Find and Verify a Hawaiʻi Business Record
Search a Hawaiʻi LLC, corporation, nonprofit, partnership or trade name, then confirm its file number, status, registration date, registered agent, people and filing documents before relying on the record.
This guide also separates entity registration from professional licenses, GET licenses and complaint records, and explains annual reports, good-standing certificates, reinstatement, name reservations and the new 2026 BREG portal.
Important 2026 portal transition
Hawaiʻi BREG’s old online system went offline at 5:00 p.m. HST on July 2, 2026, and the new portal went live at 12:01 a.m. HST on July 6, 2026. Existing usernames and passwords remain valid, pending filings stay in queue, fees did not change, and paper filings are still accepted. Expedited processing is temporarily unavailable, even though older fee pages may still display expedited charges.
What Are You Trying to Find or File?
Choose the task before opening a state page. Hawaiʻi uses different systems for entity records, professional licenses, tax licenses, annual reports, document orders and bulk business lists.
Find one LLC or corporation
- Search the distinctive part of the legal or advertised name.
- Use the broader Contains option when the first word is uncertain.
- Compare file number, entity type, status and registration date.
- Open the record and inspect people, filings and previous names.
Hawaiʻi Does Not Use a Secretary of State for Business Registration
“Hawaii SOS business search” is a common search phrase, but it is not the official agency name. Hawaiʻi business entities are registered and maintained by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division.
Use DCCA BREG for
- LLC and corporation searches
- Partnership and nonprofit records
- Trade names, trademarks and service marks
- Annual business reports
- Registered-agent changes
- Reinstatement filings
- Certificates of Good Standing
- Copies and certified copies
Do not treat “Secretary of State” wording as official
DCCA has warned that deceptive certificate solicitations may refer to a “Hawaii Secretary of State” or offer a “Certificate of Status.” Hawaiʻi BREG issues a Certificate of Good Standing, also called a Certificate of Compliance in the fee schedules. It does not issue the misleadingly named document promoted in those mailers.
Complete the Hawaiʻi Business Entity Search Step by Step
Use this workflow to locate the correct record and avoid confusing a trade name, expired name registration or similarly named company with the legal entity on a contract.
Identify the most reliable name
Start with the legal name from a contract, tax document, invoice footer or official filing. An advertised brand may be a trade name rather than the registered entity name.
Search distinctive wording first
For “Pacific Island Property Management LLC,” start with “Pacific Island Property.” Remove commas, apostrophes, periods and the LLC or Inc. ending when the full name fails.
Choose a broad or narrow name match
Use Begins With when the first words are reliable. Use Contains when the business may have extra wording before the term you know or when you are searching a distinctive word in the middle of the name.
Compare the result list
Do not open the first familiar name automatically. Compare the file number, entity type, status and registration date, especially when multiple entities share a family name or brand word.
Open the complete entity record
Review the master/legal name, business type, file number, status, registration date and any previous or other names. The available fields vary by entity and filing history.
Review people and addresses carefully
Check the registered agent, principal or mailing address, and reported officers, directors, members, managers or partners. A role appearing in a filing is not automatic proof of ownership.
Open filing documents before relying on the summary
Use the filings/forms/document tabs to review annual reports, amendments, formation documents, agent changes, dissolutions or reinstatements. The newest filing often explains a mismatch.
After selecting the search wording and verification order above, use the current state search-and-buy page.
Use Begins With and Contains Without Missing the Record
The portal layout changed in July 2026, so button locations may move. The practical search logic remains the same: start narrowly enough to reduce noise, then broaden the search when the legal beginning is uncertain.
Begins With
Use this when you know the first words of the legal name. Searching “Aloha Solar” can find “Aloha Solar Services LLC” while excluding entities that mention the phrase only later.
Contains
Use this when the known phrase may appear anywhere in the name, when a parent-company word may come first, or when you only know one distinctive word.
Read a Hawaiʻi Entity Profile in the Right Order
The profile is useful for legal identity and filing history. Read it in a consistent order so a mailing address, trade name or professional-agent record is not mistaken for ownership proof.
| Profile field | What it tells you | Common mistake | Useful next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master/legal name | The registered entity name used in BREG records. | Using a storefront name as the legal contracting party. | Review previous names and trade-name registrations. |
| File number | The state identifier assigned to the registration record. | Confusing it with an EIN, GET license number or professional-license number. | Use it when filing reports, ordering documents or contacting BREG. |
| Business type | LLC, corporation, nonprofit, partnership, trade name or another registration type. | Applying LLC fees and deadlines to every record. | Use the entity-specific form and fee schedule. |
| Status/standing | The current registry condition shown by BREG. | Treating good standing as proof of every license, tax account or consumer claim. | Review annual reports, recent filings and separate license systems. |
| Registration date | The date associated with the registration or filing record. | Assuming the business operated continuously from that date. | Look for termination, dissolution, withdrawal or reinstatement filings. |
| Registered agent | The person or entity designated to receive service of process and notices. | Assuming the agent is the owner or customer-facing office. | Read reported members, managers, officers or directors. |
| People and titles | Publicly filed roles such as officer, director, member, manager or partner. | Treating the list as complete beneficial-ownership proof. | Open the latest annual report and internal documents when ownership proof is required. |
| Other/previous names | Names associated with the entity or separately registered trade names. | Assuming a similar name automatically belongs to the same entity. | Compare file numbers and the trade-name registrant. |
| Available documents | Formation, amendment, annual-report and other documents available for viewing or purchase. | Relying only on the top-level summary. | Open the newest record-changing filing. |
Use the Entity Record Tabs in a Practical Order
The exact layout can change as the new portal is refined, but the useful record actions remain the same. Open the summary first, then use people, filing and document areas to answer a specific question.
Entity summary
Confirm the master name, file number, entity type, status and registration date before reviewing anything else.
People and agent
Review the registered agent and reported officers, directors, members, managers or partners without assuming every person is an owner.
Filing history
Open the newest annual report, amendment, agent change, dissolution, conversion, merger or reinstatement.
Forms
Use the forms area only after identifying the entity type and exact action; one form does not work for every structure.
Buy Available Docs
Choose a regular copy, certified copy or Certificate of Good Standing only after confirming what the receiving party requires.
What the BREG Record Includes—and What It Does Not Prove
A BREG record confirms public business-registration information. It is not a complete due-diligence report and does not replace license, tax, complaint or contract verification.
Usually available from BREG
- Registered business or trade name
- File number
- Entity type
- Status or standing
- Registration date
- Registered agent
- Reported people and titles
- Previous or associated names
- Annual-report and filing documents
- Forms and document-order options
Not established by the entity profile
- Federal EIN
- General Excise Tax license status
- Professional or vocational license status
- Complete beneficial ownership
- Insurance coverage
- Consumer complaint history
- Financial condition or creditworthiness
- Authority of the person contacting you
- Absence of lawsuits, liens or judgments
- Every sole proprietorship or unregistered trade name
Verify a Hawaiʻi Business Before You Pay or Sign
Use the entity record to identify the legal party, then complete the separate checks that apply to the transaction.
Match these details
- Legal entity name on the agreement
- File number
- Entity type and registration date
- Current status
- Registered agent and business addresses
- Newest annual report or amendment
- Trade-name connection when a brand is used
- Professional license when the work is regulated
- GET license when tax registration matters
- Payment recipient and bank-account name
Pause when you find this
- The invoice name has no link to the registered entity
- The file number belongs to a different business
- The entity is terminated but claims current good standing
- A contractor or professional license is missing
- The payment recipient is an unrelated person or company
- The address differs from recent filings without explanation
- A certificate is offered under unofficial terminology
- The representative will not identify the legal contracting party
Worked example: the brand name is not the legal entity
“Island Roof Rescue”
No company has that exact legal name.
The trade name identifies “IRR Construction LLC.”
Search IRR Construction LLC, then verify contractor licensing and the payment recipient.
No Result? Use This Hawaiʻi Search-Recovery Order
Work through these checks before deciding that a company is not registered.
Entity Search, Business License Search or GET License Search?
The phrase “Hawaii Secretary of State business license search” combines several different tasks. Choose the database that answers the actual question.
Understand Hawaiʻi Annual-Report Due Dates and Fees
Hawaiʻi uses the quarter containing the entity’s registration anniversary—not one statewide April deadline. A business formed in the current year does not file an annual report for that same year.
File during the first quarter.
File during the second quarter.
File during the third quarter.
File during the fourth quarter.
| Entity category | 2026 online fee | Older form/fee schedule | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLCs, profit corporations and LLPs | $12.50 | $15 filing fee | Use the live portal total for online filing. |
| Nonprofit corporations | $2.50 | $5 filing fee | A charitable organization may also have separate Attorney General obligations. |
| General and limited partnerships | $5 | $5 filing fee | Confirm whether the filing is called an annual report or annual statement for that entity. |
| Delinquent report | Base fee plus $10 per delinquent year | Entity-specific base fee | Repeated delinquency can affect good standing and may lead to termination or dissolution. |
Use the current 2026 online amount
BREG’s July 2026 notice lists $12.50 for LLCs, profit corporations and LLPs; $2.50 for nonprofit corporations; and $5 for partnerships.
Why older PDFs show different amounts
The downloadable fee schedule lists standard filing amounts such as $15 for LLC/profit-corporation reports and $5 for nonprofit reports. Online portal charges can be lower, so confirm the final checkout total.
Prepare before opening the annual-report filing
- Exact legal name and file number
- Registration anniversary quarter
- Current principal and mailing addresses
- Registered-agent name and physical Hawaiʻi address
- Officers, directors, members, managers or partners requested for the entity type
- Payment method for the online charge
- Any prior delinquent years and late fees
File and verify completion
- Search the entity and confirm the file number.
- Open the Manage/Annual Report area in the new portal.
- Confirm the report year and entity.
- Review the pre-populated information.
- Update permitted fields carefully.
- Review the online fee and any delinquency charge.
- Submit and save the receipt or confirmation.
- Recheck the public entity profile after processing.
If the portal will not accept the report
Use the New July 2026 Hawaiʻi Business Registration Portal
The transition changes where users file and order documents, but it did not change filing fees or invalidate existing accounts.
What stayed the same
- Existing usernames and passwords remain valid
- Pending filings remain pending
- Filing fees did not change because of the migration
- Paper filings remain accepted
- Payment methods remain available
- The date received can be the filing/effective date when the form is acceptable
What users must watch
- Old bookmarks may point to retired Hawaii Business Express screens
- Expedited processing is temporarily unavailable
- Some additional online forms will be added later
- Email, mail and fax filings may take longer
- Old screenshots may not match the new navigation
- Pending filings are processed in received order
Prepare a paper, email or fax filing
- Use the current fillable BREG form for the entity and action.
- Type or print the information clearly and sign in black ink.
- Use standard 8.5 × 11-inch pages.
- Type the signer’s name below a signature that is not clearly legible.
- Include a short memo with contact information and an email address.
- Include exact payment information required for the submission channel.
- Keep a complete copy and proof of transmission.
Understand Good Standing, Delinquency and Reinstatement
Status labels can vary by entity and filing history. Always open the underlying annual report, termination, dissolution, withdrawal or reinstatement document before deciding what happened.
Active / Good Standing
The entity appears registered and compliant with the BREG filing requirements reflected by the current record.
Continue separate license checksDelinquent / Not in Good Standing
One or more annual reports, statements or other requirements may be overdue. Read the filing history and determine which year is missing.
File overdue reportsAdministratively Terminated or Involuntarily Dissolved
The entity has moved beyond ordinary delinquency. A reinstatement filing and outstanding reports or fees may be required.
Do not rely on an old active recordDissolved / Terminated / Cancelled
The business filed or completed an ending process. Check for a later revocation of dissolution, reinstatement, conversion or merger.
Follow the later recordWithdrawn
A foreign entity may have ended its authority to transact business in Hawaiʻi. Check for a later authority filing or its home-state record.
Foreign-entity issueConverted / Merged
The original record may no longer be the surviving entity or type. Open the conversion or merger document and identify the resulting record.
Use the survivor’s file numberWhat Form X-4 requires before reinstatement
Form X-4 is used for eligible domestic entities that were involuntarily dissolved, cancelled, revoked or administratively terminated. It is not a general amendment form.
- Search the entity and copy the exact master name and file number.
- Record the date of the involuntary dissolution, cancellation, revocation or administrative termination.
- List and prepare every delinquent annual report or statement year.
- Obtain the required Hawaiʻi Department of Taxation certificate or other writing showing taxes are paid, a payment arrangement exists, or the liability is being contested through an administrative or judicial appeal.
- Calculate all delinquent filing fees, $10-per-year late penalties and other costs.
- Choose the correct entity type on X-4; an LLP filing also requires the general-partnership selection and associated fee.
- Sign the current form and include every required attachment.
- Submit through the new portal when available or an accepted email, mail, fax or in-person channel.
- Keep the receipt and recheck the public status after acceptance.
| Domestic entity type | X-4 filing fee shown on current form | Additional items |
|---|---|---|
| Profit corporation | $25 | Delinquent reports, penalties, tax documentation and other costs. |
| Nonprofit corporation | $10 | Delinquent reports or statements and related charges. |
| General or limited partnership | $10 | Use the exact partnership type and attach delinquent statements. |
| LLP | $25 | The form notes that General Partnership must also be selected and a $10 fee paid. |
| LLLP | $10 | Add required delinquent filings and penalties. |
| LLC | $25 | Add overdue reports, penalties, tax documentation and other costs. |
Order the Correct Certificate, Copy or Certified Copy
Ask the bank, lender, licensing board or transaction partner exactly which document it requires. A free public profile and an official certificate are not interchangeable.
Public entity profile
Use for a free preliminary identity and status check.
Regular filing copy
Use to read an annual report, formation document, amendment or termination filing.
Certified copy
Use when the requester needs BREG certification of a particular filing.
Certificate of Good Standing
Use when official proof of registration and statutory filing compliance is required.
Forms tab
Use to find forms associated with the selected entity or registration type.
Buy Available Docs
Use the entity record’s purchase area to select available documents.
Current fee guidance
- Certificate of Good Standing: $5 state fee.
- Certified copy certification: add $10.
- BREG’s FAQ currently describes regular copies as a $3 flat rate.
- An older fee schedule lists reproduction at $0.25 per page.
- A $1 State Archives preservation fee applies to permanent records where required.
- Expedited handling is temporarily unavailable during the 2026 portal transition.
Check Business-Name Availability, Reservations and Trade Names
Entity names, reserved names and trade names solve different problems. A database result is only a screening step; BREG makes the filing decision.
Before proposing an entity name
- Search the complete proposed name
- Search the distinctive wording without LLC or Inc.
- Try Begins With and Contains
- Search singular, plural and abbreviated versions
- Search related trade names
- Check federal trademark records when branding matters
- Wait for BREG’s filing or reservation response
Do not assume this
- No result guarantees acceptance
- A reservation forms an LLC or corporation
- A trade-name registration creates a separate entity
- State registration grants federal trademark rights
- Registration proves first use or ownership of a trade name
- A domain purchase establishes legal availability
120-day entity-name reservation
An approved entity-name reservation lasts 120 days. The standard reservation fee shown in BREG schedules is $10. Form X-1 is the common reservation form. The proposed name must include the entity wording required for the selected structure, such as LLC or Corporation.
Trade name or DBA registration
A trade name is a name used to conduct business that differs from the person’s legal name or registered entity name. Form T-1 is used to register a trade name, and the listed filing fee is $50, plus the State Archives fee when applicable.
- Trade-name registration does not itself grant ownership.
- Ownership generally depends on adoption and bona fide use in the ordinary course of trade.
- BREG checks for substantially identical registrations, not every unregistered use in Hawaiʻi.
- Another user can still challenge a confusingly similar name.
- A trade-name registration is valid for five years while the applicant continues actual use in Hawaiʻi.
- A renewal can be filed within the six months before the current term expires.
- Form T-1 is not used to create a corporation, partnership or LLC.
- BREG does not promise to send an expiration reminder.
Prepare Form T-1 before opening the filing
- Choose new registration or renewal; a renewal needs the existing certificate number.
- Enter the complete trade name exactly as it is used.
- Identify the applicant as an individual or entity.
- For an entity applicant, provide its entity type, formation jurisdiction and Hawaiʻi file number when registered here.
- Provide the applicant’s complete business address.
- State whether the applicant originated the name or received it by assignment.
- Describe the nature of the business conducted under the name.
- Use the authorized signer for the applicant’s structure and sign legibly.
Choose the Correct Hawaiʻi BREG Form and Prepare It Properly
Official form numbers matter. Use the form for the entity and action you are actually completing rather than editing an annual report or formation document to solve the wrong problem.
Form a domestic LLC
Articles of Organization. Listed filing fee: $50, plus the $1 archive fee where applicable.
Register a foreign LLC
Application for Certificate of Authority. Listed filing fee: $50, plus applicable archive charges.
Form a profit corporation
Articles of Incorporation. Listed filing fee: $50.
Form a nonprofit corporation
Articles of Incorporation. Listed filing fee: $25. Charitable registration may be separate.
Reserve an entity name
Application for Reservation of Name. Listed fee: $10; approved reservation lasts 120 days.
Register a trade name
Listed filing fee: $50. Registration does not by itself establish ownership.
Apply for reinstatement
Used for eligible administratively terminated entities. The fee depends on the entity type.
Change the registered agent
Statement of Change of Registered Agent. Listed filing fee is commonly $25.
Paper-form rejection prevention
- Use the newest fillable PDF from the entity’s form page.
- Enter complete legal names rather than abbreviations used only for advertising.
- Use a physical Hawaiʻi address when the registered-agent requirement calls for one.
- Keep pages standard letter size.
- Sign in black ink.
- Type the signer’s name below an unclear signature.
- Use the exact payment amount.
- Include contact information and an email address.
- Retain the sent form, receipt and transmission proof.
What the Official Hawaiʻi Forms Reveal Before You File
The downloadable instructions contain details that are easy to miss on a portal screen. Use these requirements to prepare the right information before beginning a filing.
DC-1 corporation formation
The instructions require the exact corporate name, authorized shares, principal and mailing addresses, registered-agent information and at least one incorporator. Officer/director details and the corporate purpose can be optional in the articles but are required in the annual report.
T-1 trade-name registration
The application separates an individual applicant from an entity applicant, asks whether the applicant originated or received the name by assignment, and requires the business activity. The registration lasts five years but does not itself create ownership.
X-4 reinstatement
The form requires the status-ending date, delinquent report years, Hawaiʻi tax documentation and payment of all delinquent fees, penalties and other costs—not only the reinstatement filing fee.
Public-record and privacy warning
Paper and attachment standards repeated across current forms
- Type or print legibly in black ink.
- Use 8.5 × 11-inch white paper and single-sided attachments when the instructions require it.
- Use the authorized signer for the entity type.
- Type the signer’s name when the signature is not clearly legible.
- Include the correct nonrefundable fee and any permitted optional copy charge.
- Keep the complete submission, receipt and delivery confirmation.
Build a Hawaiʻi Business List by ZIP Code or Entity Type
The Business Entity List Builder is different from a one-company search. It is designed for customized lists that can include addresses, officers, trade names, trademarks and service marks.
Use the builder when you need
- Businesses in a specific ZIP code
- A selected entity category
- Addresses and reported people
- Associated trade names or marks
- A purchased research or outreach list
Do not buy a list when one free public entity profile answers the question.
Contact BREG With a Useful Search or Filing Question
Support is more effective when you provide the exact record, filing channel and problem rather than asking only why a business cannot be found.
Prepare before calling
- Exact legal or advertised name
- File number, if known
- Entity type and status shown
- Begins With/Contains searches already attempted
- Filing form number
- Submission date and channel
- Receipt, transaction or confirmation number
- Error message or rejection memo
- The exact outcome you need
Final Hawaiʻi Business Verification Checklist
Complete the applicable checks before signing, paying, filing or presenting a business as verified.
Hawaiʻi Business Search FAQs
Does Hawaiʻi have a Secretary of State business search?
Not under that agency name. Hawaiʻi business entities are registered and searched through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division. “Hawaii SOS business search” is a common search phrase, but DCCA BREG is the correct official source.
Is the Hawaiʻi business entity search free?
Yes. Searching and viewing basic public entity information is free. Fees apply when ordering certificates or copies, filing documents, submitting annual reports or purchasing a customized entity list.
Should I use Begins With or Contains?
Use Begins With when you know the first words of the legal name. Use Contains when the known phrase may appear later in the name or when the full beginning is uncertain. Remove punctuation and entity endings when a search returns no result.
Why can’t I find a Hawaiʻi LLC?
The name may be misspelled, registered under a longer legal name, changed, associated with a trade name, or still pending. Search fewer distinctive words, switch to Contains, remove LLC and punctuation, search previous or trade names, and use the file number when available.
Does a good-standing record prove a business is licensed?
No. BREG standing concerns the business-registration record. Professional and vocational licenses, GET licenses and complaint histories are checked in separate DCCA or Department of Taxation systems.
When is a Hawaiʻi annual report due?
The deadline is the last day of the quarter containing the registration anniversary: March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31. An entity registered during the current year is not required to file an annual report for that same year.
How much is a Hawaiʻi LLC annual report?
BREG’s 2026 online notices list $12.50 for LLCs, profit corporations and LLPs. The older form fee schedule lists a $15 standard filing fee. Use the live online filing total, and add $10 for each delinquent year when applicable.
How much is a Hawaiʻi Certificate of Good Standing?
The official BREG fee is $5. Be cautious of high-priced mailers offering a “Certificate of Status” or “Certificate of Standing,” because those are not BREG’s official document names.
Does registering a Hawaiʻi trade name give me ownership?
No. BREG explains that trade-name ownership generally comes from first and continuous use in the marketplace. Registration provides public notice but does not prevent every ownership or infringement dispute.
Can I still file by mail, email or fax after the July 2026 portal change?
Yes. BREG says paper filings remain accepted by email, mail, fax and in person. The date received can be the effective date when the form is acceptable, but non-portal channels may take longer. Expedited processing is temporarily unavailable.
Source and freshness note: portal-transition details, public-search guidance, contact information, annual-report rules, live online charges, fee schedules, current forms and solicitation warnings were checked against official Hawaiʻi DCCA/BREG sources on August 4, 2026. The new portal is still being expanded, and older fee pages may continue to show expedited options that are temporarily unavailable. Confirm the final screen and amount before submitting payment.