Information Requests
Online Searches
- California Business Search: Free online access to corporate, limited liability company and limited partnership information. Available information includes the complete entity name, entity number, formation, registration or conversion date, status, jurisdiction, entity address, and the name and address of the agent for service of process.
- Publicly Traded Disclosure Search: Free online access to abstracts of reported information for all publicly traded corporations that have filed a Corporate Disclosure Statement with the California Secretary of State.
Certificates, Copies and Status Reports
Certificates, copies and status reports can be obtained by submitting a request to the California Secretary of State's Sacramento office either in person (drop off) or by mail. Instructions and fees for ordering certificates, copies and status reports (as described below) are available on the Business Entities Records Order Form (pdf ~121KB).
- Certificates - Customers can order certificates relating to business entities filed with the California Secretary of State such as a Certificate of Status certifying to the current status of an entity (e.g., active/good standing, suspended, dissolved, cancelled, etc.) or a Certificate of Filing certifying to the filing of a particular document by an entity (e.g., articles of incorporation, certificate of dissolution, certificate of cancellation, statement of information, etc.). In addition, customers can request a Certificate of No Record certifying there is no record of a particular business entity.
- Copies - Customers can order copies of business entity documents filed with the California Secretary of State such as formation/registration documents, amendment documents, termination documents and statements of information.
- Status reports - Customers can order status reports containing the complete business entity name, file number, status, jurisdiction and address(es).
If applicable, the status report will also include the type of business and the name and address of the principal member/manager/officer and agent for service of process.
Frequently Requested Information
- Bankruptcy information: With the exception of publicly traded corporations, information concerning bankruptcies of business entities of record, other businesses or individuals, is not disclosed to the California Secretary of State. California and qualified foreign (out-of-state or out-of-country) publicly traded corporations must annually disclose to the California Secretary of State whether or not an order for relief has been entered in a bankruptcy case during the 10 years preceding the date of the disclosure with respect to the corporation, its directors and its five most highly compensated executive officers. The disclosed information can be viewed on the Secretary of State's Publicly Traded Disclosure Search or by ordering a copy of the filed Corporate Disclosure Statement.
- Business licenses or permits are not issued by the California Secretary of State. Please refer to the CalGOLD (California Government: On-Line to Desktops) website for information regarding business license/permit requirements.
- Business entity information such as telephone numbers, email addresses, and subsidiaries or associated businesses of an entity is not made of record with the California Secretary of State. Requests for information should be directed to the business entity itself.
- Bylaws or Operating Agreements (or any amendments thereto) are maintained by the business entity and are not filed with the California Secretary of State. Requests for copies or information about these documents should be directed to the business entity itself.
- Employer identification numbers are not issued by or disclosed to the California Secretary of State. Please refer to the Internal Revenue Service for information relating to the issuance of Federal Employer Identification Numbers or the Employment Development Department for information relating to the issuance of State Employer Identification Numbers.
- Fictitious business name statements are filed with the County in which the principal place of business is located.
- Owner, shareholder and employee information for a business entity is not made of record with the California Secretary of State. Requests for information should be directed to the business entity itself.
- Personal information such as telephone numbers, email addresses and social security numbers of business entity members (e.g., officers, directors, managers, members, partners, agents and employees) is not made of record with the California Secretary of State.
- Security offerings or sales (such as the sale of shares of stock) are regulated by the Department of Corporations. Requests for information should be directed to that agency.
- Sole proprietorships are not registered with the California Secretary of State but may register with the city, county or other local government entity in which the principal place of business is located.
- Subchapter S is a tax classification provided for under the Internal Revenue Code and the California Revenue and Taxation Code, and is not reported to the California Secretary of State. Please refer to the Internal Revenue Service or the Franchise Tax Board for information regarding this tax classification.
