What Is Sunbiz Search?
Sunbiz search is the free public records lookup tool hosted at sunbiz.org, the official website of the Florida Division of Corporations under the Florida Department of State. It allows anyone to search, retrieve, and review official registration records for every business entity that has ever filed with the state of Florida, including corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and fictitious name (DBA) registrations. No account, login, or fee is required to run a search or view results.
The database is authoritative and legally recognized. When a Florida court, lender, title company, or government agency needs to verify a business's legal standing, its registered agent, or its officers and directors, the sunbiz.org search portal is the primary reference point. It is not a third-party aggregator or a scraping service — it is the source of record maintained directly by the state.
Why Sunbiz Search Matters
Florida is one of the most active states for business formation in the United States, consistently ranking in the top three for new entity registrations each year. The sunbiz search database reflects that volume: it contains millions of active, inactive, and dissolved entity records stretching back decades. Understanding how to use it correctly has practical consequences across a wide range of situations.
Legal and Compliance Uses
- Entity verification before contracting: Before signing a contract with a Florida business, you can confirm the entity is currently active, properly registered, and authorized to conduct business in the state. A dissolved or inactive entity may lack the legal capacity to enter enforceable contracts under Florida law.
- Registered agent identification: Florida law requires every registered entity to maintain a registered agent with a physical Florida street address. Sunbiz search reveals who that agent is, which is essential for anyone needing to serve legal process on a business.
- Officer and director records: The database lists the names and addresses of officers, directors, managers, and members as reported in the most recent annual report. This information is used in litigation, due diligence, and regulatory investigations.
- Annual report compliance: Businesses can confirm whether their own annual report has been filed and accepted, avoiding the administrative dissolution that results from missing the May 1 deadline.
Business Formation Uses
- Name availability checks: Before filing articles of incorporation or organization, founders must confirm that their proposed name is not already in use by or confusingly similar to an existing active entity. Sunbiz search is the tool used to conduct that check.
- Fictitious name searches: Sole proprietors and general partnerships operating under a trade name must register that name with the Division of Corporations. Searching existing fictitious name registrations prevents filing conflicts and potential trademark disputes.
- Reservation confirmation: Florida allows name reservations for 120 days. A search will show whether a desired name is currently reserved by another party.
Due Diligence and Investigative Uses
- Mergers and acquisitions: Buyers and their counsel use sunbiz search to verify corporate history, confirm good standing, identify subsidiaries registered in Florida, and flag any gaps in annual report filings that could indicate administrative problems.
- Vendor and supplier screening: Procurement departments verify that vendors are legitimate, active entities before onboarding them or issuing payments.
- Fraud investigation: Investigators and journalists use the database to trace business ownership, identify shell companies, and map relationships between entities through shared officers, addresses, or registered agents.
- Real estate transactions: Title companies and real estate attorneys confirm that an LLC or corporation selling or buying property is in good standing and that the signatory has authority to act on behalf of the entity.
How Sunbiz Search Works: The Technical and Legal Architecture
The Florida Division of Corporations maintains its database under the authority of Chapter 607 (Florida Business Corporation Act), Chapter 608 (Florida Limited Liability Company Act), Chapter 620 (partnerships), and Chapter 865 (fictitious names) of the Florida Statutes. Every document filed under these chapters — from initial formation documents to annual reports to dissolution filings — is indexed in the database and made publicly accessible through sunbiz.org.
What the Database Contains
Each entity record in the sunbiz database is built from the cumulative filings associated with that entity's document number. The core components of a typical record include:
- Entity name and document number: A unique identifier assigned at formation, used to distinguish entities with similar names.
- Filing date and state of formation: The date the entity was officially created or registered to do business in Florida, and whether it is a domestic (Florida-formed) or foreign (formed elsewhere, registered in Florida) entity.
- Status: Active, inactive, dissolved, revoked, or administratively dissolved. Status is updated in real time as filings are processed.
- Registered agent name and address: The designated point of contact for legal service of process, required to be a Florida resident or a business entity authorized to act as a registered agent in Florida.
- Principal place of business address: The mailing or physical address of the entity's main office.
- Officers, directors, managers, or members: Names and addresses as reported in the most recent annual report or formation document.
- Annual report history: A record of every annual report filed, showing the filing date and the year it covers.
- Document images: Scanned or digitally filed copies of the original articles of incorporation or organization, amendments, name changes, and other formal filings. These are available as PDF downloads directly from the record.
Search Methods Available on Sunbiz.org
The portal offers several distinct search pathways, each suited to different use cases. Choosing the right one significantly affects the quality of your results.
| Search Type | Best Used For | Key Input |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Name Search | Finding a business when you know its name or part of its name | Full or partial entity name |
| Document Number Search | Pulling a specific record when you already have the state-assigned ID | Florida document/entity number |
| Officer/Registered Agent Search | Finding all entities associated with a specific individual or agent | Person's last name or registered agent name |
| Fictitious Name Search | Looking up DBA registrations for sole proprietors or partnerships | Trade name or owner name |
| Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) Search | Cross-referencing a tax ID to a Florida entity | FEIN (EIN) number |
How Search Results Are Generated and Ranked
When you enter a name query, the sunbiz system performs a prefix-based string match against its entity name index by default. This means searching for "Atlantic" will return results beginning with "Atlantic" — it will not automatically surface entities with "Atlantic" in the middle of their name unless you use a wildcard. The system supports a percent sign (%) as a wildcard character. Entering %Atlantic% will return all entities whose registered name contains the word "Atlantic" anywhere in the string. This is a critical operational detail that most casual users miss, and it explains why a naive search often appears to return incomplete results.
Results are returned in alphabetical order by entity name. Each result row displays the entity name, document number, status, and filing date, giving you enough information to identify the correct record before clicking through to the full detail page.
Data Freshness and Accuracy
The Division of Corporations processes filings on a rolling basis throughout the business day. In practice, electronically submitted filings — which account for the vast majority of new submissions — are typically reflected in the searchable database within one to two business days of processing. Paper filings take longer due to manual data entry requirements. Annual report data is updated continuously from January 1 through the May 1 deadline each year.
It is important to understand what sunbiz search does not guarantee. The database reflects what has been filed with the state; it does not independently verify the accuracy of the information reported by filers. An officer's address, for example, is whatever the entity reported in its last annual report — the Division does not audit or confirm that information. For purposes that require verified accuracy, such as serving legal process, practitioners typically supplement sunbiz data with direct confirmation.
Access, Cost, and Legal Status of the Records
All search functions on sunbiz.org are free of charge and require no registration. The records are public records under Florida's broad public records law, Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. There is no restriction on who may search or how often. Bulk data downloads are available separately through the Division of Corporations for parties who need machine-readable datasets, typically at a nominal fee, but the standard web search interface imposes no cost or access barrier whatsoever.
Certified copies of filed documents — which carry a state seal and are admissible as evidence in legal proceedings — can be ordered through the same portal for a fee set by statute. A standard search result and the PDF images available through it are not certified copies; they are informational records suitable for most business and research purposes but not for evidentiary use without certification.
How to Search Sunbiz: Complete Step-by-Step Strategy
The fastest path to a successful Sunbiz search is to start at sunbiz.org, select the correct search type for your goal, enter the most specific query you have, and then filter results using the available tools. The sections below walk through every search method, show you how to interpret what you find, and identify the errors that waste time or produce misleading results.
Choosing the Right Search Type Before You Start
Sunbiz offers several distinct search paths. Picking the wrong one is the single most common reason searches return no results or the wrong records. Match your goal to the correct entry point before typing anything.
| Your Goal | Search Type to Use | Where to Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Check if a business name is available | Entity Name Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Entity Name |
| Look up a specific company by name | Entity Name Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Entity Name |
| Find a business using its Florida document number | Document Number Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Document Number |
| Find a business using its Federal EIN | FEI/EIN Number Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > FEI/EIN Number |
| Identify who owns or controls a company | Officer/Registered Agent Name Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Officer/RA Name |
| Verify a registered agent | Registered Agent Name Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Officer/RA Name |
| Search fictitious names (DBAs) | Fictitious Name Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Fictitious Name |
| Find trademarks registered in Florida | Trademark Search | sunbiz.org > Search Records > Trademark |
Step-by-Step: Entity Name Search
Entity Name Search is the most frequently used tool on Sunbiz. It searches corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other registered entities by their legal name.
Step 1 — Navigate to the Search Page
Go to sunbiz.org and click Search Records in the top navigation. Select Entity Name from the dropdown menu. You will land on the main search form.
Step 2 — Select the Correct Entity Type Filter
Before entering a name, use the Entity Type dropdown to narrow your results. Options include:
- Florida Profit Corporation — standard for-profit corporations incorporated in Florida
- Florida Limited Liability Company — Florida-formed LLCs
- Florida Non-Profit Corporation — 501(c) and other non-profit entities
- Foreign Profit Corporation — out-of-state corporations registered to do business in Florida
- Foreign LLC — out-of-state LLCs registered in Florida
- Limited Partnership and Limited Liability Partnership
If you are unsure of the entity type, leave this field set to All Entity Types to cast the widest net.
Step 3 — Enter the Search Term Strategically
Sunbiz uses a starts-with search by default, not a contains search. This means the system looks for names that begin with the exact string you type. Enter only the first distinctive word or phrase of the business name rather than the full name. For example, to find Sunshine Coast Logistics LLC, search for Sunshine Coast, not the complete name.
Step 4 — Read and Filter the Results List
Results appear in a table showing the entity name, document number, status, and entity type. Key things to check immediately:
- Status column: Active, Inactive, Dissolved, Revoked, or Administratively Dissolved. Only Active entities are currently in good standing.
- Entity type column: Confirms whether you are looking at a corporation, LLC, or another structure.
- Document number: Florida's unique identifier for that entity. Save this for future reference.
Step 5 — Open the Full Entity Detail Page
Click the entity name to open its detail record. This page contains the most important information for due diligence or compliance purposes:
- Principal address and mailing address
- Registered agent name and address
- Date of formation or qualification
- Annual report filing history
- Officers, directors, and managers (with addresses)
- Document images for articles of incorporation, amendments, and annual reports
Step-by-Step: Officer and Registered Agent Name Search
This search is essential for due diligence, litigation support, and identifying all entities connected to a specific individual or professional registered agent service.
- From Search Records, select Officer/Registered Agent Name.
- Enter the individual's last name first, then first name. For a registered agent company, enter the company name.
- Use the Title filter to restrict results to a specific role: President, Director, Manager, Registered Agent, etc.
- Review the results list, which shows every entity in which that person holds a listed role.
- Click through to individual entity records to see the full context of each association.
This search is particularly useful for identifying shell company networks, verifying that a vendor's principals have no history of dissolved or revoked entities, and locating all businesses associated with a known registered agent before a corporate service change.
Step-by-Step: Fictitious Name (DBA) Search
A fictitious name registration in Florida is the official record of a business operating under a name other than its legal entity name. These records are separate from entity records and require their own search.
- From Search Records, select Fictitious Name.
- Enter the trade name or DBA you want to look up.
- Review results to find the owner of the fictitious name. The owner may be an individual, a corporation, or an LLC.
- Note the expiration date. Florida fictitious name registrations expire every five years and must be renewed.
- Click through to see the full registration, including the owner's name and address.
If you are checking name availability for a DBA, a result showing an active fictitious name registration does not automatically block you from registering a similar name, but it does indicate a potential conflict that warrants further review.
Interpreting Status Codes Correctly
Misreading an entity's status is one of the most consequential mistakes you can make when using Sunbiz for due diligence or compliance work.
- Active: The entity is current on its annual report filings and is in good standing with the Florida Division of Corporations.
- Inactive: A broad category covering entities that are no longer active for various reasons. Always check the specific dissolution or revocation date.
- Administratively Dissolved: The entity failed to file its annual report. It can be reinstated within a specific window. This is not the same as a voluntary dissolution.
- Dissolved: The entity was formally dissolved, either voluntarily or by court order.
- Revoked: Applies to foreign entities whose authority to do business in Florida was revoked, typically for failure to maintain a registered agent or file annual reports.
An administratively dissolved LLC may still be conducting business illegally. If you are a vendor or counterparty, this status is a significant red flag that requires follow-up before entering any contract.