New York business search, DOS ID first.
New York files companies with the Department of State, not a Secretary of State, and every entity carries a DOS ID that outlives name changes. Add the biennial statement and the famous LLC publication rule, and this is a record that rewards people who know where to look.
Checking a name for your new company? We search the state record properly, with the near-misses that cause rejections.
Search the way that matches what you already know
Drop the designator: "Acme Holdings" returns more than "Acme Holdings LLC". The state search matches from the start of the name, so lead with the first word, and remember sound-alike spellings are separate records. Have us run the name check →
The Department of State’s permanent identifier. Companies rename, merge, and rebrand; the DOS ID stays, which makes it the professional’s way into the record. Verify an exact entity with us →
Every New York entity names a registered agent on the public record, which is how process servers, and the curious, find companies. It is also why founders who value privacy put a professional agent there instead of themselves. See how agents appear on the record →
Status, principal address, registered agent, and the filing history, including the original formation documents. Public, free, and current, which is exactly why counterparties will read yours before they sign.
Inactive by proclamation is a tax story, not a paperwork one
New York entities file a $9 biennial statement in their anniversary month, and new LLCs face the publication requirement, six weeks of newspaper notices within 120 days of formation. Corporations that ignore Albany’s franchise taxes long enough get dissolved by proclamation.
What you found decides what you do next
New York layers assumed names over the record, so close calls are common. Run a proper availability check, then file the New York LLC with the publication step planned in.
If it is by proclamation, the cure starts at the tax side: reinstatement sequences consent and filings, then the biennial statement goes on a calendar that watches itself.
Match the legal name on your contract to the record exactly, confirm standing the day you sign, and read the filing history. For anything with money on it, order a certificate of standing, the state-sealed version of "they are real."
They checked the contractor before demolition day
The contractor’s price was right and his portfolio was real. His corporation was dissolved by proclamation two years back, which meant the entity on our contract could not have enforced it, or been worth suing. He was rebuilding under a new LLC; we signed with that one instead, correctly. The DOS ID told the real story.
Representative composite drawn from customer outcomes.
Ask what the record means for you
Is "Hudson & Vine" taken in New York?
What is this publication requirement I keep hearing about?
Watch my biennial statement for me?
Whatever you found, the platform runs it
Every state's record, one guide per state
Name AvailabilityDistinguishable is not the same as safe, check properly
Registered AgentA New York address that never misses a service of process
Compliance CalendarYour deadlines tracked, so the record stays boring
CRMThe counterparties you vet become the clients you keep
Business BankingOpen the account the day your filing comes back
New York, from search to filed
How to Start an LLC in New York
Articles, publication, and beyond, the New York playbook.
Read the guide → CostsWhat a New York LLC Costs
State fees, the recurring bill, and the first-year total.
See the numbers → State hubForm a Business in New York
Entity types, taxes, and the New York playbook.
Open the hub → FileForm an LLC in New York
From clean name to filed Articles, handled.
Start the filing →New York Business Search questions.
What is the New York Secretary of State business search?
It is the public New York database where anyone can look up a registered entity's name, status, registered agent, and filing history. You use it to check name availability, confirm good standing, or research a company. We run New York searches for you and interpret what the results mean for your plans.
How do I search for a business in New York?
You use the New York Secretary of State's online business search by name or entity number to pull up the public record. Results show status and basic details but not everything, ownership is often private. We run the New York search and explain what it does and does not reveal about a given entity.
Can I check if a business name is available in New York?
Yes, the search is the first step: you look for existing New York entities with the same or a similar name, though availability also depends on the state's naming rules and similarity standards, so a quick search is not a guarantee. We do a proper New York availability check before you commit to a name and branding.
How do I confirm a company is in good standing in New York?
The search shows a status, active, in good standing, delinquent, or dissolved, but for official confirmation third parties want a Certificate of Good Standing. We can pull the New York status and order that certificate when you need authoritative proof for a deal or lender.
Can I see a company's filing history in New York?
Often yes: many New York searches show past filings, formation, amendments, annual reports, which is useful for due diligence on a partner or competitor, though depth varies by state. We pull and interpret the New York filing history for you when you are vetting an entity before doing business with it.
Why can't I find my own business in the New York search?
Common reasons: it was just filed and not yet indexed, the name is slightly different, or the entity was dissolved and dropped from active results. We check the New York record, confirm your status, and fix anything, like a lapse needing reinstatement, that is keeping you from appearing correctly.
How do I find out who owns an LLC in New York?
Sometimes you can, sometimes you cannot. The public record shows the registered agent and the names the state requires on filings, but members of an LLC do not always have to appear, so true owners can stay off the record. If privacy matters for your own filing, that structure plus identity & privacy is how founders stay unlisted.
Still specific to your situation? Ask BosAI ↑
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