Run by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. It covers corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs, nonprofits, and benefit corporations.
Massachusetts Secretary of State | Business Entity Search
The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth runs the Corporations Division and a free public search. You can look a company up four ways — by entity name, individual, ID number, or filing number — and pull its agent, officers, and downloadable filings.
Business Name Availability Check
State of Massachusetts
What the Massachusetts Corporate Search Covers
Each record lists the ID number, status, formation date, principal office, resident agent, officers and directors, and downloadable filings.
Searching and downloading documents is free and open to the public.
How to Search by Business Name
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Open the Massachusetts corporate search
Go to the Corporations Division's Corporate Search, or use the direct link below. It is free and public.
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Choose a search type
Search by Entity Name, Individual Name, Identification Number, or Filing Number. Entity Name has sub-modes: Begins With, Exact Match, Full Text, and Soundex (sounds-like) matching.
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Read the results
Results show matching entities with their ID number and status. Click a name to open its record.
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Review the entity record
The record shows the legal name, ID number, entity type, status, formation date, principal office, resident agent, and officers or directors from the most recent annual report.
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Open the filing history
The filing history lists annual reports, certificates, and amendments as downloadable documents.
Ready to try it? Open the official Corporate Search and run your query.
Search Massachusetts entities ↗All the Ways to Search Massachusetts Records
Entity Name
Search by name with Begins With, Exact Match, Full Text, or Soundex (sounds-like) matching.
Open this search ↗Individual Name
Search by the name of an officer, director, or agent associated with an entity.
Open this search ↗Identification Number
Go straight to one record using the entity's ID number.
Open this search ↗Filing Number
Look up a record by a specific filing number.
Open this search ↗Rules That Make Your Search Work
- Search by entity name, individual name, identification number, or filing number.
- Entity Name offers Begins With, Exact Match, Full Text, and Soundex sounds-like matching.
- The record shows officers and directors from the most recent annual report.
- Searching and downloading documents is free.
- Massachusetts uses the term "resident agent" for the registered agent.
- The office is the Secretary of the Commonwealth, not Secretary of State.
Reading the Entity Detail Page
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Identification Number | The number the Corporations Division assigned to the entity. |
| Legal Name | The registered legal name of the business. |
| Entity Type | The structure, such as a Domestic or Foreign Corporation, LLC, LP, LLP, or nonprofit. |
| Status | Whether the entity is Active or in another condition. |
| Formation / Registration Date | The date the entity was formed in Massachusetts or registered as a foreign entity. |
| Principal Office | The entity's principal business address as most recently reported. |
| Resident Agent | Massachusetts's registered agent: the name and address designated to receive legal documents. |
| Officers / Directors | The officers and directors named on the most recent annual report. |
| Filing History | Annual reports, certificates, and amendments, available as downloadable documents. |
Two official references help you go further:
How to View and Download a Company's Filings
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1
Open the entity’s record
Search by name, individual, ID, or filing number and open the record.
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Open the filing history
The record lists annual reports, certificates, and amendments.
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Download the documents
Open and save filed documents directly. Searching and downloading are free.
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File or order online
File an annual report or order a certificate of good standing through the online filing system.
Annual report: Massachusetts corporations file after their fiscal year end, and LLCs file by the anniversary date. Note the LLC annual report fee is $500 — among the highest in the country.
Massachusetts Business Search - Common Questions
Is the Massachusetts business search free?
Yes. The Corporations Division search is free, and you can download filed documents.
What is Soundex search?
Soundex is a "sounds-like" matching mode for entity names — useful when you are unsure of the exact spelling.
Does Massachusetts require an annual report?
Yes. Corporations file an annual report after their fiscal year end, and LLCs file an annual report by the anniversary date (the LLC fee is $500).
Who is the "resident agent"?
It is Massachusetts's term for the registered agent — the person or company designated to receive legal documents for the entity.
Where do I see a company's officers?
The record lists officers and directors from the most recent annual report, and the filing history holds the documents.
A name is available in Massachusetts. Does that mean I can use it?
Not necessarily. State availability does not clear a name against federal trademarks. Run a USPTO trademark screen and check domain and social-handle availability before committing.