A Mississippi business entity search is done on the Business Search of the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division. It is the official record for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and nonprofits formed or registered in the state. Whether you call it a "Mississippi secretary of state business search", an "MS SOS business search" or a "Mississippi business lookup", this free tool is the one to use.
Mississippi at a glanceFees are set by the state and can change. Check the official fee page before you file.
Open the official search- Office
- Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division
- Search tool
- Business Search
- Search by
- Business name, Business ID
- LLC filing
- Certificate of Formation
- LLC filing fee
- $50
- Reports
- Annual Report due April 15 (no fee for domestic LLCs)
- Name reservation
- $25
It helps you confirm a company's legal name and Business ID, check that it is in good standing, find its registered agent and look at past filings before you sign a deal or pick a name of your own.
How to search Mississippi business records
- Open the Secretary of State Business Search.
- Search by business name. The name search matches from the start of the legal name, so begin with the first word.
- If you have the Business ID, search by that number for one exact result.
- Click the business name to open its details.
- Review the status, formation date, registered agent, principal office and filing history.
Leave off "LLC" or "Inc." on the first try. If a name starts with "The", try it with and without that word.
Looking at many businesses at once
Mississippi also offers a public Business Reports search. It lets you filter by status, county, city, ZIP code, formation date, entity type and industry code, and export the list to a spreadsheet. It is handy for market research, such as listing every new LLC in one county.
What the status words mean
- Good Standing means the entity is current, including its annual report.
- Admin Dissolved or Revoked means the state ended the entity, most often after missed annual reports. The owners can usually apply for reinstatement.
- Dissolved means the owners closed it on purpose.
- Withdrawn applies to a foreign company that stopped doing business in Mississippi.
- Merged means it became part of another entity.
Checking and reserving a business name
Search the name you want, plus any shorter forms. The Secretary of State will not accept a name that cannot be told apart from one already on the record. If the name is clear and you are not ready to file, reserve it. An LLC name reservation costs $25, per the Business Services fee schedule. Our business name generator can suggest more options.
Getting a certificate of good standing
Certificates of good standing are ordered online from the Secretary of State. The official fee is $25 and online orders are processed right away. The Secretary of State has warned about mailers asking businesses to pay a much higher amount for a "certificate of existence". Those letters do not come from the state, and you never have to use them.
Forming an LLC in Mississippi
- Confirm the name with the Business Search.
- Name a registered agent with a physical address in Mississippi.
- Create a free account on the Secretary of State's business portal. Business filings in Mississippi are made online.
- File a Certificate of Formation for the LLC. The state fee is $50.
- Sign an operating agreement and get an EIN.
- File an Annual Report each year between January 1 and April 15. For a Mississippi LLC the filing is free. Foreign LLCs pay a fee.
Even though the annual report costs nothing for a home state LLC, it is not optional. Missing it is the main reason Mississippi LLCs lose good standing. More detail is on the Business Services page. For the rest of the setup, read how to start a business and work through our business plan template.
Common problems
The name is not found
Because the name search starts at the first word, a partial name from the middle will miss. Try the first word only, check spelling, or use the Business ID. Some businesses use a trade name that differs from the legal name. Entities can list other names on their record, and the Business Reports search lets you filter by those other names too.
The company is admin dissolved
Ask the owner to file the missed annual reports and apply for reinstatement before you rely on the entity in a contract.
I got a letter demanding a fee for my annual report
Check the sender. The state does not charge a domestic LLC to file its annual report. Letters from private companies are not official notices. File directly with the Secretary of State.
Nearby states: the Alabama business entity search and Louisiana business entity search. For all states, visit the business entity search hub.
Questions people ask
How do I do a Mississippi secretary of state business search?
Use the Business Search on the Mississippi Secretary of State's corporations portal. Search by the start of the business name or by Business ID, then open the record to see status, agent and filings.
Is the MS SOS business search free?
Yes. Searching and viewing records costs nothing. You only pay if you order a certificate or file a document.
How much does an LLC cost in Mississippi?
The Certificate of Formation costs $50. The annual report is free for a Mississippi LLC but must be filed by April 15 each year.
How much is a Mississippi certificate of good standing?
The Secretary of State charges $25 and online orders are processed right away. Ignore mailers that ask for more. They are not from the state.
Can I download a list of Mississippi businesses?
Yes. The Business Reports search lets you filter records by county, status, formation date and industry code and export the results to a spreadsheet.