Alabama business entity search and name check

What the Alabama search covers

Alabama and out-of-state corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs, nonprofits and professional associations. The same search also lists name reservations, registered names and previous names, and you can filter by status (Exists, Cancelled, Consolidated, Dissolved, Merged, Revoked, Withdrawn). The search page shows the date through which filings have been entered, so a filing made in the last day or so may not appear yet.

Besides the name, you can narrow a search by entity type, place of formation (Alabama county, state or country), principal city and status.

Each record has a Entity ID. Search by number on the Government Records Inquiry System.

How to read Alabama results

Alabama uses its own status labels. We always show the official wording; here is what the common ones mean according to the state:

A status describes the registry filing only. It isn’t evidence of a license, tax compliance or reputation, and a record with the same name as a company you know may be a different business. More on statuses.

Alabama business name rules

An LLC name must include one of: Limited Liability Company, L.L.C., LLC. A corporation uses one of: Corporation, Incorporated, Corp., Inc..

Your name must be distinguishable from names already on the Secretary of State's index. Entity endings don't count, so "Acme LLC" can't be registered if "Acme Inc." already exists. (Ala. Code 10A-1-5.03) Source: sos.alabama.gov

When comparing names, Alabama disregards: entity endings such as Inc. or LLC. Our name check applies these same rules.

Words that need approval or are restricted

Professional LLCs

A professional corporation must use "Professional Corporation", "P.C." or "PC" (Ala. Code 10A-1-5.08). An LLC can put "Professional" or "Series" before its ending (PLLC, SLLC). A benefit corporation uses "benefit corporation", "B.C." or "BC" and can't use "incorporated". (Source: https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/domesticEntityNameReservation.pdf)

Reserving a name in Alabama

Alabama lets you reserve a name before you form the business for $25, held for 1 year. You can renew it for $25 if the renewal arrives before it expires, unless the name has already been used to form a business.

A reservation is required before you file to form a business. Mail the Name Reservation Request Form to the Secretary of State, PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103, or reserve online at alabamainteractive.org/sos and print your certificate right away. By mail it costs $25; online it's about $28 with the convenience fee.

Alabama name reservation Source: sos.alabama.gov

Searching on this site doesn’t reserve anything. Only AL SOS can.

Forming an LLC in Alabama

Document

Certificate of Formation (Domestic LLC)

State filing fee

$200
Attach your Name Reservation Certificate. $100 of the $200 goes to the county treasurer where your registered agent's office is. Filing online adds a convenience fee of 3% plus $2.

File online

AL SOS filing

Processing

If you file online you can print the filed documents right away. The Secretary of State doesn't publish processing times for mailed filings.

Registered agent

You need one registered agent with an Alabama street address (not a PO box), and the county must be listed.

Out-of-state LLC registering here

$150 (Foreign LLC Application for Registration (a name reservation is required first; registering late carries a $150 penalty for each year))

Fees change. Confirm them on the official Alabama fee schedule before you file.

Keeping a Alabama LLC in good standing

Business Privilege Tax Return and Annual Report (Form PPT for pass-through LLCs; Form CPT if taxed as a corporation), filed with the Alabama Department of Revenue. LLCs taxed as partnerships file by the 15th day of the 3rd month after their tax year ends; LLCs taxed as corporations by the 15th day of the 4th month. A first-year return (Form BPT-IN) is due 2.5 months after formation. The tax is calculated for each business, and from tax year 2024 a business whose tax is $100 or less doesn't file. Late fee: $50. Source: revenue.alabama.gov

The Business Privilege Tax is handled by the Alabama Department of Revenue, not the Secretary of State. Corporations also pay a $10 annual report fee, which the Department of Revenue collects for the Secretary of State (Ala. Code 10A-2-16.22).

The late-filing penalty is the greater of 10% of the tax or $50. Sources: https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/faq-categories/business-privilege-tax/ ; https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/due-dates/ ; https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdf

Proof of status: Certificate of Existence ($25). Source: sos.alabama.gov

Assumed names (DBAs)

Alabama has no general DBA or assumed-name filing. You can optionally register a trade name with the Secretary of State's Trademarks Division: $30 for five years, renewable for $30, with specimens showing the name in use. Registration doesn't create ownership rights, and personal names aren't accepted. Source: sos.alabama.gov

Good to know about Alabama

• You must get a Certificate of Name Reservation and attach it before filing to form an Alabama business or register an out-of-state one. Source: sos.alabama.gov
• Of the $200 formation fee, $100 is passed to the county treasurer where your registered agent's office is located. Source: sos.alabama.gov
• An LLC's yearly filing is the Business Privilege Tax return with the Department of Revenue, not an annual report to the Secretary of State. From 2024, businesses owing $100 or less don't file it. Source: revenue.alabama.gov
• The official name search also shows name reservations, registered names and previous names, so a name can be unavailable even if no active business uses it. Source: sos.alabama.gov
• Changing your business's name requires a new name reservation before you file the $100 amendment. Source: sos.alabama.gov

Sources and accuracy

We checked this page against official Alabama sources on October 30, 2026. Our monitor rechecks the official search, filing portal and fee pages daily and flags changes for review.

See something wrong? Tell us. We can fix how we present information, but only AL SOS can change an official record.