California business entity search and name check

Every LLC registered in California owes the Franchise Tax Board an $800 tax each year, starting in its first year and continuing until the LLC is canceled, even if it does no business. The California Secretary of State keeps the business register, which you search on bizfile Online; we send you there rather than searching it ourselves. When you read a result, note that a business can be suspended by the Secretary of State, by the Franchise Tax Board, or by both, and each points to a different problem.

Registry: California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division, Business Entities
Official search: bizfile Online
How we search California: Official site only (we hand you off). California's bizfile terms of use prohibit robots and other automated searching, and the site runs a bot-protection check, so we don't search it for you. Use bizfile Online directly.
What a result can tell you: Searching the official site shows names on record. California decides acceptance when you file.
State fee to form an LLC: $70 (Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1))
Ongoing LLC filing: Statement of Information (LLC-12), $20. Due within 90 days of registering, then every two years during the six-month window that ends with your formation month

What the California search covers

Corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships, both California and out-of-state, including inactive ones. UCC filings are a separate search on the same site. Fictitious business names (DBAs) are filed with counties and aren't in bizfile.

Each record has a Entity Number (for example C4903785). Search by number on the bizfile Online.

How to read California results

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

Status	What it means
Active	A California business has filed its formation document and may do business. An out-of-state business is registered to do business in California. Source: sos.ca.gov
Suspended (domestic) / Forfeited (foreign)	The business has lost its powers, rights and privileges in California, including the right to use its name. Source: sos.ca.gov
SOS Suspended / SOS Forfeited	The Secretary of State took the action, usually because the business didn't file its Statement of Information. Source: sos.ca.gov
FTB Suspended / FTB Forfeited	The Franchise Tax Board took the action because the business didn't meet its tax requirements, such as filing returns or paying taxes, penalties or interest. Source: sos.ca.gov
SOS/FTB Suspended / Forfeited	Both agencies took action, and both problems must be cleared before the business can be revived. Source: sos.ca.gov
Canceled	An LLC or LP filed a Certificate of Cancellation. For a corporation (or an "SOS Canceled" status), the formation filing was canceled because the payment for it was returned. Source: sos.ca.gov
Dissolved	A corporation filed a Certificate of Dissolution or was dissolved by court order. An LP or LLC chose to wind up its affairs. Source: sos.ca.gov
Surrender	An out-of-state corporation gave up its right to do business in California. Source: sos.ca.gov
Merged Out	The business merged into another business and no longer exists separately. Source: sos.ca.gov
Converted-Out	The business converted into a different type of entity or moved to another jurisdiction. Source: sos.ca.gov
Term Expired	A California corporation whose stated term of existence has ended. Source: sos.ca.gov
Inactive	Several possible causes, often conversion to a federal entity or a consolidation. A status report from the Secretary of State gives the reason. Source: sos.ca.gov
Terminated (FTB administrative termination)	An LLC or stock corporation that has been suspended by the Franchise Tax Board for 60 months or more in a row can be ended administratively after a 60-day notice. Source: sos.ca.gov

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.

California business name rules

An LLC name must include one of: Limited Liability Company, LLC, L.L.C., ('Limited' may be 'Ltd.', 'Company' may be 'Co.'). A corporation uses one of: Corporation, Company, Incorporated, Incorporation, Limited, Corp, Co, Inc.

Since January 1, 2021, your name only has to be distinguishable from businesses of the same type on the Secretary of State's records, and it must not be likely to mislead the public. A name counts as distinguishable if its letters, numbers or their order differ in a way you can plainly see. An LLC name is compared only with other LLCs, a corporation's only with other corporations. (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 2, 21004; Corp. Code 201, 17701.08) Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

When comparing names, California disregards: entity-type endings such as LLC or Inc.; capital or lowercase letters, superscript and subscript; typeface or lettering style; punctuation; symbols; spaces, unless they create different words; "&" versus "and"; accent marks. Our name check applies these same rules.

Words that need approval or are restricted

Words	Requirement
bank, trust, trustee	An LLC can't use these words. A corporation needs a Certificate of Approval from the financial regulator's Commissioner (Corp. Code 201; Fin. Code 1041). Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
incorporated, inc., corporation, corp.	Can't be used in an LLC name (Corp. Code 17701.08(e)). Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
insurer, insurance company	An LLC can't use these words. An insurance corporation needs a certificate from the Insurance Commissioner approving the name (Corp. Code 201.5, 2106.5). Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
credit union	A corporation needs a Certificate of Approval from the Commissioner (Fin. Code 14100). Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
cooperative	Only corporations that meet Corp. Code 12311(b) may use it. Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
Olympic, Olympiad, Paralympic, Pan-American	May need permission from the US Olympic Committee (36 USC 220506). Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
Names suggesting a government connection	Treated as likely to mislead the public and refused (2 CCR 21003). Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

Professional LLCs

A professional corporation's name must follow the naming rules of the state agency that licenses that profession, set out in the Business and Professions Code (source: https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/be/forms/name-guidelines-restrictions-2022.pdf).

Using a similar name with consent

Not available as a way around the rules. The Secretary of State doesn't consider whether you could get a consent letter from the other business (2 CCR 21006(e)). A certified final court judgment can establish your right to a name (2 CCR 21005(c)).

Reserving a name in California

California lets you reserve a name before you form the business for $10, held for 60 days. The same person can reserve it again, but not back to back: at least one day must pass between reservations.

Reserve online through bizfile Online, or in person or by mail at 1500 11th Street, 3rd Floor, Sacramento.

California name reservation

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

Forming an LLC in California

Document: Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1)
State filing fee: $70
You must also file a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12, $20) within 90 days of registering, and the $800 annual Franchise Tax Board tax applies from the first year.
File online: CA SOS filing
Processing: Online filings take 5 days or less; PDF and paper filings take 10 days or more. Current dates are posted at https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/processing-dates/.
Registered agent: Every LLC and corporation must name an agent for service of process.
Out-of-state LLC registering here: $70 (Application to Register a Foreign LLC (Form LLC-5))

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

File it yourself or use a service

File directly with California

$70 state fee

You fill in the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) yourself and pay only the state. You’ll need a registered agent with a California street address; that can be you if you have one.

File with CA SOS

Use a formation service

A service prepares and files the paperwork, and most can act as your registered agent and send compliance reminders. You still pay the state fee on top of their price, and the state still decides whether to accept your name.

Bizee: $0 plus the state fee (Basic); Standard $199, Premium $299, plus state fee
LegalZoom: $0 plus state fees (Basic); Managed Service $249 plus state fees
Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee
ZenBusiness: $0 plus the state fee (Starter); Pro $199 plus state fee, renews $199/yr

We don’t currently earn commissions from these providers. Prices from each provider’s site on Oct 30, 2026. We never send them your proposed name. Compare what each includes · Disclosure

An EIN (federal tax ID) is free from the IRS; you don’t need to pay anyone for one.

Keeping a California LLC in good standing

Statement of Information (LLC-12): $20. Due within 90 days of registering, then every two years during the six-month window that ends with your formation month. Source: sos.ca.gov

Every LLC doing business in California or registered with the Secretary of State owes the Franchise Tax Board an $800 annual tax. The first tax year starts when the Secretary of State files your LLC, and the payment (Form FTB 3522) is due by the 15th day of the 4th month of that year. The first-year exemption covered only tax years beginning 2021 to 2023 and has ended. Corporations don't owe the $800 minimum franchise tax in their first tax year. (sources: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2026/2026-3522.pdf; https://www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/data-reports-plans/Limited-Liability-Company-Limited-Liability-Partnership-and-Limited-Partnership-First-Year-AnnualTax-Exemption-October-2023.pdf; https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/corporations/index.html)

Filing a Statement of Information late may lead to Franchise Tax Board penalties and to suspension or forfeiture. Corporations file their Statement of Information (SI-550, $25) every year. Since August 1, 2026, filing a Statement of Information online requires a bizfile user account (source: https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/statements).

Proof of status: Certificate of Status ($5). Source: bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov

Assumed names (DBAs)

Fictitious business name statements are filed with the clerk of the county where your main place of business is, not with the Secretary of State (Bus. & Prof. Code 17900 and following). File within 40 days of starting business; a statement expires after 5 years. You can't use Corp, Inc or LLC in a fictitious name unless your business is that type of entity (17910.5). The Secretary of State doesn't look at fictitious names when reviewing business names. Source: sos.ca.gov

Good to know about California

Every LLC owes the Franchise Tax Board $800 a year starting in its first year, because the 2021 to 2023 first-year exemption has ended. New corporations don't owe the $800 minimum in their first tax year. Source: ftb.ca.gov
Names are compared only with businesses of the same type. An LLC can be approved even if a corporation already uses a similar name. Source: sos.ca.gov
An LLC name can't include bank, trust, trustee, incorporated, inc., corporation, corp., insurer or insurance company. Source: bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
A name reservation lasts 60 days, and you can't renew it back to back. Source: sos.ca.gov
A business can be suspended by the Secretary of State or by the Franchise Tax Board. "FTB Suspended" points to a tax problem, not a missed state filing. Source: sos.ca.gov
LLCs file a Statement of Information every two years ($20); corporations file every year ($25). Both file the first one within 90 days of forming. Source: sos.ca.gov

Sources and accuracy

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

Items we couldn’t confirm on an official page (7)

We couldn't confirm on an official page whether a general stock corporation must include a word such as Corporation or Inc. in its name.
We couldn't confirm how far the exception in Corp. Code 17701.08(c) for LLC names reaches.
We couldn't confirm the late penalty for a Statement of Information on an official page; $250 is commonly cited.
We couldn't confirm the eligibility rules for agents for service of process on an official page.
We couldn't confirm the income levels at which the LLC fee (Forms 568 and 3536) applies.
We couldn't confirm on an official FTB page that corporations are exempt from the $800 minimum in their first year; this comes from the FTB corporations page as summarized, not read directly.
The state's price for bulk business data isn't published on an official page.

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