What business search results mean
Last reviewed November 13, 2026
A state business record answers five questions: is this the right company, does it legally exist, is it keeping up with the state, where was it formed, and who accepts legal papers for it. The labels change from state to state. The questions don't.
Name and ID number
Start by confirming you have the right record. Names are often near-duplicates, so match the entity ID number if you have it, or the address and formation date if you don’t. A record may also list former names, which explains why a search for an old name lands on a company now called something else.
Status: does it exist?
Status says whether the registration is alive.
| You see | It generally means |
|---|---|
| Active, Current, In existence, Exists | Registered and able to do business |
| Inactive, Dissolved, Canceled, Withdrawn | The registration has ended, by choice or by the state |
| Administratively dissolved, Revoked, Forfeited | The state ended it for a missed requirement |
| Merged, Converted | The company continues as, or inside, another record |
| Reserved, Pending | A name held or a filing not yet effective |
An ended registration is not always final. Many states allow reinstatement after administrative dissolution.
Standing: is it keeping up?
Some states show a separate standing line, and a few split it by topic: tax, reports, registered agent. Good standing means nothing is overdue. “Delinquent”, “Not in good standing” or “Past due” means something is, usually an annual report or a fee, and the company is at risk of being dissolved if it isn’t fixed.
Active plus delinquent is common. It tells you the company exists today but has a problem it needs to cure.
Type and jurisdiction
Type tells you what kind of entity it is: LLC, corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited partnership and so on. Jurisdiction tells you where it was formed. “Domestic” means formed in the state you’re searching. “Foreign” means formed elsewhere and registered here, which is called foreign qualification. For a foreign company, the home state’s record is the one that shows whether it still exists.
Dates
The formation or filing date is when the record began. A “status date” or “last report” year shows how recently the company touched its record. A company formed years ago with no recent filings deserves a closer look.
Registered agent and addresses
The registered agent is where lawsuits and state notices are sent. A commercial agent’s name here tells you nothing about who owns the company. Principal and mailing addresses are where the company says it operates, and they can be out of date.
What the record doesn’t show
Most records don’t list the owners of an LLC, the company’s finances, its licenses, or lawsuits against it. A clean state record means the paperwork is current. It isn’t a verdict on the business.
Need proof, not a screenshot? Order a certificate of good standing from the state. That is the document banks and other states accept.
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