New York business entity search and name check
Search business records
New York's business registry is kept by the Department of State's Division of Corporations, and its official search is the Corporation and Business Entity Database, also called Public Inquiry. Our search here queries the Department of State's own open data on data.ny.gov live, with active entities updated about daily and inactive ones weekly, then points you to Public Inquiry for the authoritative record. If you are forming an LLC, plan for New York's publication rule: within 120 days you must run a notice in two newspapers for six weeks and file a $50 Certificate of Publication, or the LLC loses its authority to do business.
- Registry
- New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code
- Official search
- Corporation and Business Entity Database (Public Inquiry)
- How we search New York
- Official open data, searched live. New York Department of State corporation data (data.ny.gov). Active entities: about daily. Inactive entities: weekly..
Working in our latest automated check (Oct 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET). - What a result can tell you
- Whether New York's records contain the same or a similar name. New York decides acceptance when you file.
- State fee to form an LLC
- $200 (Articles of Organization)
- Ongoing LLC filing
- Biennial Statement, $9. Due every two years, in the calendar month the LLC was formed or registered in New York
What the New York search covers
The official database covers corporations (business, not-for-profit, professional service and benefit), LLCs and PLLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs and other entity types, both New York and out-of-state. It also lists assumed names filed by these entities. According to the Department of State, it holds the full filing history of active entities, and complete or partial history for some entities dissolved between December 5, 1977 and December 31, 1984. It is updated daily.
The Department of State warns that search results should not be taken as a sign that a name is available. Whether a name can be used is decided when you file.
When you search New York here, keep in mind:
- Active entities come from the Department of State's daily open-data file. Inactive entities come from a separate weekly file and show less detail.
- Assumed names (DBAs) are not included.
Each record has a DOS ID (for example 5783863). Choose “Look up an existing business”, then “Registry number”, to search by it.
How to read New York results
New York 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 New York corporation or LLC stays active until it dissolves. Source: dos.ny.gov |
| Past due (Biennial Statement) | The entity hasn't filed its required Biennial Statement. This shows on a Certificate of Status and can hold up some transactions. Source: dos.ny.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.
New York business name rules
An LLC name must include one of: Limited Liability Company
, LLC
, L.L.C.
. A corporation uses one of: Incorporated
, Corporation
, Limited
, Inc.
, Corp.
, Ltd.
.
Your name must be distinguishable from the names of corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships already on file. The Department of State must reject a name that isn't. (BCL §301; LLC Law §204) Source: dos.ny.gov
New York doesn’t publish a list of the differences it ignores, so our check treats only capitalization and punctuation as insignificant and flags other close names as similar for you to judge.
Words that need approval or are restricted
| Words | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Words restricted by state law (see the Department of State's list) | Some words can't be used at all, and others need consent or approval from another state agency before you file. Source: dos.ny.gov |
Professional LLCs
Licensed professionals form a professional service corporation (PC) or a professional LLC (PLLC). Each uses its own formation form, separate from the standard corporation and LLC forms.
Reserving a name in New York
New York lets you reserve a name before you form the business for $20, held for 60 days. You can extend it twice, 60 days each time, for $20 per extension, as long as you ask before the reservation runs out.
Mail an Application for Reservation of Name to the Division of Corporations in Albany. When you later file your formation document, attach the Certificate of Reservation you receive.
New York name reservation Source: dos.ny.gov
Searching on this site doesn’t reserve anything. Only Division of Corporations can.
Forming an LLC in New York
- Document
- Articles of Organization
- State filing fee
- $200
The $200 is the Articles of Organization fee. After the required newspaper publication you also file a Certificate of Publication for $50. Newspapers charge separately for publication; the state doesn't set that price, and it can run to several hundred dollars or more in New York City counties. - File online
- Division of Corporations filing
- Processing
- Expedited handling is optional and charged per document: $25 for within 24 hours, $75 for same day, $150 for within 2 hours.
- Registered agent
- You must name the Secretary of State as your agent to receive legal papers and give a mailing address where the state forwards them. Hiring a separate registered agent is optional.
- Out-of-state LLC registering here
- $250 (Application for Authority (Foreign LLC))
Publication requirement: Within 120 days of forming, a New York LLC must publish its articles or a notice of formation once a week for six weeks in a row in two newspapers chosen by the county clerk where the LLC's office is located, then file a Certificate of Publication ($50). If it doesn't, the LLC's authority to do business is suspended. Out-of-state LLCs registering in New York must do the same.
Fees change. Confirm them on the official New York fee schedule before you file.
File it yourself or use a service
File directly with New York
$200 state fee
You fill in the Articles of Organization yourself and pay only the state. You’ll need a registered agent with a New York street address; that can be you if you have one.
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 New York LLC in good standing
Biennial Statement: $9. Due every two years, in the calendar month the LLC was formed or registered in New York. Source: dos.ny.gov
LLCs taxed as partnerships, and single-member LLCs with New York income, pay a yearly filing fee to the Department of Taxation and Finance on Form IT-204-LL. It ranges from $25 to $4,500 depending on the prior year's New York gross income and is due on the 15th day of the third month after the tax year ends. Corporations must file a franchise tax report and pay franchise tax every year, even in a year with no activity.
The state doesn't charge a late fee for a missed Biennial Statement. Instead, the entity is marked past due in Department of State records.
Proof of status: Certificate of Status ($25). Source: dos.ny.gov
Assumed names (DBAs)
Entities file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the Department of State. The state fee is $25. Corporations also pay county fees: $100 for each New York City county and $25 for each county outside the city where they will use the name. Source: dos.ny.gov
Good to know about New York
- New LLCs must publish notice of their formation in two county-designated newspapers for six weeks within 120 days and then file a $50 Certificate of Publication. Skipping it suspends the LLC's authority to do business. Source: dos.ny.gov
- The Secretary of State is always your agent for receiving legal papers. A commercial registered agent is optional. Source: dos.ny.gov
- Instead of an annual report, New York requires a $9 Biennial Statement every two years, filed in the month the business was formed. Source: dos.ny.gov
- LLCs pay a separate yearly filing fee of $25 to $4,500 to the Department of Taxation and Finance, based on New York income. Source: tax.ny.gov
- The state's open-data file called "Active Corporations" also includes more than 2 million LLCs, but it leaves out inactive and dissolved entities. Source: data.ny.gov
- A corporation filing an assumed name pays county fees on top of the $25 state fee: $100 per New York City county and $25 per other county. Source: dos.ny.gov
Sources and accuracy
We checked this page against official New York sources on . 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 (6)
- We couldn't confirm on an official page the exact status labels used for inactive entities in the official search (for example dissolution by proclamation or merger).
- We couldn't confirm whether the official search matches names that begin with, or contain, your search words.
- We couldn't confirm whether LLCs filing an assumed name also pay county fees.
- We couldn't confirm whether New York lets you use a similar name with the existing holder's consent.
- We haven't listed the specific restricted words; check the Department of State's list before you file.
- We couldn't re-confirm the Division of Corporations phone number on an official page.
See something wrong? Tell us. We can fix how we present information, but only Division of Corporations can change an official record.