California runs its business register through the Secretary of State's filing platform, and it is one of the more informative state records in the country: alongside the entity's status it exposes the filed documents themselves, so you can read the formation filing and the statements of information rather than just a summary line. The search accepts a name or an entity number.
Searching by name or by entity number
A name search matches on the registered entity name, which is not always the trading name a company uses publicly, so a search that fails is often looking for a brand rather than a legal name. The entity number is the precise route: every California entity has one, it appears on every filing, and it disambiguates the many companies with similar names. If you have a document from the company, the number is usually on it.
What the California record shows
The record returns the entity name, entity number, registration date, jurisdiction of formation, status, the agent for service of process, and the entity's mailing and principal addresses. California also lists the filing history with the documents available, including the statement of information that every corporation and limited liability company files periodically. That statement is where the officers, directors or managers are disclosed.
Statuses that are not simply active
California distinguishes between active, suspended, forfeited, dissolved, cancelled and merged out. Suspended and forfeited usually mean a tax or statement of information failure, and a suspended entity cannot lawfully transact business or enforce its contracts in California until it is revived. That is a sharper consequence than in most states, and it makes the status field on a California record worth reading closely before signing anything.
Questions people ask about ca biz search
Can I search California by entity number?
Yes, and it is the precise route. Every California entity has a number and it appears on the entity's filings.
What does suspended mean on a California record?
Usually an unmet tax or statement of information obligation. A suspended entity cannot lawfully transact business or enforce its contracts in California until revived.
Does California show the filed documents?
Yes. The record lists the filing history, and many of the documents themselves can be read, including the statement of information.