This webpage will walk you through the process of performing a business entity search using Michigan’s government website. This particular website has provided both a standard entity search and a name availability search. The latter of the two options is fairly self explanatory; it’s used to research the availability of your chosen entity name prior to registration. A business entity search on the other hand is usually used to look into the business details or the filing history of a pre-existing company and can be executed by using a few different of search criteria.
Search by Name
Step 1- To search by entity name, navigate to this webpage, select the topmost option and enter the name into the provided field before clicking Search.
Step 2- A list of search results will generate on a separate page. Scroll through the businesses until you find the one you’d like to research. Click on the entity name to advance to the business details.
Step 3- Here, you will be able to review all the information made available to the public by the Corporations Division. You will have the ability to analyse the images of all filed documents also.
Search by Key Word
Step 1- If you want to search the name database by a key word, you will have to navigate to this website and enter the word into the provided field. Click Search when ready.
Step 2- A list of names generated from the contents of your search will present themselves on a secondary page. Click on the entity that you would like to investigate to proceed.
Step 3- On this page, you will be able to review all the information made available to the public by the state government as well as the filing history of the entity.
Search by Identification Number
Step 1- Searching by identification number provides you with the most refined search results as there is only one number associated with each active entity in Michigan. Enter the name into the provided field on this webpage and click Search when ready.
Step 2- The active entity that matches the ID number as well as the inactive businesses which once used the number will be presented on a secondary page. Click the entity name to gain access to the business details.
Step 3- Here you will be able to review certain business details pertaining to the entity in question. You will also be able to View Document Images to review all the filings committed by the business.
Name Availability Search
Step 1- Those who are researching the availability of their chosen name prior to filing will be able to do so on this webpage. Enter the proposed name into the empty search field and select your entity type in the drop down menu. Click Search when ready.
Step 2- If the name is not available, the subsequent page will feature a window similar to the one shown in the first example below. If it seems as though there won’t be a problem, a similar window will appear only it will say “No Conflict Found” in the Results bar.
