Whether you’re researching the availability of a business name or checking the status of a business entity, find the information you need from the Delaware Division of Corporation’s website.

The Division of Corporations Business Entity Database provides information for general partnerships, corporations and LLCs registered in Delaware.  The names of sole proprietorships are not centralized and are registered at the Prothonotary’s Office in the counties where the business transacts business.

There is no fee for searching the database.

Also See: Guide to Starting a Business in Delaware

Steps For Searching Corporation and LLC Names In Delaware

Step 1: Visit the Delaware Entity Name Database

Visit the Delaware Division of Corporation’s website.

Step 2: Search your Name

Read the disclaimer and check the box stating you understand the disclaimer.

Then select the “Entity Kind”  You can choose from “Corporation”, “Statutory Trust”, “Limited Partnership”, “Limited Liability Partnership”, “Limited Liability Company”, or a “General Partnership”.

Next, enter the name of the business you would like to use.  In this example, we will look up an LLC with the name “Sew What”.  Click “Search” to see if the name is available.

Step 3: Review the Results

When we search “Sew What” a message saying “The name is not available for reservation” comes up.  If we want to look at the details of the business that has registered the business “Sew What LLC”, click on the “Search” button.

You can click on all the entity names that come up in your search.  In this example there is one result.  Clicking on the link reveals the following entity details.

An example of a search with an available name is “Sew What Tailors LLC”.  Entering the name in the search field and clicking “Search” shows:

These are the basics of searching for a business name in Delaware.  Even when the name of the business you want is available, the Division of Corporations will make a final determination at the time of filing to ensure the name you picked isn’t too similar to other registered names.

Something to keep in mind is that even though each Corporation and LLC name must be unique, it may not stop someone else from using that name since business names for a sole proprietorship or partnership are not registered by the Secretary of State and are not required to be unique.  To protect your business name, consider getting a trademark.

What information can be found on the Delaware business entity database?

The database search can find information on:

• Date of Formation
• Entity Name
• Secretary of State File Number
• Entity Kind – Corporation, Limited Liability Company, etc.
• Entity Type such as general (most businesses), bank, closed corp, DISC corp, professional association, general partnership, regulated investment corp, LLC, LLC, non-profit or religious.
• Status – Good standing means all reports and filing fees are up to date.
• Residency – Domestic or Foreign (Difference between a Domestic or Foreign entity.
• Registered Agent’s information – A Delaware Registered Agent is the singular point of contact for the entity should a legal or tax notice needs to be sent to the business.  This is often one of the owners and if their home address is used, that address becomes public information.  Many people find this concerning and use a Registered Agent service like NorthWest Registered Agent so their home address isn’t listed.