Last Updated on May 11, 2023
How to do a Virginia Secretary of State Business Entity Search
How to do a Virginia Secretary of State Business Entity SearchThe business registry is the record of the registered business and corporate entities in the US state of Virginia. The record has information regarding the filing name and registration details of the following types of business entities:
- Corporations
- Limited Liability Companies
- Limited Partnerships
- Limited Liability Partnerships
- Limited Companies
- Non profit organization
- Foreign entities
If you are looking for a registered business entity in the state of Virginia, then you are at the right place. Here we provide you a detailed guideline for assisting you in your search.
Also see: How to start an LLC in Virginia
For conducting the search, you need to have the business or corporate entity name or the business identification number handy.
Read on to get a clear illustration of the process for finding a registered entity with the Virginia Secretary of State.
Quick Links
Search by Business Name
Step 1 – Visit the Virginia State Corporation Commission website to search for registered business entities in Virginia. The search page looks similar to the screenshot below.
Step 2 – Type in the business entity name or the business id in the appropriate field.
Let us conduct a search assuming you have the business name’ handy. Let us type in “Biovista“. The screenshot is shown below.
Step 3 – Now click on reserved or registered names. The result page with the list of entities would appear, and the page would look something like the screenshot below.
Step 4 – Click on the entity name to view further details about the entity. Some of the available information includes;
- Business Name
- Virginia SOS Number (Different from the Employer Identification Number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service)
- Date of Formation
- Status (Active, Good Standing, Inactive, etc)
- Principal Office Address
- Registered Agent Information
For a small fee, the certificate of existence can be ordered from this page. 
Name Availability Search
Each registered entity (corporation, Limited Liability Company, etc) has to have a unique name before registering in Virginia. The SCC has a Name Distinguishability Search in their database so you can see if the name you want is available.
Business Licenses
The business name registration is different from a state of Virginia small business license or professional license. The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation has more information regarding Virginia business licenses.
Also see: How to do a Virginia UCC search
Information on the Virginia SOS
State Corporation Commission Contact Information
Virginia SOS Address:
Tyler Building, 1st Floor
1300 E. Main St.
Richmond, Virginia 23219
866-722-2551
SCCeFile@scc.virginia.gov