Georgia Business Entity Search: Complete Guide (2025)

In today’s fast-paced business environment, having access to accurate and up-to-date company information is crucial for making informed decisions. The Georgia business search, provided by the state corporations division, is a powerful tool designed to meet this need. This search lets you find information about a limited liability company (LLC), limited partnership (LP), corporation, or other registered business in the state.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use the Georgia Secretary of State business search tool. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or simply interested in Georgia’s business dynamics, this search tool offers valuable insights into the state’s corporate entities.

A word of caution, though: the Secretary of State warns against using the business search tool to determine if your desired business name is available. While the business search can give you an idea of what legal names are in use, name availability is not its intended purpose. With that in mind, let’s discuss how you can use this tool efficiently.

Georgia Secretary of State Contact Information

Georgia 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, Georgia has several rules about naming your business. 

First, your name needs to be different from the names of other registered companies in Georgia, 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 you must adhere to. Here are a few other rules your Georgia business name should follow: 

• The name needs to include a designator, such as “corporation” or “company” for corporations or “Limited Liability Company” or “LLC” for LLCs. You also can’t use a designator that belongs to another business type.
• You cannot include “DBA” (short for “doing business as”) or any variation of that abbreviation in your company name.
• Some words can’t be used in a business name unless you have permission from a specific agency to use them. For example, to use “college” or “university,” you need written approval from the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission. To use words like “insurance” or “assurance,” you’d need approval from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. 

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.

Search Georgia business entities by name

The most common way to search for a business entity is by its legal name. To begin the process, visit the Georgia Corporations Division’s business search page, enter the name of the business into the appropriate field, and click the “Search” button.

The results page lists all of the businesses registered in Georgia that match your query. On this screen, you can see the business name, control number, entity type, principal office address, registered agent name, and current status of each result. Clicking on the name will reveal further details about the company.

On the next screen, you can access more detailed information about the business. This page lists the business name, company type, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code and subcode, principal office address, formation state, control number, current business status, formation date, most recent annual registration year, and registered agent name and address.

At the bottom of the page, you’ll also see links to the company’s filing history and name history. The filing history includes any documents filed with the Georgia Secretary of State regarding that business, including formation documents and annual registrations. Meanwhile, the name history lets you know if the business has changed its name over the years or whether it has any Georgia DBA names.

Search Georgia businesses by control number

If you know the company’s Georgia control number, you can do a refined search. Simply type the number into the corresponding box and click the “Search” button.

You should see only one search result for each number. Clicking on the name of the business will present you with additional information, such as the filing history and name history of the company in question.

Search Georgia businesses by registered agent or officer name

If you know the registered agent’s name or the name of an officer of the company, you can search for that business’s information using either one of those names. Enter all or part of the agent or officer’s name into the respective fields and click “Search” to view results on the state website.

Using the Georgia Service of Process Search

The Georgia Secretary of State also allows you to use the corporation search to find service of process filings for any domestic or foreign entity operating in the state. You can search by defendant name, plaintiff name, civil action number, or control number. In addition, you can filter the search to include results that start with or contain your search terms or solely for exact matches.

On the results page, you can see the defendant name, plaintiff name, control number, filing type, case name, civil action number, county court, and statutory authority for each service of process filing that fits your search terms.

Using the Georgia Trademark Search

Finally, the Georgia Secretary of State also allows you to search all trademarks registered in the state. You can search the Georgia Secretary of State’s trademark database by registration number, trademark name, registrant name, class of goods or services, identification of goods or services, or the trademark description. Like the other search options, you can use the trademark search to find marks that start with or contain the terms you input. You can also search for exact matches only.

On the next screen, you’ll see the trademark name, mark type, registration number, class, status, and registrant name for each result. Clicking on the mark name will provide you with some more details about the company’s goods or services.

What to Do After Searching Business Names in Georgia

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 Georgia business name and make the most of it. 

Reserve your Georgia business name (optional)

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

To make a reservation, you’ll need to submit the Name Reservation Request form to the Secretary of State. On the form, you’ll be asked to provide your top three choices for business names; the Secretary of State will reserve the top choice that’s available (or notify you if none of the names are available). Currently, you’ll pay $25 to file this form (plus $10 if you file a paper form by mail). 

A Georgia business name reservation is valid for 30 days. Technically, you can’t renew a reservation; however, you can reserve the same name again (if it’s still available) by filing another reservation request. 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 your new business under your chosen name, no other business owner in Georgia will be able to register their own company with the same name. 

Registering a Georgia business is an important legal process. Learn more about starting a Georgia 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 Peach State.

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. If you decide to go this route, it’s highly recommended to work with a trademark attorney.