If you want to explore more information regarding certain businesses in the The Old North State, all you need to do is access the Secretary of State’s business search page to commence a search.
There are a variety of options offered on the site to make your search faster and easier. To understand all the options available and know which will give you optimum results, here is our quick guide.
North Carolina Secretary of State Business Search Page
The search portal through the North Carolina Secretary of State [1] aims to provide members of the public and aspiring business owners to search for information about business in the state as well as the availability of their desired name.
You can make use of four available search methods based on the information you can provide. These options are by entity name, registered agent, company official, and SOS ID. Simply make sure to enter a specific and accurate keyword or number in order to produce accurate sets of results.
You can filter your results by using the additional search criteria provided in each method. After obtaining access to the right business entity, you will be given an option to purchase a Certificate of Good Standing but you will need to sign up for an account first or log in if you have an existing account.
Search by Name
Step 1
To begin, head over to the search portal and provide a business name on the blank designated field. Then, select a search type by using the drop-down menu. Select one from the list, then hit ‘Search.’
Step 2
After loading, you will be directed to a new page that will present results that matched the information you rendered earlier.
Step 3
On the next page, the files recorded by the Secretary of State will be shown, such as business corporation and corporate addresses.
There are also a few functions linked at the upper part of the page in which you can file an annual report, view document filings, amend a previous annual report, and print the annual report form.
If you are logged in on the website, you can also purchase the Certificate of Existence of that business.
Search by Registered Agents
Step 1
On the same page, select the registered agent option from the drop-down menu. The search type drop-down menu is also available for more refined results. You can select ‘Individual’ or ‘Organization’ by choosing the entity type.
Provide the name into the field and click ‘Search’ to proceed.
Step 2
On the next page, you will see the results of your search. Do note that the results will slightly be different for a registered corporations search.
The list will be divided into two columns, with the name of the agent displayed on the left, and the total representation on the right.
To review more information about an item, click on the name and wait for the results.
Step 3
You will be directed to a page with all the agent information. This consists of all the businesses the agent handles and a few more details as shown. If you like to access more, simply click the entity name on the first column to gain access to the extensive detail and filing history.
Step 4
From here, you can review detailed information about a particular business. You can view the company’s document filings, review filing history, and even order certificates. Simply choose among the available functions on the upper portion.
Search by Company Official
Step 1
Same as the previous method, open the same search portal. Select ‘Company Officials’ on the search bar drop-down menu, and ‘Individual’ on the entity type.
Enter the name on the corresponding blank fields. Click ‘Search’ to load results.
Step 2
You will be directed to a page with a list of businesses or names of individuals that matched the information you gave earlier.
Scroll through the list and select an entity/name to review the businesses incorporated.
Step 3
Click on the name located on the first column from the left to access more additional information about the business.
Step 4
You are now on the final page which has all the available information about the business in question. You may review and use the additional linked functions on the page as well.
Search by SOS ID
Step 1
On the same search portal, select ‘SOS ID’ on the search type drop-down menu.
By using this method, you will be presented with only one result since each ID is unique. This will also be the case if you will enter the accurate SOS ID number.
Therefore, double-check the digits of the SOS ID you entered to get an accurate result. Then, hit the search button to proceed.
Step 2
If you have entered a correct SOS ID number, a single item will appear on the succeeding page.
Click on the name to access its comprehensive details about the business.
Step 3
Similar to the final pages of the above search methods, you will find a list of extensive details of a particular business. You may review the said information and perform multiple functions by clicking the linked options located above.
