Missouri · Secretary of State records · checked 18 Sep 2026
Missouri business entity search: look up an LLC or check a name with the Secretary of State
The Missouri Secretary of State’s free Business Entity Search finds any LLC or corporation by name, registered agent or charter number, and has its own Name Availability mode. Open a record to see its contacts and view its filed documents online.
- Straight to the official Missouri 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 Missouri sources. See every source.
Using Missouri’s business records
How to search Missouri business records
The Secretary of State’s Business Entity Search has four modes: Business Name, Registered Agent, Charter No. and Name Availability. To look up a company, start with Business Name and Any Word. One trap: if you choose Exact Match, type the designator and punctuation exactly ("Acme Holdings, LLC"). For every other match type, the state advises leaving them out.
Viewing a company’s filings
Open the entity, then the Filings tab next to General Information. Images of filed documents, including Articles of Organization and amendments, can be viewed online. Paper copies are 50¢ a page. A certified copy is $10 online, and a Certificate of Good Standing is $10.
Name rules
A Missouri LLC name must end in LLC, L.L.C., LC, L.C., "limited company" or "limited liability company". Missouri also bans words that belong to other entity types: "corporation", "incorporated", the partnership terms and "Ltd.", which some other states allow. "Bank" and "trust company" are reserved for licensed institutions.
Holding a name
A reservation costs $25 and lasts 60 days. You can extend it twice, to 180 days in total. After that, you can never reserve the same name again, though you can still file with it if it’s available.
Fictitious names
Doing business under a name other than the LLC’s? Register it within five days of starting to use it. It costs $7 and lasts five years. Renew in the six months before it expires. Once it lapses, it can’t be renewed; you file a new one with a new charter number.
Online costs less
Missouri charges $50 to file Articles of Organization online and $105 on paper. The paperwork is identical; filing online simply saves you $55.
Missouri facts, with sources
| Fact | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division | sos.mo.gov |
| Search tool | Business Entity Search with four modes: Business Name, Registered Agent, Name Availability, Charter No. Match types: Starting With, All Words, Any Word, Exact Match (include "LLC" and punctuation for Exact). Can filter to active only. No login. | bsd.sos.mo.gov |
| Official search link | bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx | bsd.sos.mo.gov |
| Filed documents | Open the entity → Filings tab; images can be viewed online. Non-certified copies 50¢/page; certified $10 online; Certificate of Good Standing $10. | sos.mo.gov |
| Name reservation fee | $25 (statute $20 + $5 Technology Fund) | sos.mo.gov |
| Reservation duration | 60 days, extendable twice to 180 days total. After that, the same party can never reserve that name again, but can still file with it if it’s available (RSMo 347.025). | sos.mo.gov |
| LLC filing fee | $50 online (domestic) · $105 on paper. Card payments carry a small convenience fee the state doesn’t keep. Active-duty military in Missouri pay no filing fee. | sos.mo.gov |
| Required designators | "limited company", "limited liability company", LC, LLC, L.C., L.L.C. (RSMo 347.020) | revisor.mo.gov |
| Prohibited words | "corporation", "incorporated", "limited partnership", "limited liability partnership", "limited liability limited partnership", "Ltd." (or abbreviations). Nothing implying a government agency or a purpose outside the articles. | revisor.mo.gov |
| Bank / trust | "Bank" only for authorized banks; "trust company" only for authorized trust companies (RSMo 362.425) | revisor.mo.gov |
| Name standard | Distinguishable on the Secretary’s records from any registered, reserved or licensed entity, unless the holder consents or a court orders otherwise (RSMo 347.020(3)) | revisor.mo.gov |
| Annual report | None for Missouri LLCs | bsd.sos.mo.gov |
| Fictitious name | $7 to register; lasts 5 years; renew only in the 6 months before expiry. An expired one can’t be renewed, so you must re-register. Register within 5 days of starting to use the name. No exclusive right. | sos.mo.gov |
Each fact checked 18 Sep 2026. Fees and processing times change; the linked source is the final word.
After the name: what Missouri asks for next
Three checks the state search does not make
A name that is free in Missouri 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
How do I do a Missouri LLC lookup?
Use the Secretary of State’s Business Entity Search. It needs no login. Search by business name, registered agent or charter number, then open the entity to see its details, contacts and filings. Source: bsd.sos.mo.gov
Can I see Missouri articles of organization or incorporation online?
Yes. Open the entity in the business search and select the Filings tab. Images of filed documents can be viewed online. Certified copies are $10 online. Source: sos.mo.gov
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Missouri?
$50 if you file the Articles of Organization online, $105 on paper. Active-duty military members in Missouri pay no filing fee. Source: sos.mo.gov
How long can I reserve an LLC name in Missouri?
$25 holds a name for 60 days, and you can extend it twice, up to 180 days total. After 180 days you can’t reserve that name again. Source: sos.mo.gov
Can a Missouri LLC name include "Ltd."?
No. Missouri law bars "Ltd." and "corporation", "incorporated" and the partnership terms from LLC names. Source: revisor.mo.gov
Do I need to register a fictitious name in Missouri?
If your LLC does business under any name other than its registered one, yes: within five days of starting. It costs $7, lasts five years, and gives no exclusive right to the name. Source: sos.mo.gov
Nearby states
Each state keeps its own records and its own name rules. Forming or registering next door? Search there too.
Missouri
Name available? File it before someone else does.
A Missouri reservation holds a name for 60 days. Filing keeps it for as long as the LLC is active. We form Missouri LLCs for $123.75 plus the state fee, and every cost is shown before you pay.
Or call (954) 470-8356 — we pick up.