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North Dakota

North Dakota Business Search

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

The short answer

North Dakota business entities are searched for free on the Secretary of State's FirstStop portal by name or system ID, with "Contains," "Starts with," and "Active entities only" options. Each record shows the status, three separate standing flags (annual report, registered agent, and other), the next annual report due date, and the registered agent.

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

North Dakota at a glance

Who runs it
North Dakota Secretary of State
FirstStop
Cost to search
Free
Searching is free. A Certificate of Good Standing is $20, requested through FirstStop.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Name or system ID, Advanced: "Contains" or "Starts with"
and 1 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$135Registration fee for a domestic or foreign LLC.Articles of OrganizationOfficial source
  • Annual Report$50November 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC registers. Farm or ranch LLCs and authorized livestock farm LLCs file by April 15.Official source
  • Certificate of Good Standing$20Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agent$10Registered Agent/Office Change. The fee is per entity when the agent is a noncommercial agent.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in North Dakota is the same search as a business search. The FirstStop, kept by the North Dakota Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by name or system ID. It's free, and you don't need an account.

The FirstStop search page, with the name box marked 1 and the search button marked 2.
The FirstStop 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 Business Search in the FirstStop portal. You don't need to log in.
  2. Type a name or ID in "Search by name or system id." Click "Advanced" for "Contains," "Starts with," or "Active entities only."
  3. Read the results table: Form Info, SOS Control ID#, Status, Standing, and Filing Date.
  4. Click the business to open its record with the three standing flags, the AR Due Date, and the registered agent.
  5. Click "View History" for past filings. To order a Certificate of Good Standing ($20), submit a Request Certificate form in FirstStop.

Good to know in North Dakota: North Dakota splits good standing into three flags on each record: "Standing - AR" (annual report), "Standing - RA" (registered agent), and "Standing - Other." An LLC can show "Active" and still be "Not Good Standing." One involuntarily terminated LLC we checked listed "ND Secretary of State (N.D.C.C. § 10-01.1-13)" as its registered agent, with "Standing - RA" marked "Not Good."

What the search shows you

  • Name, filing type (Form Info), and SOS Control ID#
  • Status (for example Active, Inactive - Voluntary, or Inactive - Involuntary)
  • Standing (Good Standing or Not Good Standing) and filing date
  • In the record: "Standing - AR," "Standing - RA," and "Standing - Other"
  • Formed In, Term of Duration, and Initial Filing Date
  • Principal and mailing addresses
  • AR Due Date
  • Registered agent name and address
  • "View History" for past filings

What the status words mean

North Dakota 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 FirstStop, in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
ActiveThe business is registered. Read the Standing column too, because an Active business can be "Not Good Standing."
Not Good StandingThe business missed a requirement. The Secretary of State places a business here when it fails to file its annual report, and missing a registered agent can lead here too. The record's three standing flags show which requirement is the problem.
Inactive - InvoluntaryThe search doesn't define this label. The Secretary of State says a business is typically involuntarily terminated if it doesn't file its past-due annual report within 6 to 12 months of being placed in Not Good Standing.
Inactive - VoluntaryThe search doesn't define this label. Open "View History" on the record to see the filing behind it.

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

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

Shown at the bottom of the record as "Registered Agent," with "Standing - RA" higher up. Every LLC must keep a North Dakota registered agent with a physical North Dakota address.

Filing history

Click "View History" on the record. The record also shows the Initial Filing Date and, for an inactive business, the Inactive Date.

Owners, managers and officers

The Secretary of State says a business registration doesn't document ownership. The annual report lists managers, governors, or officers, but there's no requirement to name owners. 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 North Dakota SOS Control ID#

North Dakota gives every business on its register a SOS Control ID#. It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
Search results show it as a 10-digit number with leading zeros, such as 0000147386 or 0007492475. The search box calls it a "system id."
Where to find yours
In the "SOS Control ID#" column of the FirstStop Business Search results.
Search by it
Yes. The FirstStop 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 North Dakota

  1. Search the FirstStop Business Search and Trademark Search. North Dakota uses a "distinguishable on record" standard (N.D. Admin. Code ch. 72-03-02).
  2. The Secretary of State makes the final call, so don't commit to a name until your filing is registered.
  3. If the name is already registered, you need a different name, a signed Consent to Use Business Name form from the holder ($10), or a North Dakota court judgment.
  4. An LLC name must contain "limited liability company," "LLC," or "L.L.C."

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 North Dakota

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Trade Name
Where they're filed
A business using a name other than its registered name must file a Trade Name Registration with the Secretary of State through FirstStop. Trade names show up in the same Business Search, with the owner's name and address.
State fee
$25
How long it lasts
5 years. Renewal is $25.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the North Dakota Secretary of State (North Dakota Central Indexing System). The online search is free. Our North Dakota UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

North Dakota 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

$135
  • Articles of Organization.
  • File online in FirstStop under "Start a business." The Secretary of State's LLC page doesn't list a standard turnaround.
File online Fee source

Annual Report

$50
  • Due: November 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC registers. Farm or ranch LLCs and authorized livestock farm LLCs file by April 15.
  • If you're late: A report not received by the deadline incurs a late filing fee (the Secretary of State's pages don't list the amount), and the LLC is placed in Not Good Standing. The Secretary of State says you have 1 year to reinstate before the business is involuntarily dissolved or terminated.
  • For 2026, the FirstStop home page lists the LLC annual report deadline as November 16, 2026. The report updates the mailing address, business activities, and stakeholders, and doesn't require financial statements.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

$10
  • Every North Dakota LLC must have one.
  • Registered Agent/Office Change. The fee is per entity when the agent is a noncommercial agent.
Fee source

Certificate of Good Standing

$20
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the North Dakota Secretary of State.
Order one Fee source

8,012 new business applications were filed in North Dakota from January to September 2026, up 17.2% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in North Dakota?

A lot of people search the FirstStop 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 North DakotaTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateArticles of Organization, $135 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 North Dakota?

Search the FirstStop, the official database kept by the North Dakota Secretary of State. You can search by name or system 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 North Dakota business entity search free?

Yes. The FirstStop Business Search is free and doesn't need a login. A Certificate of Good Standing is $20.

When is the North Dakota LLC annual report due?

November 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC registers, and the fee is $50. Farm or ranch LLCs file by April 15. For 2026, FirstStop lists the LLC deadline as November 16.

What does "Not Good Standing" mean in North Dakota?

The business missed a requirement, most often the annual report. The record's three standing flags (AR, RA, and Other) show which one. You have 1 year to reinstate before the business is involuntarily dissolved or terminated.

Can I find out who owns a North Dakota LLC?

Not reliably. The Secretary of State says a registration doesn't document ownership, and the annual report lists managers or governors without any requirement to name owners.

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.FirstStop Business SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.FirstStop portal home pageChecked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.Secretary of State: Limited Liability Company (LLC)Checked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Secretary of State: Maintain RegistrationChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Secretary of State: Register a BusinessChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Secretary of State: Lien SearchesChecked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Secretary of State: Lien Types and FeesChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.NDCIS Public Search (UCC)Checked November 8, 2026

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

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