North Carolina Business Entity Search
Find a registered business through North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration Division. Use the official link below, then check the search options and name rules for North Carolina.
Official website: www.sosnc.gov · Opens in a new tab
North Carolina search options and record coverage
North Carolina business-registration search locates entities by company name, SOS ID, registered agent, principal office, or other search fields exposed by the portal. Records show status, annual reports, registered office/agent, company officials, and documents. The online system supports formations, amendments, annual reports, agent changes, certificates, assumed names, and foreign qualifications.
Checking a business name in North Carolina
North Carolina requires corporation names to be distinguishable and to contain corporation, incorporated, company, limited, or an abbreviation; LLCs must use a permitted LLC designator. Capitalization, punctuation, spacing, and generic terms may not cure similarity. SOS acceptance is not trademark, assumed-name, professional, or local-license clearance.
North Carolina name reservations
North Carolina corporate name reservation costs $30.00; transfer is $10.00. The reservation period is governed by the current form/statute. Reservation protects filing priority only and does not clear trademarks, assumed names, or professional restrictions.
DBA, trade names, and fictitious names
North Carolina assumed business names are filed through the statewide assumed-name system with the Secretary of State; use https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration and the online search/forms. County-level assumed-name rules may also apply to unregistered businesses. A DBA does not create a separate entity.
What do you need after the search?
- Official proof of standing — find certificate fees and ordering instructions.
- A missed report or inactive registration — check deadlines and reinstatement rules.
- A new business registration — compare North Carolina formation and filing fees.