Minnesota
On this page
Minnesota at a glance
- Who runs it
- Minnesota Secretary of State
- Business Filings Online
- Cost to search
- Free
- Searching is free. A copy of the original filing is $3 by mail or $13 online, and a Certificate of Good Standing is $5 by mail or in person or $15 online.
- Account needed
- No
- Search without signing up
- Search by
- Business Name, File Number
State fees
- Form an LLC$155$155 online or in person, $135 by mail.Articles of OrganizationOfficial source
- Annual RenewalNo feeFree for LLCs.By December 31 every calendar year. You can file any time during the year.Official source
- Certificate of Good Standing$15$15 online, $5 by mail or in person.Proof the business is currentOfficial source
- Change registered agent$55Change of Registered Office and Agent. $55 online or in person, $35 by mail.Optional in this stateOfficial source
Minnesota LLC lookup: how to use the Business Filings Online
An LLC lookup in Minnesota is the same search as a business search. The Business Filings Online, kept by the Minnesota Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by business Name or file Number. It's free, and you don't need an account.
- Open Business Filings Online. Use the "Business Name" tab, or the "File Number" tab if you have the 13-digit number.
- Set "Search Scope" to Begins With or Contains, "Filing Status" to Active or Inactive, and "Include Prior Names" to Exclude or Include. Type only part of the name for best results.
- Click "Details" next to a result to open the business record.
- Read the status, renewal due date, registered office and agent, and the Filing History and Renewal History tabs.
- To get copies, tick the filings you want and click "Order Selected Copies".
Good to know in Minnesota: The search shows active and inactive businesses separately. If a business doesn't come up, flip the Filing Status toggle to "Inactive" and search again. Every record shows a "Renewal Due Date": a date in the current year means the renewal can be filed now, and a date in next year means this year's renewal is already done.
What the search shows you
- Business name, business status, business type, and name type
- File number, MN statute, and home jurisdiction
- Filing date and status (for example "Active / In Good Standing")
- Renewal due date
- Registered office address and registered agent
- Manager and principal executive office address, when filed
- Filing history and renewal history
What the status words mean
Minnesota 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 Filings Online, in the state's own wording.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active / In Good Standing | The business is active on the Secretary of State's records. Filing the annual renewal on time keeps an active business in good standing. |
| Inactive | The business is no longer active in Minnesota. The Secretary of State says the most common reason is a missed annual renewal, which leads to administrative dissolution. It can be reinstated by filing a current renewal and paying a fee, if the name is still available. |
| Administrative Termination | An entry in the filing history. Under Minnesota Statutes 322C.0705, a domestic LLC that doesn't file its renewal is administratively terminated, and the Secretary of State files a certificate of administrative termination. A foreign LLC has its authority revoked instead. |
For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.
Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners
Registered Agent
The record shows the Registered Office Address and any Registered Agent(s). Minnesota requires a registered office but lets an LLC remove its agent: the change form says to write "none" in the agent's name space.
Filing history
Filing History lists each filing with its filing and effective dates. Renewal History lists each annual renewal. Copies are $3 by mail or $13 online for the original filing, plus $5 per certification.
Owners, managers and officers
Records can show a Manager with an address and the Principal Executive Office Address. The Secretary of State notes that information provided when filing is public data, including individual names and 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 Minnesota File Number
Minnesota 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
- 13 digits (for example 1476982600028).
- Where to find yours
- On the business record details page in Business Filings Online.
- Search by it
- Yes. The Business Filings 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 Minnesota
- Search both Active and Inactive names. An administratively dissolved business's name stays reserved for one year before it becomes available.
- If your name conflicts with an existing name, file a Consent to Use of Name from the existing business with your filing.
- A Name Reservation is $55 online or in person, or $35 by 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 Minnesota
DBAs and assumed names
- What it's called
- Assumed Name
- Where they're filed
- Assumed names are filed with the Secretary of State and show up in Business Filings Online with the business type "Assumed Name".
- State fee
- $50. Certificate of Assumed Name: $50 online or in person, $30 by mail.
- How long it lasts
- Renewed every year to stay in good standing. The annual renewal is free.
After filing, the certificate must be published in a qualified legal newspaper for two consecutive issues in the county of the principal place of business.
UCC liens
Lenders file UCC financing statements with the Minnesota Secretary of State, Business & Liens. The online search is paid and needs an account. Our Minnesota UCC search guide has the steps and fees.
Minnesota 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
$155- Articles of Organization.
- Online filings are expedited and returned electronically within 3 to 5 business days. In-person filings are processed while you wait. Mail filings are processed non-expedited, first in, first out.
- Faster options: Built into the $155 online or in-person fee. The $135 mail fee isn't expedited.
Annual Renewal
No fee- Due: By December 31 every calendar year. You can file any time during the year.
- If you're late: No late fee, but an LLC that misses the renewal is administratively terminated. Reinstating costs $45 online or in person, or $25 by mail, and is retroactive.
- The Secretary of State never sends renewal notices by mail, only courtesy emails. Mailers offering to file your renewal for a fee aren't from the state.
Change your registered agent
$55- Optional in this state.
- Change of Registered Office and Agent. $55 online or in person, $35 by mail.
Certificate of Good Standing
$15- Proof the company exists and is current, from the Minnesota Secretary of State.
- $15 online, $5 by mail or in person.
63,322 new business applications were filed in Minnesota from January to September 2026, up 12.7% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.
Starting a business in Minnesota?
A lot of people search the Business Filings Online to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.
- 1Check the name is free in MinnesotaTakes two minutes, steps on this page
- 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $155 state fee
- 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 Minnesota?
Search the Business Filings Online, the official database kept by the Minnesota Secretary of State. You can search by business 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 Minnesota business search free?
Yes. Searching and viewing business records are free. Copies and certificates cost extra, such as $15 for a Certificate of Good Standing ordered online.
Can I find out who owns a Minnesota LLC?
The record may list a manager and the principal executive office address, and filing information is public data. Members aren't necessarily listed.
What does "Inactive" mean on the Minnesota business search?
The business is no longer active in Minnesota, most often because it missed an annual renewal and was administratively dissolved. It can be reinstated by filing a current renewal and paying the reinstatement fee, if its name is still available.
Does a Minnesota LLC pay for its annual renewal?
No. The annual renewal is free and due by December 31. Missing it leads to administrative termination, and reinstating costs $45 online or $25 by mail.
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.Business Filings OnlineChecked November 8, 2026
- 2.Example business record for a domestic LLCChecked November 8, 2026
- 3.Example inactive LLC record with an administrative terminationChecked November 8, 2026
- 4.Secretary of State: Renewing your BusinessChecked November 8, 2026
- 5.Business Filing & Certification Fee ScheduleChecked November 8, 2026
- 6.Minnesota Limited Liability Company FormsChecked November 8, 2026
- 7.Assumed Name/DBAChecked November 8, 2026
- 8.Minnesota Statutes 322C.0705 (administrative termination)Checked November 8, 2026
- 9.UCC / Tax Liens OnlineChecked November 8, 2026
- 10.Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Fee ScheduleChecked November 8, 2026
See something out of date? Report it and we'll look into it.