To run an Alabama LLC lookup, go to the Secretary of State’s Business Entity Records page at sos.alabama.gov and open the Government Records Inquiry System.1Alabama Secretary of State. Business Entity Records The search is free, returns results in seconds, and shows the company’s legal name, formation date, registered agent, entity status, and filing history. It will not tell you who owns the LLC.
How to Run the Search
The inquiry system gives you four ways to search, each opening in its own browser window:
- Entity Name. Type the full or partial legal name. Common words return long lists, so type as much of the exact name as you have.
- Entity Number. Every business gets a unique number at its first filing. If you have it, this pulls the exact record.
- Officer, Agent, or Incorporator. Useful when you know a person’s name but not the company’s.
- Reservation or Registration by ID. For name reservations or registrations tied to an assigned ID.
The results list matching entities with their numbers and locations. Click the hyperlinked entity number to open the full record.
What the Record Shows
Opening a specific LLC’s page pulls together the public snapshot of the company’s standing with the state:
- The legal name and entity type as filed, confirming whether it’s an LLC, corporation, or something else.
- The formation date.
- The registered agent’s name and physical office address. Alabama law requires every LLC to continuously maintain a registered agent and office in the state.2Justia. Alabama Code Title 10A, Chapter 1, Article 5, Division D – Registered Agents and Registered Offices
- The entity status.
- The county where the registered office sits, matching the Certificate of Formation.3Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 10A-5A-2.01 – Formation
The record also links to the LLC’s filing history. From there you can view the original Certificate of Formation and any amendments, agent changes, or later filings the company has made.
What the Search Will Not Tell You
If you’re trying to find out who owns an Alabama LLC, this database probably won’t help. Alabama does not require LLCs to name members or managers on their Certificate of Formation. The filing only has to state that the LLC has at least one member, without identifying who that member is.3Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 10A-5A-2.01 – Formation The formation form itself has no fields for members or managers.4Alabama Secretary of State. Domestic LLC Certificate of Formation
Ownership details live in the LLC’s internal operating agreement, a private document that isn’t filed with the state. The organizer’s name may appear on the formation paperwork, but the organizer doesn’t have to be an owner. The registered agent is often a commercial service rather than someone running the business.
The database also won’t tell you anything about the company’s tax filings, financial health, lawsuits, or liens. Those records sit with the Alabama Department of Revenue, the county courts, and the UCC filing system. An LLC can show as active with the Secretary of State while carrying unresolved tax issues with the Department of Revenue, because the Business Privilege Tax Return and Annual Report are filed with Revenue, not the Secretary of State.5Alabama Department of Revenue. What Taxpayers Must File an Alabama Business Privilege Tax Return?
Reading the Entity Status
Status is the single most important field if you’re checking whether an LLC is currently operating.
- Exists. The LLC is active and in good standing with the Secretary of State. Its formation documents have been processed and it has not been dissolved or terminated.6Alabama Secretary of State. Domestic Business Entities Brochure
- Dissolved. The entity has gone through the dissolution process and is no longer legally active. This status appears once the Secretary of State finishes processing the dissolution paperwork.6Alabama Secretary of State. Domestic Business Entities Brochure
- Terminated. The entity is no longer authorized to conduct business in Alabama.
Anything other than “Exists” is worth investigating before you sign a contract or send money. An LLC that shows as dissolved or terminated cannot legally transact business in the state, and agreements signed with it may be harder to enforce.
When You Need a Certified Document
A screenshot of the search results is fine for casual checks. For a bank, a court, or a formal deal, order an official record through the Secretary of State’s online ordering system.
A Certificate of Existence is what banks and courts typically ask for. It verifies that the LLC was properly formed and is authorized to do business in Alabama. It costs $28 online for immediate PDF download, or $25 by mail or in person.7Alabama Secretary of State. Fee Schedule
Copies of filed documents, including the Articles of Organization, cost $3.50 per page online or $2.00 per page for non-electronic requests. Certification of a document is $10 on top of the copy fee.7Alabama Secretary of State. Fee Schedule
Older Records Not in the Online Database
The online search covers current and relatively recent filings. For corporation records from between 1949 and 2010, the Secretary of State directs you to the Alabama Department of Archives and History at archives.alabama.gov.1Alabama Secretary of State. Business Entity Records For any LLC formed under Alabama’s current business entity code, the main search portal is where the record lives.