Massachusetts Business Entity Search

A Massachusetts business entity search is run on the business entity database of the Corporations Division, part of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts has no office called the Secretary of State. So a "Massachusetts secretary of state business search" or "MA SOS business search" really means this Corporations Division lookup. It is free and you do not need to log in.

People use it to check a company before signing a contract, find the resident agent for legal papers, see who the managers or officers are, or test whether a name is free for a new LLC.

How to search Massachusetts business records

1. Open the Corporations Division business entity search.
2. Choose how to search. The database lets you search by business entity name, by the name of an individual linked to a company, or by the state ID number.
3. For a name search, type the first words of the name. Skip "LLC" or "Inc." at first.
4. Pick the right entity from the list and open its summary page.
5. Read the details and open the filed documents. Many filings, including annual reports, can be viewed as images.

The individual name search is unusual and useful. It shows the companies where a person is listed as a manager, officer or other named party, so you can see what else someone runs.

What a Massachusetts record shows

The summary page usually lists the exact legal name, the entity type, the ID number, the date of organization, the current status, the resident agent and office address, and the people named in the latest filings. A list of every document on file sits underneath.

• Active means the entity exists and has not been dissolved.
• Involuntarily dissolved means the state dissolved it, usually after two years of missed annual reports. It can often be reinstated.
• Voluntarily dissolved or cancelled means the owners closed it on purpose.
• Merged means it was folded into another entity.

Checking and reserving a business name

Search the full name and any shorter version of it. Massachusetts will not accept a name that is the same as, or too close to, a name already on the record unless that company consents in writing. LLC names must also end with "limited liability company", "limited company" or an abbreviation like LLC.

To hold a name, you can file an Application for Reservation of Name. The fee is $30 and the hold lasts 60 days, with one more 60 day extension for another $30, per the name reservation page. Still choosing? Our business name generator can help.

Good standing in Massachusetts: two different certificates

Massachusetts has two kinds of proof, and lenders may ask for either one.

• From the Corporations Division: certificates of good standing, existence or legal existence. These confirm the entity is on the record and current with its filings. The Corporations Division fee page lists $25 for a certificate of good standing and $12 for a certificate of existence.
• From the Department of Revenue: a Certificate of Good Standing and/or Tax Compliance, which confirms state taxes are filed and paid. It is free and is requested through MassTaxConnect, per the Department of Revenue.

Ask the bank or buyer which one they need before you order.

Forming an LLC in Massachusetts

1. Confirm the name is available with the entity search.
2. Name a resident agent with a Massachusetts street address.
3. File a Certificate of Organization with the Corporations Division, online or on paper. The state fee is $500, one of the higher LLC fees in the country. Licensed professionals use the Professional LLC version.
4. Sign an operating agreement and get an EIN.
5. File an Annual Report every year by the anniversary of the date the LLC was formed. The fee is $500.

All fees are listed on the Massachusetts LLC filing page. Budget for the formation fee and the annual report together, since both cost the same. For a wider plan, read how to start a business and use our business plan template.

Common problems

I cannot find a local shop by its sign name

Sole owners and partners who use a trade name in Massachusetts file a business certificate, often called a DBA, with the clerk of the city or town where they operate. Those names are not in the state database. Check with the local clerk instead.

The LLC shows as dissolved

Missed annual reports are the usual cause. The fix is to file the missing reports and apply for reinstatement. Until then the entity should not take on new business.

The record lists an old agent or manager

The database only shows what was filed. Changes take effect once the company files an amendment or a statement of change.

Nearby states: New Hampshire business entity search and Connecticut business entity search, or see all states on the business entity search hub.