

A lot of people search the Business Entity 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 MassachusettsTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateCertificate of Organization, $500 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 Massachusetts?

Search the Business Entity Search, the official database kept by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. You can search by entity name, individual name, identification number or filing 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 Massachusetts business search free?

Yes. The Corporations Division says its public search is free and available to everyone. Certificates cost extra: $25 for an LLC Certificate of Good Standing.

Can I find out who runs a Massachusetts LLC?

Often, yes. The entity summary lists each manager's name and business address and the people authorized to sign filings. You can also search by a person's name to find every entity that lists them.

Why doesn't the Massachusetts summary show a status like "Active"?

LLC summaries show dates instead, such as "Date of Revival" and "Last date certain". Check the filings list for a Certificate of Cancellation or a reinstatement, or order a Certificate of Good Standing.

How much is the Massachusetts LLC annual report?

$500, due on or before the anniversary of the LLC's formation, plus a $20 expedite fee when filed online. Missing 2 years in a row can lead to administrative dissolution.

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 Entity SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.Business Entity Search: search assistanceChecked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.Example Business Entity Summary for a domestic LLCChecked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Corporations Division: Limited Liability Company InformationChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Corporations Division Fee Schedule (PDF)Checked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Corporations Division: About Name ReservationsChecked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Certificate Request FormChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.Corporations Division online filingChecked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.M.G.L. c. 156C §12 (certificate of organization and annual report)Checked November 8, 2026
  10. 10.M.G.L. c. 156C §70 (administrative dissolution)Checked November 8, 2026
  11. 11.M.G.L. c. 110 §5 (business certificates)Checked November 8, 2026
  12. 12.UCC Public SearchChecked November 8, 2026

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

Guides people read next