North Carolina · Secretary of State records · checked 18 Sep 2026
North Carolina business search: look up an LLC, its filings, or a DBA
The NC Secretary of State’s free search finds any LLC or corporation by name, SOSID, officer or registered agent, and lets you open its filed documents as PDFs. Looking for a DBA? Those are in a separate statewide index, covered below.
- Straight to the official North Carolina 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 North Carolina sources. See every source.
Using North Carolina’s business records
How to search NC business records
The Secretary of State’s search finds a company four ways: by name, by SOSID (the state’s ID number), by a company official, or by registered agent. For a name you only half remember, Any word casts the widest net. Exact is for confirming a specific entity. Each result shows the company’s status ("Current-Active", "Admin. Dissolved" and so on), its type, the date it was formed and its registered agent.
Getting a company’s articles
Open the result, choose View Filings, then View Filing (PDF) next to any document: the Articles of Organization, amendments, annual reports. You can download or print it. If you need a certified copy for a bank or a court, order it through an SOS account.
Searching a DBA (assumed business name)
North Carolina DBAs aren’t filed with the Secretary of State. They’re filed with a county Register of Deeds for $26, and one certificate can cover any or all of the state’s 100 counties. The SOS keeps a free statewide index of every filing made since 1 December 2017. For older DBAs, search the county. Two things to know: a DBA doesn’t need to be unique, and it doesn’t protect the name.
Is there an NC business license lookup?
Not a general one. North Carolina has no single state business license. More than 700 licenses are tied to specific activities, and cities and counties may add their own. To confirm a company legally exists, the SOS search above is the place.
Checking a name you want
The SOS ignores entity endings, "the/a/an", "and/or/of", punctuation, spaces, and numerals versus words when it compares names. Words like bank, trust, mutual and realtor need a regulator’s permission. Engineer, insurance, architect, CPA, pharmacy, surveyor, cooperative and wholesale need proof that you’re qualified. A reservation holds a name for 120 days and cannot be renewed.
North Carolina facts, with sources
| Fact | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Office | North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division | sosnc.gov |
| Search tool | Business Registration search: company name, SOSID, company officials or registered agent. Match types: starting with, all words, any word, exact. Results show status, SOSID, type, date formed and agent. | sosnc.gov |
| Official search link | sosnc.gov/online_services/search/by_title/_Business_Registration | sosnc.gov |
| Filed documents | Search result → View Filings → View Filing (PDF). Certified copies need an SOS account. | sosnc.gov |
| Reservation duration | 120 days, not renewable (G.S. 55D-23). Transfer by Form BE-04, $10. | ncleg.gov |
| LLC filing fee | $125 Articles of Organization. Expedite: +$100 within 24 hours · +$200 same day if received by noon ET. | sosnc.gov |
| Processing time | Entity creation 5–10 business days; the SOS says online is always faster | sosnc.gov |
| Required designators | Limited Liability Company, L.L.C., LLC, Ltd. Liability Co., Limited Liability Co., Ltd. Liability Company (G.S. 55D-20) | ncleg.gov |
| Words needing permission | Bank, Banker, Banking, Trust (Commissioner of Banks) · Mutual · Realtor (Real Estate Commission) | sosnc.gov |
| Words needing proof of qualification | Architect, Certified Public Accountant, Cooperative/Co-op, Engineer, Insurance, Pharmacy/Rx/Drug/Apothecary, Surveyor, Wholesale | sosnc.gov |
| Name standard | Distinguishable on SOS records. Ignored in the comparison: entity endings, articles, conjunctions, prepositions, punctuation, spaces, and a numeral in place of a word (18 NCAC 04 .0503). A dissolved LLC’s name is held 120 days (voluntary dissolution) or 5 years (administrative). | ncleg.gov |
| Annual report | $200, due April 15 every year | ncleg.gov |
| New from 1 Oct 2026 | LLCs more than 50% owned by deployed service members can move their annual report due date to 90 days after deployment ends, with the fee waived (S.L. 2026-59, G.S. 57D-2-26). | ncleg.gov |
| DBA (assumed business name) | Filed with the county Register of Deeds, not the SOS: $26 for up to 15 pages, and one filing can cover any or all 100 counties. | sosnc.gov |
| DBA search | SOS statewide index: sosnc.gov/online_services/assumed_name/search. Filings from 1 Dec 2017 on; older ones are at the county. The SOS says its index is not the official record. | sosnc.gov |
| State business license | NC has no single general business license: over 700 activity-based licenses, plus possible local ones | sosnc.gov |
Each fact checked 18 Sep 2026. Fees and processing times change; the linked source is the final word.
After the name: what North Carolina asks for next
Three checks the state search does not make
A name that is free in North Carolina 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 an NC SOS business search?
Use the Secretary of State’s Business Registration search. You can search by company name, SOSID, company official or registered agent. Each result shows status, type, date formed and registered agent. Source: sosnc.gov
How do I search a DBA in North Carolina?
Use the SOS Assumed Business Name search. It covers filings made on or after 1 December 2017. For older DBAs, search the county Register of Deeds where the certificate was filed. Source: sosnc.gov
How do I find a company’s articles of incorporation in NC?
Find the company in the SOS search, open its result, choose View Filings and then View Filing (PDF). Certified copies are ordered through an SOS account. Source: sosnc.gov
Is there a business license lookup in NC?
North Carolina has no single state business license, so there’s no single lookup. Licenses come from occupational boards, state agencies and some cities and counties. To confirm a company exists, use the SOS business search. Source: sosnc.gov
How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Carolina?
$125 for the Articles of Organization. Standard processing is 5–10 business days. Expedite costs $100 for 24-hour filing or $200 for same-day filing if received by noon ET. Source: sosnc.gov
How long is an NC name reservation good for?
120 days, and it cannot be renewed. It can be transferred to someone else with Form BE-04. Source: ncleg.gov
Nearby states
Each state keeps its own records and its own name rules. Forming or registering next door? Search there too.
North Carolina
Starting an NC LLC? Know the one date that never moves: April 15.
Every North Carolina LLC owes a $200 annual report by April 15, including the first year after formation. We form NC LLCs for $123.75 plus the state fee and send free reminders 60, 30 and 7 days before the deadline.
Or call (954) 470-8356 — we pick up.