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Official Registry Verification Directory

How to Verify a Business: 50-State SOS & Federal Directory

Compiled & reviewed by the EntityCodes Editorial Team (Tech Labs FZ LLC) · Data verified: 2026-06-28

An honest, comprehensive guide and directory routing to official Secretary of State business search portals, SEC EDGAR, GLEIF LEI lookup, and SAM.gov.

Registry Verification Standard

Understanding U.S. Entity Verification Boundaries

EntityCodes.org is an economic classification registry, not a private background-check service or company database. In the United States, commercial entity formation is governed at the state level across 50 individual state governments. Private small businesses and local LLCs do not appear in a single federal database. To verify legal existence, charter standing, or registered agent details, use the official state Secretary of State (SOS) links in the directory below.

Federal & Global Entity Verification Portals

Public Corporations

SEC EDGAR Database

Search official SEC public company disclosures, 10-K annual reports, 10-Q quarterlies, and CIK registration numbers.

Access SEC EDGAR Search →
Financial & International

GLEIF Global LEI Index

Search the official Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation database to verify 20-character ISO 17442 LEI records and ownership chains. Validate format via our LEI Validator.

Access GLEIF Search →
Federal Contractors

SAM.gov Entity Management

Verify active federal government contractors, Unique Entity IDs (UEI), and CAGE codes. Check formats using our UEI Validator and CAGE Validator.

Access SAM.gov Portal →

Official 50-State Secretary of State Business Directory

Use these direct links to state government portals to verify legal corporate existence, active status, registered agents, and charter filing dates.

State Official State Agency & Portal Direct Portal Link
Alabama Alabama Secretary of State — Business Entity Search Official Portal →
Alaska Alaska Division of Corporations Entity Search Official Portal →
Arizona Arizona Corporation Commission eCorp Search Official Portal →
Arkansas Arkansas Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
California California Secretary of State BizFile Online Search Official Portal →
Colorado Colorado Secretary of State Business Database Official Portal →
Connecticut Connecticut Business Registry Search Official Portal →
Delaware Delaware Division of Corporations Entity Search Official Portal →
District of Columbia DC DLCP Corporate Registration Portal Official Portal →
Florida Florida Division of Corporations Sunbiz Search Official Portal →
Georgia Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Search Official Portal →
Hawaii Hawaii Business Registration (BREG) Search Official Portal →
Idaho Idaho Secretary of State Bizfile Search Official Portal →
Illinois Illinois Secretary of State Corporate Search Official Portal →
Indiana Indiana Secretary of State Business Search (INBiz) Official Portal →
Iowa Iowa Secretary of State Business Entity Search Official Portal →
Kansas Kansas Secretary of State Business Entity Search Official Portal →
Kentucky Kentucky Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Louisiana Louisiana Secretary of State Commercial Division Official Portal →
Maine Maine Corporate Name Search Official Portal →
Maryland Maryland Business Express Entity Search Official Portal →
Massachusetts Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth CorpSearch Official Portal →
Michigan Michigan LARA Corporations Search Official Portal →
Minnesota Minnesota Secretary of State MBLS Portal Official Portal →
Mississippi Mississippi Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Missouri Missouri Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Montana Montana Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Nebraska Nebraska Secretary of State Corporate Search Official Portal →
Nevada Nevada Secretary of State SilverFlume Search Official Portal →
New Hampshire New Hampshire QuickStart Business Search Official Portal →
New Jersey New Jersey Business Records Service Official Portal →
New Mexico New Mexico Secretary of State Business Portal Official Portal →
New York New York Division of Corporations Public Inquiry Official Portal →
North Carolina North Carolina Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
North Dakota North Dakota FirstStop Business Search Official Portal →
Ohio Ohio Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Oklahoma Oklahoma Secretary of State Corporate Inquiry Official Portal →
Oregon Oregon Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of State Business Search Official Portal →
Rhode Island Rhode Island Secretary of State CorpSearch Official Portal →
South Carolina South Carolina Secretary of State Entity Search Official Portal →
South Dakota South Dakota Secretary of State Filing Search Official Portal →
Tennessee Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett TNEBEAR Search Official Portal →
Texas Texas Comptroller & SOS Business Taxpayer Search Official Portal →
Utah Utah Division of Corporations Business Search Official Portal →
Vermont Vermont Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Virginia Virginia State Corporation Commission CIS Search Official Portal →
Washington Washington Secretary of State CCFS Search Official Portal →
West Virginia West Virginia Secretary of State Business Search Official Portal →
Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) Search Official Portal →
Wyoming Wyoming Secretary of State Business Filing Search Official Portal →
EntityCodes Value Handoff

Find a Business's Industry Classification Code

Once you verify an entity's legal standing with its state Secretary of State, determine its official economic classification for banking, insurance underwriting, tax reporting, or government procurement using our free classification tools:

🔍 Smart Code Finder AI-assisted natural language lookup 📊 2022 NAICS Directory Browse 1,012 U.S. industries 💼 1987 SIC Directory Browse 1,004 legacy SIC codes 📋 IRS Schedule C Codes 403 Principal Business Activity codes

Related Compliance & Verification Resources

→ SBA Size Standards Guide → Complete NAICS Code Guide → Complete SIC Code Guide → SIC to NAICS Crosswalk Tool → Format & Checksum Validators → Reverse Business Activity Index → Sector 54 Professional Services → NAICS 541511 Custom Programming → DUNS Number Format Check → About EntityCodes Registry

Frequently Asked Questions (Business Verification)

How do I check if a business is legally registered in the U.S.? ▼
To verify a business's legal registration in the U.S., perform a search on the official Secretary of State (SOS) entity database in the state where the company was formed or registered as a foreign entity. The state portal will confirm the legal corporate name, entity type, active or dissolved status, formation date, and registered agent details.
What information is available on a Secretary of State business search portal? ▼
State Secretary of State business portals provide public records including the exact legal entity name, filing status (Good Standing, Active, Dissolved, Forfeited), charter/registration number, registered agent name and office address, principal office location, and date of incorporation or registration.
Is there a single centralized national database of all U.S. businesses? ▼
No. The United States does not maintain a single centralized federal commercial registry for all private businesses. Business formation is governed at the state level across 50 individual Secretaries of State. Federal databases like SEC EDGAR and SAM.gov track specific subsets of entities, such as public corporations and federal contractors.
How do I verify a business's tax status or Employer Identification Number (EIN)? ▼
EIN numbers issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are confidential tax records not published in a public federal database. To verify an EIN, request a W-9 form or IRS CP-575 confirmation letter directly from the business, or cross-verify federal contractor records on SAM.gov if the company does business with the government.
What is the difference between state SOS registration and third-party commercial aggregators? ▼
State Secretary of State (SOS) databases are legal primary sources that grant corporate existence and maintain statutory standing records. Commercial aggregators (such as Dun & Bradstreet or OpenCorporates) compile public and credit records into secondary commercial profiles for credit scoring and business intelligence.
How do I find a company's NAICS or SIC industry classification code? ▼
To determine a business's official economic classification, use our free Smart Business Code Finder or browse our 2022 NAICS Code Directory and 1987 SIC Code Directory. You can also inspect SEC EDGAR filings for public companies or SAM.gov contractor profiles.
How can I verify a business operating under a DBA or fictitious name? ▼
Fictitious names, DBAs ('Doing Business As'), and trade names are registered at either the state Secretary of State level or county clerk office, depending on state law. Search the state business portal or local county registry to locate the underlying legal entity operating under the trade name.
How do I check if a federal government contractor is registered on SAM.gov? ▼
To verify a government contractor, search the federal SAM.gov Entity Information portal. An active SAM.gov registration confirms the entity's Unique Entity ID (UEI), CAGE code, registration expiration date, and active status for federal contract awards.
Are foreign corporations operating in the U.S. listed in state Secretary of State portals? ▼
Yes. Foreign (out-of-state or international) corporations doing business within a U.S. state are required to file a Certificate of Authority or foreign registration with that state's Secretary of State. They appear in the state database designated as a 'Foreign' corporation or LLC.

Official Citations & Data Sources