California · Secretary of State records · checked 18 Sep 2026
California business search: look up an LLC on bizfile Online or check a name
California LLC records are held by the Secretary of State's Business Programs Division and searched through bizfile Online. The search is free, shows a company's status, agent, managers and Statement of Information due date, and lets you download its filings as PDFs.
- Straight to the official California search
- Facts checked 18 Sep 2026, with sources
- Name check before you file
Picking a new name? Also check the domain and federal trademarks. The state search answers neither.
Checked 18 Sep 2026 against official California sources. See every source.
Using California’s business records
Searching bizfile Online
California's search is the bizfile Online Business Search. It is free and needs no account. A basic search by name (at least 3 characters) only returns active entities; use Advanced search to include cancelled, suspended or inactive LLCs, filter to 'All Limited Liability Companies', or use a 'starts with' match. Results stop at 500, so narrow the search if you hit the cap.
What the record and history give you
Each record shows the entity number, status, FTB and SOS standing, agent for service of process, addresses, the next Statement of Information due date, and manager/member names. View History lists every filing, and imaged filings download free as PDFs. Certified copies and Certificates of Status cost $5 each and require a bizfile login.
How the state compares LLC names
An LLC name is compared only with other LLC names, not with corporations, trademarks or county DBAs. Under 2 CCR 21004, adding or dropping LLC, changing capitalization, punctuation or spacing, or swapping '&' for 'and' does not make a name different. The business search is only a preliminary check; the final decision is made when your Articles are reviewed.
Holding a name: 60 days, not back-to-back
A reservation costs $10 and lasts 60 days. You can reserve the same name again, but not for consecutive periods: at least one day must pass between reservations (Corp. Code 17701.09). Reservations are filed online in bizfile.
Filing and what follows
Articles of Organization (LLC-1) cost $70 and are filed online. Expedites are $350 (24-hour) or $750 (same day). Within 90 days you owe a $20 Statement of Information, then one every two years. Separately, the Franchise Tax Board charges an $800 annual tax starting in the first year.
DBAs are a county filing
A fictitious business name is filed with the county clerk where the business is located, within 40 days of starting to use it. It must be published in a local newspaper within 45 days and expires after five years. The Secretary of State does not check LLC names against county DBAs.
California facts, with sources
| Fact | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Office | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division (Business Entities), 1500 11th Street, Sacramento. LLCs, corporations and LPs are on file here; fictitious business names are not (they are filed with the county). | sos.ca.gov |
| Search tool | bizfile Online Business Search. Free, no account needed. Basic search takes an entity name (at least 3 characters, 'contains' match) or entity number (drop the leading 'C' for corporations) and returns ACTIVE entities only. Advanced search adds 'starts with', entity type, status (including inactive/cancelled/suspended) and initial-filing-date filters. Results cap at 500. | bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov |
| Official search link | bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business (the page is a JavaScript app; the manual describing it is the source) | bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov |
| What a record shows | Entity name and number, formation/registration date, status, standing with FTB / SOS / agent / VCFCF, jurisdiction, street and mailing addresses, agent for service of process, Statement of Information due date, and officer/director/manager/member names and addresses. Result columns: Entity Information, Initial Filing Date, Status, Entity Type, Formed In, Agent. | sos.ca.gov |
| Filed documents | Free PDF copies of over 17 million imaged filings, downloadable from a record's View History. Certified copies $5 per document and Certificates of Status $5; ordering these requires a bizfile account. | sos.ca.gov |
| Name comparison scope | Checked only against the same entity type (an LLC name against other LLCs). Not checked against trademarks or fictitious business names. The Business Search is described as a preliminary search, not a formal name-availability search. | sos.ca.gov |
| Distinguishability rule | Names must be 'distinguishable in the records' and not 'likely to mislead the public' (Corp. Code 17701.08(b), SB 522, effective 1 Jan 2021). Under 2 CCR 21004, names are NOT distinguishable if they differ only by the entity identifier (LLC vs. Limited Liability Company), upper/lower case, punctuation, symbols or spaces, or '&' vs 'and'. SOS examples: 'Good Time Rest Home, LLC' = 'Goodtime Rest Home LLC'; but 'Got Ham LP' is acceptable against 'Gotham, LP'. | bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov |
| Misleading-name rule | 2 CCR 21003: a name is likely to mislead if it falsely implies government affiliation (e.g., words like Agency, Commission, Department, Bureau, Board with a place name), that it is an insurer, or that it is a different entity type. | bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov |
| Name reservation | $10. Holds the name 60 days. Can be reserved again by the same applicant, but not for consecutive 60-day periods - at least 1 day must pass between reservations (Corp. Code 17701.09(a)). Filed online in bizfile as 'Entity Name Reservation - Corporation, LLC, LP'. Reservations are transferable by signed notice (17701.09(b)). | sos.ca.gov |
| LLC formation filing | Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1): $70, listed as Online Only on the SOS fee page. | sos.ca.gov |
| Expedite options | Online or Sacramento drop-off: 24-hour $350, same-day $750 (must be received by 9:30 a.m.). Drop-off only: 4-hour $500 (document must be precleared first) and 24-hour preclearance $500. Drop-off filings add a $15 special handling fee. | sos.ca.gov |
| Processing (posted 18 Sep 2026) | SOS page 'last updated September 18, 2026': LLC formations submitted online are being reviewed from 09/16/2026, in person 09/14/2026, by mail 09/11/2026. Name reservations: online 09/17/2026, in person and mail 09/16/2026. | sos.ca.gov |
| Required designator | Must contain 'limited liability company', 'LLC' or 'L.L.C.'; 'Limited' may be abbreviated 'Ltd.' and 'Company' 'Co.' (Corp. Code 17701.08(a)). | leginfo.legislature.ca.gov |
| Prohibited words | An LLC name may not include 'bank', 'trust', 'trustee', 'incorporated', 'inc.', 'corporation', 'corp.', 'insurer', 'insurance company', or words suggesting it issues insurance policies (Corp. Code 17701.08(e)). Olympic-related words may need U.S. Olympic Committee permission. | leginfo.legislature.ca.gov |
| Fictitious business name (DBA) | Filed with the county clerk where the principal place of business is, not the SOS. Must be filed within 40 days of starting business (B&P 17910); published in a newspaper within 45 days of filing (B&P 17917); expires 5 years from filing (B&P 17920). Statutory base fee $10 for the first name and owner, $2 each additional (B&P 17929), subject to county fee setting under Gov. Code 54985. | leginfo.legislature.ca.gov |
| Statement of Information | Required by Corp. Code 17702.09; $20; due within 90 days of formation and every two years after, in a 6-month window ending with the formation month (e.g., formed in January: file August 1 - January 31). Filed online only. $250 penalty if not filed within 60 days of an SOS delinquency notice (Corp. Code 17713.07(b)). | sos.ca.gov |
| Annual LLC tax (FTB) | $800 annual tax for every LLC organized or doing business in California, due by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing with SOS (voucher FTB 3522), then yearly. The first-year exemption applied only to tax years beginning 2021 through 2023; it is not current. An additional LLC fee applies above $250,000 of California income. | ftb.ca.gov |
| Security change for filings | Effective 1 Aug 2026, bizfile 'User Access' is required to file a Statement of Information online; effective 1 Jul 2026, terminations must be filed online with Full Access to the entity. | sos.ca.gov |
Each fact checked 18 Sep 2026. Fees and processing times change; the linked source is the final word.
After the name: what California asks for next
Three checks the state search does not make
A name that is free in California may be taken online. Check the .com and the alternatives.
State registration is not a trademark. Search the USPTO database.
Registering elsewhere later means passing that state's name check too. Search any other state.
Frequently asked questions
Is the California business search free?
Yes. The bizfile Online Business Search is free and needs no account, and plain PDF copies of imaged filings download free. Certified copies and Certificates of Status are $5 each and require an account. Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
Why can't I find an LLC that I know exists?
A basic bizfile search returns active entities only. Use Advanced search and set Status to All (or to a specific status such as suspended or cancelled). Searches also cap at 500 results. Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
Does 'ABC LLC' count as different from 'ABC Limited Liability Company'?
No. Under 2 CCR 21004, names that differ only by the entity identifier, capitalization, punctuation, symbols, spaces, or '&' vs 'and' are not distinguishable. Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
How long can I reserve an LLC name in California?
60 days for $10. The same applicant can reserve it again, but not for back-to-back periods; at least one day must pass between reservations. Source: sos.ca.gov
Does an available LLC name mean no one else is using it?
No. The Secretary of State checks LLC names only against other LLCs of record or reserved. It does not check trademarks or county fictitious business names. Source: sos.ca.gov
How much does it cost to form an LLC in California?
The Articles of Organization fee is $70, filed online. A $20 Statement of Information is due within 90 days, and the Franchise Tax Board charges an $800 annual tax, first due by the 15th day of the 4th month after formation. Source: sos.ca.gov
Nearby states
Each state keeps its own records and its own name rules. Forming or registering next door? Search there too.
California
In California, the name isn't yours until the Articles are filed.
A reservation holds a name for 60 days and can't be renewed back to back. We form California LLCs for $123.75 plus the $70 state fee, exact total shown before you pay. Plan for the $800 yearly Franchise Tax Board tax from the first year.
Or call (954) 470-8356 — we pick up.