To find articles of incorporation in Florida, search the Division of Corporations database at Sunbiz.org, open the corporation’s detail page, and download the filed articles as a free PDF. If you need a version with the state’s seal, a certified copy by mail costs $8.75.
Where to Search
Go to the Division of Corporations search page at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search. Every Florida corporation’s filings are public record, and viewing or downloading them costs nothing.
Which search field you pick depends on what you already know about the company:
- Entity name. The most common approach. Type the corporation’s legal name or a close approximation; partial matches will appear in the results.
- Document number. Every Florida entity has a unique document number assigned when it files. If you have it, the search goes straight to the entity’s detail page.
- Officer or registered agent. Useful when you know who runs a company but not its exact name. Enter individual names as “Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial.”
- Street address or zip code. Pulls up every entity registered at a given location.
- FEI/EIN. The federal employer identification number works as a search key, which helps when you’re cross-referencing tax records.
Results list each matching entity with its document number and current status. Click through to reach the entity’s detail page.
Opening the Filed Document
The detail page shows the corporation’s filing history: the original articles of incorporation, any amendments, annual reports, and name changes. Select the document you want and it opens as a PDF you can view, save, or print.
These are scanned images of the actual filings, so you’re looking at the document exactly as it was submitted to the Division of Corporations. This free version is an unofficial copy. It’s fine for research, due diligence, or your own records, but some banks and government agencies will require a certified copy carrying the state’s official seal.
Getting a Certified Copy
When a bank, lender, court, or government agency requires an official copy, order one from the Division of Corporations.
Certified copies requested by mail cost a flat $8.75 regardless of page count. In-person requests at the Division of Corporations office in Tallahassee are $8.75 for the first eight pages and $1.00 for each additional page, up to a maximum of $52.50. A certificate of status, which confirms the corporation is active and in good standing, is an additional $8.75.
A mail request should include the entity name, the Florida document number, the specific document you need (such as “Articles of Incorporation”), and payment by check or money order made out to the Florida Department of State. Send it to the Division of Corporations in Tallahassee. You can also order a certificate of status online through the Sunbiz portal.
The Division of Corporations posts current processing dates at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/document-processing-dates. Online filings generally process faster than mail submissions; mail filings have recently been running about a week behind. Check that page before a time-sensitive request.
What the Document Should Contain
If you want to confirm you’ve pulled the right filing, Florida law requires every for-profit corporation’s articles to include five items:
- Corporate name, distinguishable from every other entity on file.
- Principal office address, plus a mailing address if different.
- Authorized shares, meaning the number of shares the corporation may issue.
- Registered agent and office, with a Florida street address for accepting legal papers.
- Incorporator names and addresses for the people who signed and filed the articles.
Some corporations add optional provisions like initial directors or a stated business purpose, but neither is required for a for-profit corporation.
Reading the Entity Status
Every entity on Sunbiz carries a status label, and it’s worth knowing what it means before you rely on a filing.
“Active” means the corporation is current on its filings and authorized to conduct business in Florida. “Inactive” means the entity has fallen out of good standing, usually for failing to file an annual report or after administrative dissolution. The filed documents, including the original articles, remain viewable in the database even after a corporation goes inactive. “Inactive/UA” means the entity is inactive but its name is being held for a statutory period and can’t be used by anyone else.
If you’re doing due diligence on a company and see anything other than “active,” treat it as a flag worth investigating before entering into a business relationship.
If the Company Was Formed in Another State
A corporation formed outside Florida but authorized to do business here files a certificate of authority rather than articles of incorporation. Those records appear in the same Sunbiz database and are searchable the same ways. The detail page shows the home state, the date the company qualified to do business in Florida, and its Florida registered agent. The actual articles of incorporation are on file in the state that originally chartered the corporation; Florida only holds the qualification documents.
Checking for Amendments
If the articles you find contain information that looks outdated, check whether the corporation has filed an amendment. Amendments appear as separate documents in the entity’s filing history, each showing what changed and when. Pulling both the original articles and every subsequent amendment gives you the full picture of what the corporation has on record with the state.