New York
On this page
New York at a glance
- Who runs it
- New York Department of State, Division of Corporations
- Corporation and Business Entity Database
- Cost to search
- Free
- Account needed
- No
- Search without signing up
- Search by
- Entity Name, DOS ID
- and 2 more
State fees
- Form an LLC$200Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f)Official source
- Biennial Statement$9Every two years, in the calendar month the Articles of Organization were filed.Official source
- Certificate of Status$25Proof the business is currentOfficial source
- Change registered agent$30Certificate of Change (§211-A(a)).Optional in this stateOfficial source
New York LLC lookup: how to use the Corporation and Business Entity Database
An LLC lookup in New York is the same search as a business search. The Corporation and Business Entity Database, kept by the New York Department of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by entity Name, dOS ID, assumed Name or assumed Name ID. It's free, and you don't need an account.
- Open the Corporation and Business Entity Database. Choose what to search by: Entity Name, DOS ID, Assumed Name, or Assumed Name ID.
- Pick a status filter (All Statuses, Active, Inactive, or Suspended) and a match type (Base Word, Contains, or Begins With), then tick the entity types to include.
- Search and open the entity. Note the DOS ID. It's the stable way to refer to a New York company, and you need it to file the biennial statement online.
- Read the service of process address. That's where the Department of State mails legal papers served on the Secretary of State for the company. The registered agent field is often blank.
- Check the biennial statement status. "Past Due" means the statement wasn't filed.
Good to know in New York: New York's record is thin. It shows where the Secretary of State will mail legal papers, but it doesn't list members or managers. New York also has a publication rule: within 120 days, a new LLC must publish a notice in two newspapers for six weeks and file a Certificate of Publication.
What the search shows you
- Entity name and DOS ID
- Status (Active, Inactive, Suspended), the reason, and the entity type
- Initial DOS filing date and county
- Service of process address
- Registered agent, if any
- Biennial statement status and next due date
What the status words mean
New York 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 Corporation and Business Entity Database, in the state's own wording.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | The entity exists on the Department of State's records. It doesn't tell you whether the biennial statement is current, so check the statement status too. |
| Inactive | The entity ended or left New York. The record gives a reason, such as "Voluntarily Dissolved", "Authority Surrendered" (a foreign entity gave up its New York authority), or "Merged Out of Existence". |
| Suspended | The entity's authority to do business is suspended. One reason seen on live records is "Process Addressee Resigned". LLCs formed in a foreign country that don't file their beneficial owner disclosure can also be suspended. |
| Dissolved by Proclamation (corporations) | An inactive reason shown on business corporation records, not LLCs. It ties to Tax Law §203-a, and a reinstatement under that law is filed with the Department of State for $50. |
| Past Due (biennial statement) | Shown in the statement status when the $9 biennial statement wasn't filed. The entity can stay Active, but any certificate of status will say the statement is past due. |
For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.
Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners
Registered Agent
Listed only if the company named one, and the field is often blank. The Secretary of State accepts legal papers for the LLC and mails a copy to the service of process address on file.
Filing history
Copies of filed documents are ordered from the Division of Corporations: $5 for a plain copy, $10 for a certified copy.
Owners, managers and officers
The database doesn't list LLC members or managers. A corporation's biennial statement names its CEO and principal office, but an LLC's only gives the address for service of process. 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 New York DOS ID
New York gives every business on its register a DOS ID. It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.
- What it looks like
- Digits only. Entities formed in November 2026 have seven-digit DOS IDs, such as 8127221.
- Where to find yours
- Search the entity name in the Department of State's Corporation and Business Entity Database. You need the exact name and DOS ID to file a Biennial Statement online.
- Search by it
- Yes. The Corporation and Business Entity Database 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 New York
- Search the database for the name, but don't treat the result as an answer. The Department of State says the database isn't meant for checking whether a name is available.
- For a real answer, send a written name availability request ($5 per name). The name must be distinguishable from LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships on file, and some words are banned, restricted, or need another agency's consent.
- Reserve a name for 60 days with an Application for Reservation of Name ($20). You can extend it twice, 60 days each time, for $20 per extension.
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 New York
DBAs and assumed names
- What it's called
- Assumed Name
- Where they're filed
- LLCs and corporations file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the Department of State. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file a business certificate with the county clerk.
- State fee
- $25. No county fee for LLCs. Corporations also pay $25 per county, or $100 for each New York City county.
The law requires a certified copy of the certificate ($10) to be displayed where you do business under the assumed name.
UCC liens
Lenders file UCC financing statements with the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code. Our New York UCC search guide has the steps and fees.
New York 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
$200- Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f).
- If you file online, the Department of State emails your filing receipt within minutes.
- Faster options: 24-hour ($25), same-day ($75), 2-hour ($150), on top of the filing fee.
- Publication: Required. Within 120 days, publish a notice in two newspapers chosen by the county clerk for six consecutive weeks, then file a Certificate of Publication ($50). Newspapers set their own prices, and the cost varies a lot by county.
Biennial Statement
$9- Due: Every two years, in the calendar month the Articles of Organization were filed.
- If you're late: No late fee. The record shows the statement as past due, and any certificate of status will say so until you file.
- You need the exact entity name and DOS ID to file online. Don't file before the month it's due, and there's no expedited handling for biennial statements.
Certificate of Status
$25- Proof the company exists and is current, from the New York Department of State.
255,797 new business applications were filed in New York from January to September 2026, up 12.0% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.
Starting a business in New York?
A lot of people search the Corporation and Business Entity Database 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 New YorkTakes two minutes, steps on this page
- 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $200 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 New York?
Search the Corporation and Business Entity Database, the official database kept by the New York Department of State. You can search by entity Name, dOS ID, assumed Name or assumed Name ID. 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 New York business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the database is free and needs no account. Certificates of status ($25) and copies cost extra. They can't be ordered online, so send a written request by mail, in person, or by email.
Why does the New York record not show the owners?
The database doesn't list LLC members or managers. The public contact points are the service of process address and, if one was named, a registered agent. Since January 1, 2026, LLCs formed under a foreign country's laws and authorized in New York must file beneficial owner disclosures, but those are confidential. LLCs formed in New York or another U.S. state are exempt.
What is the New York LLC publication requirement?
Within 120 days of formation, a New York LLC must publish a notice in two newspapers chosen by the county clerk for six consecutive weeks, then file a Certificate of Publication with a $50 fee. If it doesn't, its authority to do business in New York is suspended.
How often does a New York LLC file a statement?
Every two years, in the calendar month its Articles of Organization were filed. It's called the biennial statement and costs $9.
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.Corporation and Business Entity DatabaseChecked November 8, 2026
- 2.Department of State: Articles of Organization for a domestic LLCChecked November 8, 2026
- 3.Department of State: Fee schedulesChecked November 8, 2026
- 4.Department of State: Biennial statementsChecked November 8, 2026
- 5.Department of State: Certificate of StatusChecked November 8, 2026
- 6.Department of State: Certificate of Publication for a domestic LLCChecked November 8, 2026
- 7.Department of State: Reservation of name for LLCsChecked November 8, 2026
- 8.Department of State: Beneficial ownership disclosure FAQsChecked November 8, 2026
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