California Business Entity Search: Complete Guide (2025)

The California business search tool is a valuable resource for learning about companies in the Golden State. With this tool, you can learn about a company’s registered agents, their business status, and more.

But the tool isn’t all-powerful. At present, you can only use the tool to learn about corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and limited partnerships. You can’t use the tool to search limited liability partnerships, general partnerships, and other entities; you’d have to submit a paper request. 

California also doesn’t recommend using the business search as a name availability search for name reservations. While the search tool can give you an idea of what names are being used in the state, it’s not an authoritative name checker. It’s only a preliminary search.

With those limitations in mind, let’s talk about how you can use the California business entity search effectively. 

California Business Name Guidelines

When you’re starting a business, one of the most important things you’ll do is pick your business name. And like other states, California has several rules about naming your business. 

First, your name needs to be different from the names of other registered companies, including both domestic and foreign corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and so on. This is one of the simplest but most important naming standards. 

That said, uniqueness isn’t the only naming guideline to adhere to. Here are a few other rules your California business name should follow: 

• The name needs to include a business entity identifier (sometimes called a designator), such as “corporation,” “incorporated,” or “company” for corporations or “Limited Liability Company” or “LLC” for LLCs. 
• Your name must be written in English letters or Arabic numerals. A variety of symbols (outlined in Section 21002(b) of the California Code) are also permitted.
• Your name cannot be misleading to the public. For example, your name can’t imply government affiliation. You also couldn’t imply that your business is an insurer or use other restricted words.

If you’re in a licensed trade or profession, keep in mind that you’ll need to meet any naming rules that your industry has in place, too. If your business name doesn’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to pick a new one. 

Run a Basic Search using the California Business Search Tool

The simplest way to run a California business search is to run a Basic Search. This version of the search will allow you to run a keyword search or search by an entity ID number. To get started, simply type in the keyword or file number you want to search.

On the results page, you’ll see a list of business names that contain the keyword or number you searched. You’ll also see a summary of information, including if a company is in good standing, its formation date and state, and its registered agent. 

Once you find the business you’re searching for, you can click on the name to learn more information. 

On this final page, you can review additional information about the business, including its status with the Secretary of State, the Franchise Tax Board, and other agencies. You can also access information about the company’s registered agent’s address, the company’s physical address, and the company’s mailing address.

Run an Advanced Search using the California Secretary of State Business Search

If you need to run a more complicated search, you’ll want to use the Advanced Search feature, located on the same page as the basic search. Just hit the “Advanced” tab under the search bar to get started. The advanced search options, shown below, will pop up. 

Here’s a look at the different search criteria you can use: 

• Starts with: Use this option if you only want to see results that begin with your search term. By comparison, the “contains” search yields business entities that include your search term, no matter where it occurs. So “starts with” can be more specific.
• Entity Information Search v. Publicly Traded Disclosure Search: By default, the search tool will show you a company’s basic information. But you can also access information about publicly traded companies, including their Publicly Traded Disclosure Statement, using this more detailed search feature.
• Entity Type: Use this filter if you want to run an entity search for a specific business type, such as an LLC, corporation, or even a specific type of corporation. 
• Status: The status filter allows you to filter results by their status type, such as inactive entities, suspended entities, or active entities. You can even search by entities pending termination and more. 
• Initial Filing Date: This filter allows you to view businesses that contain your search term and started operating during a specified date range. 

The more information you input in the advanced search tool, the fewer (but more specific) results you’ll get. 

What to Do After Searching Business Names in California

After you’ve come up with a name and searched it, you’re probably feeling like you’ve done a lot of legwork. You’d hate for that hard work to go to waste, right? Here are some steps you can take to protect your California business name and make the most of it. 

Reserve your California business name (optional)

If you’ve picked the perfect business name but you’re not quite ready to file your business formation paperwork, California allows you to reserve your business name. 

California makes it easy to reserve a business name online through bizfile Online. You can also file a paper form directly with the Secretary of State’s office, if you prefer. There’s a $10 fee to reserve a name, and you can list up to three name choices (only your first available choice will be reserved). 

Your California name reservation is valid for 60 days. You can renew your reservation if needed, but there has to be at least one day between reservations. This step is optional, and you should only pursue it if you’ve picked a name but aren’t ready to file your formation paperwork yet.

Form an LLC or register your business

One of the best ways to protect your business name is to register your business. After you register a new business under your chosen name, no one else in California will be able to register their own company with the same name. 

Registering a California business is an important legal process. Learn more about starting a California LLC. 

Get a domain name that matches

You want it to be easy for your customers to find your business website. That means you need a domain name that matches your business name as closely as possible. A matching domain will help your brand maintain consistency both in person and online.

If you’re struggling to come up with a domain name (or the one that matches your name is already taken), try using a domain name generator. A generator can help you come up with a domain that matches your brand image. 

Set up your business online

Today, you can’t run a business without a good digital footprint. A good business website is a decent starting point. But don’t stop there; set up social media accounts like a Facebook page, a TikTok profile, and an Instagram account. Make sure your business name is included on each account so your brand is consistent across your online presence.

Last but not least, set up a Google Business Profile for your business (or claim it if it already exists). This profile will help you direct customers to your website or your store location. Plus, it’ll help you respond to customer reviews and build a good brand reputation within the Golden State.

Consider a fictitious business name registration (optional)

Many businesses choose to operate under a “doing business as” name (DBA name). This is an alternate name, like a nickname for your business. In California, a DBA is known as a fictitious business name (FBN). Unlike most other states, if you choose to file for a fictitious name, you’ll need to do so at the county level in California by filing an FBN statement. If you’d like a fictitious name, your best bet is to reach out to your county clerk for more information.

Trademark your business name (optional)

If you want the most robust protections for your business name, you could pursue trademark registration. Trademarks can be registered at the state or federal level (with federal protections being the strongest). 

Getting a trademark can be pretty complicated and time-consuming, especially at the federal level. If you go this route, it’s highly recommended to work with a trademark attorney.

We can help

Now that you know how to conduct a corporation or LLC name search, you’re on your way to figuring out if the name you want is available! On top of helping you with domain name reservations and business formation filings, we offer other services that can help you run and grow your business. From our Worry-Free Compliance service to our Employer Identification Number (EIN) application service, we’re here to help you however we can.