Run by the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. It covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, fictitious (DBA) names, and state trademarks.
Florida Secretary of State (SunBiz) | Business Entity Search
The Florida Department of State runs business registration through its Division of Corporations, the agency behind the well-known SunBiz portal. Every corporation, LLC, and limited partnership on file in Florida has a public record there, and SunBiz makes all of it searchable for free.
Business Name Availability Check
State of Florida
What Sunbiz Lets You Look Up
Each entity record lists its status, filing dates, principal address, registered agent, officers/directors, annual reports, and downloadable filed documents.
Searching, viewing details, and downloading document PDFs cost nothing. Only certified copies and a Certificate of Status carry a fee.
How to Search by Business Name
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Open the Sunbiz "Search by Entity Name" page
Go to search.sunbiz.org and choose Search Records -> by Entity Name, or use the direct link below. This is Florida's official, free public index of corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and trademarks.
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Type part of the business name
You do not need the full legal name or any punctuation. Searching "Little Red Sch" will find "Little Red School House, Inc." Start broad because a shorter query catches more close matches. Then press Search Now.
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Read the results list
Records are indexed alphabetically, and the closest matches to your query appear first. Each row shows the entity name, its document number, and its status such as Active or Inactive. A name shown in a slightly different format may be a fictitious (DBA) name rather than the legal entity.
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Browse nearby names if there is no exact match
If your exact target is not listed, use Previous List and Next List to page through the names indexed just before and after your query. Because the index is alphabetical, the entity is usually only a page or two away.
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Click the entity name to open its detail page
Selecting a name opens that entity's full Corporate Detail record with addresses, registered agent, officers, filing dates, and document history. See "Reading the detail page" below for what every field means.
Ready to try it? Open the official entity-name search and run your query.
Search Sunbiz by name ↗All the Ways to Search Sunbiz
Entity Name
Find a company by its business name. Returns each matching entity with its document number and status. The most common starting point.
Open this search ↗Officer / Registered Agent Name
Search by a person's name to see the entities where they are listed as an officer, director, manager, or registered agent. Useful for finding every company tied to an individual.
Open this search ↗Registered Agent Name
List entities by their registered agent only. Helpful when you know the agent, often a law firm or service company, but not the business name.
Open this search ↗Trademark Name
Search Florida state trademark and service mark registrations by the mark itself. Returns the document number and status of each registration.
Open this search ↗Trademark Owner Name
Find state trademarks and service marks by the name of the person or company that owns them.
Open this search ↗FEI / EIN Number
Look up entities by their federal Employer Identification Number assigned by the IRS. Multiple entities can appear under one FEI number.
Open this search ↗Document Number
Go straight to one specific record using the 6- or 12-digit number Florida assigned at filing. Always type the digit zero ("0"), not the letter "O".
Open this search ↗Zip Code
List entities registered to addresses within a given ZIP code, which is useful for local research.
Open this search ↗Street Address
Find entities tied to a specific street address, such as a shared office or principal place of business.
Open this search ↗Rules That Make Your Search Work
- For an individual's name, enter it as Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial, for example Doe, John A. Partial names such as Doe, J are acceptable.
- You never need the complete name. Shorter keywords cast a wider net and surface more close matches.
- Punctuation is optional. Commas, periods, and ampersands can be left out.
- Records are indexed in alphabetical order, with the closest matches listed first.
- When searching by document number, use the digit zero ("0"). A "Record Not Found" message means that number is not in the database, so re-check it or switch to a name search.
- Sunbiz searches are completely free. You are only charged if you order a certified copy or a Certificate of Status.
Reading the Corporate Detail Page
| Field | What it tells you |
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| Document Number | The 6- or 12-digit number the Division of Corporations assigned when the entity or registration was filed. It uniquely identifies the record. |
| FEI / EIN Number | The Federal Employer Identification Number issued by the IRS, if the entity provided one. |
| Date Filed | The date the original formation document was filed with the state. |
| State | The state of domicile: where the entity was originally formed. "FL" means a Florida domestic entity; another state means it is registered in Florida as a foreign entity. |
| Status | Whether the filing is Active, Inactive, or another condition. See the status-terms reference linked below for exact definitions. |
| Effective Date | The date the entity legally came into existence, if different from the date filed. |
| Last Event | The most recent filing action on the record, such as an amendment, merger, reinstatement, or administrative dissolution. |
| Event Date Filed | The date that most recent event was filed. |
| Principal & Mailing Address | The entity's primary business address and its mailing address as most recently reported. |
| Registered Agent | The name and Florida address of the person or company designated to receive legal and official documents on the entity's behalf. |
| Officer / Director Detail | Names, addresses, and titles of the current officers, directors, or managers. Title abbreviations such as P, VP, and MGR are explained in the reference linked below. |
| Annual Reports | The year and filing date of the last three annual reports, if any have been filed. |
| Document Images | A list of every filed document for the entity. Each one opens as a PDF you can view, save, or print for free. |
Two official references help you decode the record:
How to View and Download a Company's Filings
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Open the entity’s detail page
Search for the company and click its name to reach the Corporate Detail record.
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Find the document list
Scroll to the Document Images section near the bottom. It lists every filing: the original formation document, amendments, and each annual report, with its filing date.
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Select a document to open the PDF
Click any entry and the document opens as a PDF you can read, save, or print at no cost. A free PDF reader is all you need.
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Need a certified or official copy?
The free PDFs are images of the filed records, not certified documents. To prove a company exists and is in good standing for a bank, court, or contract, order a Certificate of Status through Sunbiz, which is a paid service.
Annual reports: Florida entities must file an annual report each year by May 1 to stay active. You can confirm an entity’s filing history on its detail page, or file a report through Sunbiz ↗.
Florida Business Search - Common Questions
Is the Sunbiz business search free?
Yes. Searching the database and viewing entity details and document images is completely free. Fees only apply if you order a certified copy of a document or a Certificate of Status.
What is the difference between the document number and the FEI/EIN?
The document number is assigned by the Florida Division of Corporations and identifies the state filing. The FEI/EIN is a federal tax ID assigned by the IRS. They are unrelated numbers, and you can search Sunbiz by either one.
What does an "Inactive" status mean?
Inactive means the entity is no longer in good standing. It may have been dissolved, administratively dissolved for failing to file an annual report, or withdrawn. The Division's status-terms guide explains each specific status.
Can I see who owns or runs a Florida company?
The detail page lists the registered agent and the current officers, directors, or managers with their addresses and titles. Florida does not publish private ownership percentages, but these names are public record.
How do I get an official certificate proving a company is active?
Order a Certificate of Status through Sunbiz, which is a paid service. It is the state's official confirmation that an entity exists and is in good standing. The free search results are not certified.
A name is available on Sunbiz. Does that mean I can use it?
Not necessarily. An entity name being free in Florida does not clear it against federal trademarks. Run a USPTO trademark screen and check domain and social-handle availability before committing.