Find and Verify a Washington Business Record
Search a Washington LLC, corporation, partnership or nonprofit by business name or UBI, then confirm its legal identity, status, expiration date, registered agent, governors and filing history.
This guide also explains old records, annual-report deadlines, trade names, business licences, reinstatement, certificates and the exact official action to take after the lookup.
What Do You Need From the Washington Record?
Choose a task. The helper gives you the shortest path and prevents the common mistake of using the SOS entity search for a licence, trade name or tax question.
Find an LLC or corporation
- Search the distinctive part of the legal name.
- Compare UBI, type, status and jurisdiction.
- Open the exact business record.
- Review Filing History and the latest annual report.
*Processing can vary. Expedited and same-day services use separate priority queues.
Complete the Washington SOS Business Search
The public CCFS Corporation Search does not require a login. It accepts a business name or UBI and opens the entity’s public record.
Start with the legal or advertised name
Use the most distinctive words. Remove punctuation and endings such as LLC, PLLC, Inc., Corporation or LLP when an exact search returns nothing.
Use the UBI when available
A UBI is the fastest way to reach one exact Washington business record. Enter all nine digits without substituting an EIN, account ID or licence number.
Compare the result list
Match the business name, UBI, entity type, status and jurisdiction. Do not assume the first similar name is the company on your contract or invoice.
Open the business name
The selected record shows the core business information, registered agent details and other fields reported to the Secretary of State.
Check the expiration date and status together
A near or past expiration date can explain a delinquent status. Confirm whether an annual report was submitted but is still under review.
Open Filing History
Scroll to Filing History, choose View Documents beside a filing or notice, and open the document icon. File-stamped records and state notices can usually be viewed and printed.
Run the separate licence or trade-name check
Use Washington Department of Revenue Business Lookup when you need a business licence, tax account, reseller permit or trade-name record.
After choosing the correct search input and knowing what to compare, open the official CCFS search.
Use Advanced Search for Agents, Governors and Lists
Advanced Search is more useful than repeated name searches when you need a group of entities, a registered-agent connection or a downloadable research list.
| Advanced filter | What it helps find | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Business name match | Names using contains or another selected matching rule. | Build a list of businesses sharing a brand or core word. |
| Business type | A selected entity type such as LLC, corporation or partnership. | Remove unrelated entity structures from a broad search. |
| Business status | Businesses with a selected active or inactive status. | Research delinquent, dissolved or terminated entities. |
| Expiration date | Entities within a selected expiration period. | Compliance or renewal research. |
| Formation or registration dates | Businesses created or registered within a date range. | Market, historical or cohort analysis. |
| Registered agent | Businesses sharing an agent on record. | Agent portfolio or connection research; not proof of common ownership. |
| Governor | Businesses listing the same governing person or entity. | Officer, manager or governing-person research. |
| CSV export | A downloadable list generated from the selected parameters. | Sort and review multiple records in a spreadsheet. |
What the Washington Entity Search Does—and Does Not—Verify
A CCFS record confirms information filed with the Secretary of State. It is not a universal business licence, ownership, tax, complaint or financial database.
Use CCFS to check
- Registered legal business name
- Unified Business Identifier
- Entity type and current status
- Principal office addresses
- Expiration date
- Formation or registration date
- Jurisdiction and period of duration
- Registered agent and address
- Public filing history and notices
- Selected nonprofit and public-benefit fields
Do not treat it as proof of
- Current state or city business licence
- Trade-name registration
- Tax-account compliance
- Reseller-permit validity
- Professional or contractor licensing
- Complete beneficial ownership
- Insurance coverage
- Financial solvency or reputation
- Absence of liens or lawsuits
- Authority of the person requesting payment
Read a Washington Business Record in the Right Order
Use this order to identify the company first, understand its compliance second, and investigate filed evidence third.
| Record field | Meaning | Common mistake | Next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business name | The legal name currently filed with the Secretary of State. | Assuming a storefront or invoice trade name is the legal contracting party. | Use DOR Business Lookup to connect a trade name to the legal entity. |
| UBI number | A nine-digit identifier used across Washington agencies. | Confusing it with an EIN or a separate tax account ID. | Use the same UBI in SOS and DOR lookups. |
| Business type | The legal structure registered with the SOS. | Applying LLC rules to a corporation, nonprofit or partnership. | Use the entity-specific fee and compliance rule. |
| Business status | The entity’s current SOS registration condition. | Treating Active as proof of every licence and tax obligation. | Review status notices and DOR licence information. |
| Expiration date | The annual-report deadline tied to the last day of the original formation or registration month. | Assuming every entity uses the calendar year. | Confirm the report year and whether a submission is pending. |
| Jurisdiction | Washington for domestic entities or the home jurisdiction of a foreign entity. | Thinking “foreign” always means outside the United States. | Review the home-jurisdiction registry when needed. |
| Formation/registration date | When the domestic entity formed or the foreign entity registered in Washington. | Assuming uninterrupted operation since that date. | Look for inactive dates, dissolution and reinstatement filings. |
| Principal office | The street and mailing addresses reported for the business office. | Treating it as a customer location or registered-agent office. | Compare it with the latest annual report and DOR licence record. |
| Registered agent | The person or entity designated to receive service of process and official notices. | Assuming the agent owns or operates the company. | Review governors and filed documents for management context. |
| Nature of business | A broad description reported in the record. | Treating it as a professional licence or approved scope of work. | Use the responsible licensing agency. |
| Inactive date | The date associated with the record becoming inactive when applicable. | Assuming the entity permanently disappeared on that date. | Review reinstatement, requalification or historical records. |
Open Filing History and Read the Evidence
The summary record is useful, but a file-stamped annual report, amendment, notice or dissolution document often answers the real question.
Formation or registration
Shows how the entity entered the Washington registry and the information accepted at creation or foreign registration.
Initial report
Records principal-office information and governors during the first 120 days when not included with formation.
Annual report
Maintains active status and updates information during the filing window.
Amended annual report
Updates selected information outside the annual-report filing window but does not satisfy the yearly report requirement.
Agent or office change
Shows when registered-agent information changed and whether the current record matches older documents.
Status notice
Explains delinquency, administrative dissolution, termination or another compliance problem.
How to open a filed document
- Search the business name or UBI.
- Select the correct business name from the results.
- Scroll to Filing History.
- Select View Documents beside the filing or notice.
- Open the document icon in the popup.
- Save or print the file-stamped record when needed.
What the Washington Business Status Means
Use the status and the newest notice together. Deadlines differ for domestic and foreign entities.
| Status | Plain-English meaning | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Active | The entity’s SOS registration is active. | Still verify the annual-report expiration, DOR licence and activity-specific licences. |
| Delinquent | The entity failed to file its annual report by the expiration date. | Domestic entities generally have 120 days from notice; foreign entities generally have 90 days to file the past-due report. |
| Administratively Dissolved | A domestic entity failed to remain compliant after the delinquency period. | Eligible entities may seek reinstatement within five years of the dissolution date. |
| Terminated | A foreign entity’s Washington registration ended after noncompliance. | Use requalification; foreign nonprofit requalification may require mail filing. |
| Voluntarily Dissolved | A domestic entity voluntarily closed its Washington registration. | Review the effective date. The filing generally cannot be reversed after 120 days. |
| Withdrawn | A foreign entity voluntarily closed its Washington registration. | Review the effective date and whether a later registration exists. |
| Inactive | The entity is still recognised in the record but is not currently in good standing. | Open the notice in Filing History to identify missing reports, fees or another issue. |
No Result? Use This Washington Search-Recovery Order
A missing live result can be caused by name wording, a trade name, the wrong agency or an older inactive record.
After trying the live search and confirming the business is older and inactive, use Washington Digital Archives.
Understand the Washington UBI Number
The Unified Business Identifier is a nine-digit number used across Washington agencies. It helps connect the legal entity, business licence and tax records without making those systems identical.
Use a UBI to
- Open an exact SOS entity record
- Look up a DOR business licence
- Reference annual reports and amendments
- Track state business accounts
- Connect a trade name to the licensed business
- Communicate clearly with state support
Do not confuse it with
- Federal Employer Identification Number
- Secretary of State filing number for a specific document
- DOR account ID shown in private correspondence
- Contractor or professional licence number
- Reseller-permit number
- City endorsement number
Check the Washington Annual Report Deadline and Fee
The report is due by the last day of the month in which the entity originally formed or registered. Filing early does not move next year’s expiration date.
Annual report due January 31. Earliest filing date is August 1 of the prior year.
Annual report due June 30. Earliest filing date is January 1.
Annual report due December 31. Earliest filing date is July 1.
| Entity/report type | Current standard fee | Late or special amount |
|---|---|---|
| Profit entity, including LLC | $70 annual report | $95 with delinquency fee |
| Nonprofit corporation under RCW 24.03A | $60 default or $20 reduced with required certification | Verify the entity-specific filing screen |
| Nonprofit miscellaneous/mutual or corporation sole | $10 | Verify current instructions |
| Initial report filed separately | $10 plus online processing when applicable | Due within the first 120 days |
| Amended annual report | $10 | Does not satisfy the yearly annual-report requirement |
Annual-report rules that prevent expensive mistakes
- File up to 180 days before the expiration date.
- The SOS sends courtesy mail and email notices about 60 days before expiration.
- Failure to receive a notice does not remove the filing duty.
- A report submitted on time is honoured even if the review finishes later.
- Do not select a future effective date unless you understand the consequence; the report may not appear on the public record immediately.
- An amended annual report updates information but does not replace the required yearly report.
- Payments to the SOS are generally non-refundable.
After confirming the entity, expiration month and report year, use the official filing guidance.
Check the Registered Agent Without Mistaking Them for the Owner
The registered agent receives legal process, notices and demands. The agent can be connected to many unrelated businesses and is not automatic ownership proof.
Washington agent requirements
- A physical street address in Washington is required.
- PO boxes, PMBs and virtual “real addresses” are not accepted for the physical agent address.
- The agent must consent to serve.
- A commercial or noncommercial registered agent may be selected.
- A commercial-agent list is available in CCFS.
- Changing the registered agent or office has no standard filing fee.
The agent record does not prove
- Ownership of the LLC or corporation
- Authority to receive customer payments
- Day-to-day management
- Professional licensing
- Principal business location
- Common ownership of all entities using the same agent
Check Whether a Washington Business Name Is Available
The public search is a preliminary screen. SOS staff make the name-availability determination when processing a formation, registration or amendment.
Search these variations
- Full proposed legal name
- Core wording without LLC or Inc.
- Singular and plural forms
- Spelling, spacing and abbreviation variants
- Names containing the same distinctive phrase
- Washington trade names in DOR Business Lookup
- State and federal trademarks
Do not assume
- No exact result guarantees acceptance
- Entity formation grants trademark rights
- A trade name creates a separate entity
- A domain purchase reserves the legal name
- A registered name proves the business licence is active
- A name reservation forms the business
180-day domestic name reservation
Washington permits a domestic entity applicant to reserve a name for exclusive use for 180 days. The reservation expires and cannot be renewed. The standard LLC and profit-entity fee is $30; nonprofit reservation fees can differ. The filing is not available online.
Return a Delinquent or Dissolved Business to Active Status
The correct path depends on whether the entity is domestic or foreign and whether it is delinquent, administratively dissolved or terminated.
| Current status | Time rule | Likely action | Typical core fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic delinquent | 120 days from notice before administrative dissolution | File the past-due annual report and required fee | Profit report with delinquency: $95 |
| Foreign delinquent | 90 days from notice before termination | File the past-due annual report | Entity-specific report and delinquency fee |
| Administratively dissolved | Reinstatement may be filed within five years | Reinstate and file missed reports | Profit/LLC: $140 plus missed reports |
| Terminated foreign entity | Use the applicable requalification procedure | Requalify the foreign registration | Verify entity-specific filing |
| Voluntarily dissolved or withdrawn | Generally not reversible after 120 days from effective date | Review closure rules and whether a new filing is required | Depends on the new action |
Before submitting reinstatement
- Open every notice in Filing History.
- Identify each missed annual report year.
- Confirm whether the business name is still available.
- Prepare the reinstatement fee and every missed report fee.
- Check DOR licence and tax accounts separately.
- Do not assume submitting the filing instantly changes the public status.
- Recheck the public record after the filing is accepted.
Order the Right Certificate or Certified Copy
Ask the bank, lender, agency or transaction partner what it needs. A public record printout, Certificate of Existence and certified filing serve different purposes.
| Need | Document | What it shows | Current fee signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read public information | CCFS entity record and filing image | Public record fields and file-stamped documents | Free to view and print |
| Show active existence | Certificate of Existence, short form | Electronic certificate for the UBI entered | Express PDF: $20 |
| Show existence with more record detail | Certificate of Existence, long form | Expanded existence information | $20 standard certificate fee |
| Certify a particular filed event | Certificate of Fact | A fact on record such as a name change or merger | $20 |
| Official copy of a filing | Certified copy | Certification of the selected filed document | Depends on certification and pages |
After confirming the exact document, use the official certificate and certified-copy service.
Use DOR for Business Licences, Trade Names and Reseller Permits
Washington splits legal-entity records and operating-licence records. The UBI helps connect them, but the SOS and DOR searches answer different questions.
Know the Main SOS Fees Before You Pay
The government filing fee and optional priority fee are separate. All payments are in U.S. dollars and SOS payments are generally non-refundable.
LLC or profit entity formation
Standard original filing fee before applicable online processing or priority charges.
Profit annual report
Current annual-report fee for profit entities, including LLCs.
Delinquent profit report
Annual report including the delinquency fee.
Profit or LLC reinstatement
Core reinstatement fee plus every missed annual report and related fee.
Expedited service
Per entity; generally processed within three working days.
Same-day service
Per entity, subject to submission location and cutoff rules.
Contact Washington Corporations & Charities With a Useful Question
Prepare the UBI, status, expiration date and document details before calling. The division can explain filing procedures but cannot provide legal advice.
Prepare before contacting support
- Exact legal or advertised name
- Nine-digit UBI
- Business type and jurisdiction
- Current status and expiration date
- Filing or document name
- Submission date and payment method
- Notice or filing-history document
- Error message with sensitive data removed
- The exact action you need to complete
Final Verification Checklist
Complete this check before signing, paying, filing or representing that a Washington business is properly identified.
Washington SOS Business Search FAQs
Is the Washington SOS business search free?
Yes. The public CCFS Corporation Search and available public filing documents can be accessed without a login. Filing reports, ordering certificates or submitting business documents can require fees.
What is a Washington UBI number?
A UBI is a nine-digit Unified Business Identifier used across Washington agencies. It is not the same as a federal EIN, professional licence number or private tax account ID.
Can I search Washington businesses by registered agent?
Yes. Use Advanced Corporation Search to search by registered agent or governor. A shared agent does not prove the businesses share owners or management.
What does Delinquent mean in the Washington business search?
Delinquent generally means the entity did not file its annual report by the expiration date. Domestic entities generally receive a 120-day correction period before administrative dissolution, while foreign entities generally receive 90 days before termination.
When is a Washington LLC annual report due?
It is due by the last day of the month in which the LLC originally formed or registered. The report can be filed up to 180 days early, and early filing does not change the expiration month.
How do I find a Washington company that has been inactive for many years?
Inactive records older than 10 years are no longer retained in the live CCFS online system. Search Washington State Archives Digital Archives for the historical corporation record.
Is the SOS entity search the same as Washington Business Lookup?
No. CCFS covers legal entities and Secretary of State filings. Washington Department of Revenue Business Lookup covers business licences, tax accounts, reseller permits and registered trade names.
Can the Washington business search show the owner of an LLC?
The record and filings may show governors, members, managers or other reported roles, but they may not provide complete or current beneficial-ownership proof. The registered agent is not automatically an owner.
Does an empty search mean a Washington business name is available?
No. The public search is a preliminary screen. Search similar legal names, trade names and trademarks. SOS staff determine name availability when processing the actual filing.
How do I order a Washington Certificate of Existence?
Confirm the business name and UBI, decide whether a short-form or long-form Certificate of Existence is required, and use the official certificate-order process. The Express PDF short-form certificate is currently listed at $20.
Freshness note: Washington fees, interfaces, processing times and filing rules can change. The guide reflects official Washington SOS and DOR information checked on July 23, 2026. Verify the final fee, deadline and filing option on the linked government page before submitting payment.