- Entry
- No sign-in [7]
Search and document delivery at a glance
- Search online
- California provides search and plain copies without login. Delaware has public name/file-number search. [2] [7]
- Search language
- The linked Delaware and California business searches have English search forms. Search by the registered name or the relevant entity number. [2] [14]
- Digital documents
- California provides available plain registry copies as free PDFs. [6]
- Document language
- Not specified
- Paper and collection
- Delaware: Paper documents returned by US mail, or by FedEx or UPS using your own shipping account. The Division does not return completed documents by email or fax. [13]
- International delivery
- Not specified
- Fees at a glance
- Delaware: basic information free, status USD 10 or USD 20. California: basic search and plain PDFs free, certificates USD 5.
- Access
- Public basic searches in the described state registers; California requires an account for certified-copy and certificate orders.
Choose the right register
For an ordinary corporation or limited liability company, begin with the relevant state registry, often operated by a Secretary of State or Division of Corporations. The Small Business Administration provides a route to state agencies. [1]
An entity can be formed in one state and registered to do business in others through foreign qualification. Foreign can therefore mean another U.S. state. Check the original formation and additional registrations separately. [1]
Free entity-name or file-number search in Delaware’s corporate registry.
California Secretary of State business search and free document copies. Choose Business Search.
Free search of filings with the US securities regulator, including annual and quarterly reports.
Names and abbreviations explained
- Secretary of State / Division of CorporationsState-level company registration authority
- The responsible state office for entity registration and filings, distinct from the federal State Department. [1]
- LLCLimited Liability Company
- An entity structure with generally limited member liability, distinct from a corporation. [1]
- CorporationAn entity legally separate from its owners
- An entity form often identified by Inc. or Corp.; filings and obligations depend on state law. [1]
- Registered AgentAgent for receipt of official documents
- Receives legal and official papers for the company. Its address may belong to a professional service provider. [1]
- DBADoing Business As
- A trading name, also called an assumed or fictitious name. Separate state or local registration may apply. [1]
- Good Standing / Certificate of StatusOfficial status certificate
- Confirmation of status under the relevant state system, not a credit report or proof of ownership. [3] [6]
- EDGARElectronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval
- The SEC filing system, supplementary to state entity registers. [8]
- FinCEN / BOIFinancial Crimes Enforcement Network / Beneficial Ownership Information
- The federal financial-intelligence agency and its beneficial-ownership information, available only to authorised recipients. [9]
Search step by step
Identify the state and entity
Establish formation state and entity type
Use the full legal name and any state file number. Follow SBA’s state-agency route if the jurisdiction is unclear. A business address can be in a different state from incorporation. [1]
Use the state Entity Search
Delaware accepts Entity Name or File Number. The search is case-insensitive; quotation marks allow an exact name search. In California, choose “Search”, then “Business”. Enter the name or entity number in “Search by name or file number”. Include the “B” in new 12-character identifiers. [2] [14] [12]
Compare identifiers and jurisdiction
Check name, formation date, file number and jurisdiction. California explicitly provides the formation jurisdiction. Follow an out-of-state registration back to its home registry. [1] [6]
Choose the original filing
California offers plain document PDFs free of charge. Select formation documents, amendments or Statements of Information for the question being researched. Order certification separately if required. [6]
Select the right Delaware evidence
Review the free basics
Name Search provides name, file number, formation date and registered-agent information. Results include active and inactive entities. [2]
Distinguish status display from a certificate
USD 10 buys a status display. USD 20 adds the last five filings, specified franchise-tax information and authorised shares where applicable. It does not include document images or a Certificate of Good Standing. [3]
Request certificates or copies separately
Use Document Filing and Certificate Request. This submits a request rather than providing immediate document retrieval. Charges are applied during processing. An optional My eCorp account can pre-populate submitter details. [10]
Documents and fees
| Document / information | Contents and purpose | Fee | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Basic Entity Information [2] | Name, file number, formation date and registered-agent details. | Free. | Public Entity Name / File Number Search. |
| Delaware Online Status [3] | Status display; the extended product adds the last five filings and specified tax/share data. | USD 10 or USD 20. | Online display; no document images or official good-standing certificate. |
| Delaware Certificate of Status [4] [10] [13] | Short Form: name and status. Long Form: status and complete filing list. | USD 50 Short Form; USD 175 Long Form. | Apply through the Document Filing and Certificate Request Service. Processing and billing take place after submission; documents are dispatched separately by post or courier.
|
| California Plain PDF Copies [6] [7] | Available formation, amendment and information filings. | Free. | Public bizfile search without an account. |
| California Certified Copy / Certificate of Status [6] [7] | Certified document copy or separate status certificate. | USD 5 per document or certificate. | Online order requires an account; paper orders are also available. |
| SEC EDGAR Filings [8] | SEC filings including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. | Free. | Public SEC filing search, not a general incorporation register. |
Different state coverage
Delaware’s free result is narrower than a complete corporate file. Its USD 20 status service also excludes officer and director information. Those roles can appear in separately requested corporate annual reports. LLCs and the listed partnerships do not currently file Delaware annual reports. [2] [3]
California’s search supplies status, addresses, formation jurisdiction and agent for service of process. Available plain PDFs include formation documents, amendments and Statements of Information, which update company particulars. [5] [6]
New California corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships receive a 12-character identifier beginning with “B”. Include the “B” when searching by number. Existing entities retain their previous number. [12]
Free copies and paid evidence
California’s available plain corporation, LLC and limited-partnership PDFs are free. Its March 2026 order form charges USD 5 per certified document, USD 5 per Certificate of Status and USD 5 per Certificate of No Record. An in-person paper order attracts USD 10 special handling per entity. [6]
Delaware charges USD 50 for a Short Form Certificate of Status and USD 175 for a Long Form containing status and the complete list of filed documents. These certificates are separate from the USD 10 or USD 20 online status display. [3] [4]
Financial reports through the SEC
The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, provides free EDGAR access to registration statements, prospectuses, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current-event reports on Form 8-K. [8]
Use EDGAR for entities that file there. A state annual report and an SEC annual report are different documents; check the form name and contents. [1] [3] [8]
Ownership limits
California explicitly states that shareholder and owner information is not maintained in its entity records. By-laws and LLC operating agreements are also not filed with the Secretary of State. [5] [1]
FinCEN is not a public ownership-search service. BOI may be disclosed only to specified authorised recipients. Its current notice also identifies the March 2025 exemption for entities formed in the United States and their beneficial owners. The described rule continues to cover certain foreign-formed entities registered in the United States. [9]
Overseas access and document verification
California permits free searches and plain document copies without login. Online certified-copy and status-certificate orders require an account. The official guide describes email registration and secure login. Acceptance of a particular overseas payment or delivery arrangement must be checked for the order. [7]
Delaware’s Document Filing and Certificate Request Service accepts the request online. The Division then processes it and charges the fee. Completed documents are returned by US mail; alternatively, provide your own FedEx or UPS account. The Division does not return these requests by email or fax. [10] [13]
California certificates and certified copies can be checked through Certificate Verification using the number printed on the document. Verification itself does not require login. [7]
Since 1 August 2026, California requires “User Access” to file a Statement of Information online. This is authorisation to submit a filing for an entity. Public company search and plain PDF copies are separate functions. [12] [6] [14]
Official samples and reading guides
Official Delaware status-product examples
The authority provides example screens comparing the USD 10 and USD 20 status products. They are not good-standing certificates. [11] [3]
Avoid common mistakes
Frequently asked questions
Is there one U.S. register covering every company?
The relevant state is the registration route for the ordinary entities described here. SBA directs users to state authorities. [1] [8]
What is the cheapest Delaware evidence?
Free basic details support initial identification. Online current status costs USD 10. A formal Short Form status certificate starts at USD 50. [2] [3] [4]
Can I research a California company without an account?
Yes for public searches and plain copies. Certified-copy and status-certificate orders use the separate logged-in route described in the guide. [7]
Why does California not find a new entity number?
Check whether the 12-character identifier begins with “B”. For new corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships, include the “B” in the search. For older entities, use their existing number. [12]
Original sources
Sources reviewed: 16 September 2026. The guidance is based on the linked information published by registers and public authorities.
- Register your business / Launch your business U.S. Small Business Administration
- Delaware General Information Name Search Delaware Division of Corporations
- Delaware Online Status Delaware Division of Corporations
- How to Form a New Business Entity Delaware Division of Corporations
- California Business Entities Records Request California Secretary of State
- California Business Entities Records Order Form California Secretary of State
- California bizfile Online Portal Manual California Secretary of State
- EDGAR U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Beneficial Ownership Information Access and Safeguards Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
- Delaware Document Filing and Certificate Request Information Delaware Division of Corporations
- Examples of Delaware Online Status products Delaware Division of Corporations
- California bizfile: aktuelle Such- und Einreichungshinweise California Secretary of State
- Delaware: Frequently Asked Questions Delaware Division of Corporations
- California Business Search California Secretary of State