Key Takeaways

  • A GA SOS business search helps verify a business’s legal status, check name availability, and access corporate records.
  • Searches can be done by name, control number, registered agent, or officer.
  • The Georgia Secretary of State site provides free access to business records, including filing history, status, and principal office address.
  • You can also reserve a name, search dissolved entities, or find information about a business’s registered agent.
  • Additional tools include trademark checks, DBA (Doing Business As) filings, and domain name checks.

GA SOS corporation searches can be done on the website of the Georgia secretary of state. You can look up the availability of a business name or search for a corporation's details on the online database of the Georgia Corporations Division. The search can be made using a corporation's name, registered agent, control number, or officer's name.

Why Search for a Georgia Corporation?

A corporation search on the Georgia secretary of state's site can be done for a number of reasons:

  • You might need to look up a corporation's name to know if it is available before incorporating in Georgia.
  • You can also look up a corporation to find out the address of a corporation's registered agent. This will help you serve the corporation with legal papers.
  • Banks and other lenders may look up a corporation to verify if it is active or if it is in good standing during loan negotiations.
  • You may also look up a corporation to find its contact information if you want to do business with the corporation.

Additional Reasons to Use the GA SOS Business Search

In addition to verifying name availability or a corporation’s registered agent, the GA SOS business search can be useful for:

  • Checking a corporation's filing history to confirm its compliance with state requirements.
  • Reviewing whether a business has been administratively dissolved or is in good standing with the state.
  • Identifying whether a corporation has filed annual registrations and whether they are current.
  • Finding contact details of corporations for partnership, investment, or acquisition opportunities.
  • Ensuring no trademark conflicts exist between a proposed name and similar business names on file.

Georgia Name Availability Search

To form a corporation in Georgia, you need to file the Articles of Incorporation with the Georgia secretary of state. The document should state the name of your business in addition to other details about the corporation.  The secretary of state's guidelines require the names of new corporations to be unique and distinguishable from the names of other entities in the state of Georgia. New business owners, therefore, need a reliable way to discover available names before they file the Articles of Incorporation to the secretary of state. 

The Georgia secretary of state runs a database of all current entities in the state. A new business owner can run the prospective name for his or her business against the database to see if the prospective name is distinguishable from the names already registered.

You can then reserve the name until you have successfully registered the business with the secretary of state. Reserving a name for 30 days costs $25.

Reserving a Business Name in Georgia

Once you confirm your desired business name is available through the GA SOS business search, you can reserve it for 30 days by filing a name reservation request online and paying a $25 fee. This reservation prevents others from registering the name while you complete your incorporation paperwork. Extensions may be requested if more time is needed to finalize formation.

How to Check a Name for Availability in Georgia

  • On the entity search page of the Georgia secretary of state, choose "business name" on the left of the page.
  • Enter the prospective business name in the search box.
  • Click on "search." A list of all businesses with names similar to your business's prospective name will be generated.
  • Analyze to see if your prospective name passes the distinguishability test with each of the names. You may need to toggle between "starts with," "contains," and "exact match" options for a complete analysis of the name.

Tips for Choosing a Unique Business Name

When performing a GA SOS business search to check name availability, consider these tips:

  • Avoid names that are too similar to existing businesses, even if spelling or spacing differs.
  • Exclude prohibited words such as “bank,” “insurance,” or “trust” unless authorized by the appropriate regulatory agency.
  • Include a corporate designator like “Inc.,” “Corp.,” “LLC,” or “Ltd.” to distinguish the entity.
  • Conduct domain name availability searches and trademark searches to ensure the name can be used for branding and online presence.

Georgia Corporation Lookup

You can also use the business search database of the Georgia secretary of state to find details about a corporation. To be able to search the Georgia Secretary of State database, you need to have at least one of the following details:

  • The name of the corporation
  • The corporation's control number
  • The officer name of the corporation
  • The corporation's registered agent

Other Search Options on the GA SOS Business Search Page

In addition to searching active corporations, the GA SOS business search allows you to:

  • Search for dissolved, revoked, or inactive businesses to determine if a name may become available for reuse.
  • Access historical filings for corporations that have merged, converted, or changed status.
  • Download business records or certificates for official purposes (some fees may apply).
  • Search by control number, officer, or registered agent to locate entities when the exact business name is unknown.

How to Search a Georgia Corporation on the Site

  • Step 1
    Go to the Georgia Corporation Divisions business search site.
  • Step 2
    Choose any of the four search types. You can search by business name, control number, registered agent name, or officer name.
    The business name is the legal name of the business
    A registered agent is a person or entity appointed by the corporation to receive and forward legal papers and government notices for the corporation.
    The control number is a unique identifier of a corporation. You can find it on the corporation's Articles of Incorporation.
    The officer is a manager in the corporation.
  • Step 3
    If you know the name of the corporation, choose to search by name. Type all or part of the corporation's name. You can narrow down the search by checking any of the options “starts with,” “contains,” or “exact match”
  • Step 4
    Click "search." A list of companies whose details match your search terms will be generated. Choose the corporation you want from the list by clicking on its business name.

You can follow a similar process if you search using the control number, registered agent, or officer name. In each case, the search will yield the following details:

  • The corporation's business name.
  • The principal office address of the corporation.
  • Jurisdiction of the corporation.
  • The corporation's filing history.
  • The control number of the corporation.
  • The corporation's registered agent.
  • Whether the corporation is active, inactive, or dissolved.

Understanding the Search Results

When you complete a GA SOS business search, the search results will typically display:

  • The legal name of the business
  • Status (active, dissolved, revoked)
  • Principal office address
  • Jurisdiction
  • The entity’s control number
  • Name and address of the registered agent
  • A list of filings and annual reports

Be sure to review the entity’s filing history to verify whether it’s in good standing or has missed important deadlines. This is especially critical if you plan to do business with the company or acquire its assets.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the GA SOS business search used for?
    It’s used to check name availability, verify corporate status, and access business records in Georgia.
  2. Is the GA SOS business search free?
    Yes, the search is free, but copies of official documents may require a fee.
  3. Can I reserve a business name through the GA SOS business search?
    Yes, after confirming availability, you can reserve a name online for 30 days for a $25 fee.
  4. What does “inactive” mean in the GA SOS business search results?
    It means the entity has been dissolved, revoked, or failed to meet state filing requirements.
  5. How can I search if I don’t know the exact business name?
    You can search by registered agent, officer name, or control number instead.

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