Business Name Search Glossary of Terms Entity Number – The entity number is a unique identifier assigned to a business by the Ohio Secretary of State. It is a 'Charter Number' for Domestic Corporations. It is a 'License Number' for Foreign Corporations. Business Services Online Find and Update a Business Record Business Information Search As of June 17, 2019 we have processed all corporate filings received in our office through June 16, 2019 and all annual reports received in our office through June 16, 2019.
In the state of Ohio, the office of the Secretary of State maintains records of all the registered business entities and corporations. And these records can be accessed online on the SOS website.
In this guide, we’ve shared step-by-step instructions on how to conduct a business entity search on the SOS website. Additionally, we have also explained the meaning of complex terms used in the report.
Let’s start:
Basic information about each registered business entity along with filed documents can be accessed for free on the SOS website.
Currently, information on LLCs, LLPs, Corporations, Partnerships, and name reservations is available on the SOS database.
Searching for a business is especially helpful for the new business owners to check if the business name they have selected is available for registration or not. Additionally, you can also use the search functionality to find information about any registered business.
Contents
Ohio Secretary of State Business Entity Search
You can search for a business entity by any of the following ways:
- By Business Name (Keyword/Exact/Prior) [Useful for checking business name availability]
By Business Name (Keyword/Exact/Prior)
Step 1: Open Ohio Business Filing Portal web page – Link (opens in new tab).
Here, you’ll be provided with three filters to refine to search query:
- If you would like to search a business by partial name or a keyword then select ‘Search By Name‘ (Default option/Recommended).
- If you know the exact name of the business, then select ‘Business Name – Exact’.
- If you are looking to search for a business by its prior/old name then select ‘Prior Business Name‘.
Step 2: Enter the name of the business you are looking to search in the text box and click on the ‘Search‘ button.
Search Tips
- Remove all the punctuations from the search query.
- Business suffix like LLC, Corporation etc should not be entered.
- Use of wild card (%) is permitted.
For details on search tips visit this link.
Step 3: On the next page, you can view the list of businesses that matched the search criteria.
The following information will be shown for each listing:
- Entity Number
- Business Name
- Type
- Original Filing Date
- Expiry Date
- Status
- Business Location
- County
- State
Based on the available information, choose the desired business.
Step 4: Click on the associated business entity number to view further information.
Step 5: On the next page, you can view complete information about the business:
Entity Number | Business ID |
Business Name | Business Entity Name |
Filing Type | Business Type – LLC/LLP/Corporation (Profit/Non-Profit) (Domestic/Foreign) |
Status | Business Status – Active/Inactive/Dissolved/Name Changes |
Original Filing Date | Business filing date with SOS |
Expiry Date | Business Expiry Date |
Location/County/State | Location(city/village/township) details of the business including the county and the state |
Agent / Registrant Information | Registered Agent name and address |
Incorporation Information | Incorporator Name and Address |
Filings | Filing type, filing date and the document image |
You can also view the copies of filed documents pertaining to the business under ‘Filings‘ tab.
Detailed Business Search
This option gives you the flexibility to filter out the search results based on a number of parameters.
Use Case:
- To find active business entities containing a specific term.
- To find businesses in a certain location.
Step 1: Open Ohio business search page – Link.
Step 2: Click on ‘Detailed Business Search‘ link from the left sidebar.
Step 3: Enter the business name and set the required filters.
Following filters are available:
- Business type
- Status
- Location
- Country/State
Step 4: Click on the ‘Search‘ button.
Step 5: On the next page, you can view the search results matching the corresponding query.
Step 6: Choose the desired business by clicking on the ID.
By Registration Number
Use this option if you know the registration number or the document ID of the business.
Step 1: To start, navigate to the search by ID page – Link.
Step 2: Enter a valid registration number or the document ID in the text box.
- A valid registration number is of 7 digits. The registration number is assigned to a business by the SOS.
- A valid filing number is of 12 digits. SOS assigns a unique filing number to each of the document filed by the business.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Search‘ button.
Step 4: If the entered number is correct, you will be able to view complete information about the business on the next page.
By Agent/Contact Name (Keyword/Exact)
Use this search option, if you would like to find out the list of business entities associated with a registered agent or incorporator.
Note:
- If you are not sure about the exact name of the person, then use this link.
- If you know the exact name, then use this link.
Step 1: Select the desired option and enter the search term.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Search‘ button.
Step 3: On the next page, you can view the list of businesses with which the agent/incorporator is associated with.
You can view the following information about each business listed on the page:
- Entity number
- Agent/Registrant/Incorporator Name
- Business Name
- Type
- Agent Effective Date
- Status
- Business Location
- Country
- State
![Business Entity Search Ohio Business Entity Search Ohio](/uploads/1/2/4/9/124981008/298321670.png)
Based on the above data, you should be able to pinpoint the business entity you are seeking.
Step 4: Clicking on the entity number takes you to the next page where you can view complete information about the business.
Secretary of State Contact Details:
Address | Physical Address Ohio Secretary of State 180 East Broad Street, 16th Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 (Directions) |
Contact Number | (614) 466-3910 |
Office Hours | 9 AM – 5 PM (Mon to Fri) Sat/Sun – Closed |
Links & References:
Last Updated on: 02/05/2019