Last Updated on January 30, 2024
The corporate and the business division of the Secretary of State of Washington is responsible for registering Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Companies, Limited Partnerships, and Limited Liability Partnerships in the US state of Washington. As a result, the SOS developed the Corporations and Charities Filing System which is a database with the records of registered businesses based in Washington State.
How to do a Washington Business Entity Search
If you are looking to find information on business entities that are incorporated in Washington, you have arrived at the right place. The online search tool facilitated by the Secretary of State of Washington lets you search the database for any business entity you want. You need to have either the business name or the UBI number with you to continue the search.
Also see: How to start an LLC in Washington
Here, we present a detailed guideline to assist you in your business search. Read on to understand better.
Quick Links
Search by Business Name
Step 1 – Visit the Washington State SOS website to search for registered business entities. The search page looks something like the screenshot below.
Step 2 – Type in the Organization name or the UBI in their respective fields. Let us conduct a sample search using the organization’s name. Type in “Ampeg” in the organization name field. Have a look at the screenshot below.
Step 3 – Click on the Search button, and the result page will appear with a list of business entities given, as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 4 – Click on an entity name to get detailed information about the same. The screenshot is given below.
Available information includes;
- UBI number (Different from the Employer Identification Number from the IRS)
- Active or Inactive status (Good Standing results)
- Date of Formation
- Business owner name
- Principal office address
- Registered Agent information
- Nature of the business
- Governor information (board of directors, members of LLC, etc.)
Additionally, from this page, you can download filed documents such as the Annual Report, Articles of Incorporation (Corporation), Articles of Organization (Limited Liability Company), etc
Search by UBI
If you have the UBI (unified business identifier) which is a number assigned by the Secretary of State, you can search for that entity directly.
Business Licenses
The business name registration is different from business licensing in Washington. The Washington Department of Revenue has more information regarding Washington business licenses.
Also see: How to do a Washington UCC search
Information on SOS Washington (WA)
Office :
One of the elected constitutional officers in Washington, the Secretary of State of Washington, is the second in line for succession to the post of Governor in the state. The duties of the post were created in Article III of the Constitution of Washington.
Functionalities :
The Secretary of State of Washington acts as the keeper of the Great Seal of the state. Through its regulation, the Secretary of State of Washington authenticates government documents like pardons, commissions, and others which require the signature of the Governor. The other duties include regulating the actions of the legislators and executive branches of the government of Washington. He also takes care of public records and archives.
Secretary of State Contact Information
State Business Name Search Instructions
How much does it cost to do a business search in Washington?
There is no cost to search for businesses using the Washington business search database.