How to Look Up an LLC in California: bizfile Search and FTB Status

To look up an LLC in California, use the Secretary of State’s free bizfile search at bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov. Searching by the company’s legal name or its Secretary of State entity number pulls up the LLC’s current status, registered agent, formation date, and downloadable copies of its public filings, usually in under a minute.¹

What to Have Ready Before You Search

You’ll get cleaner results if you know either the LLC’s exact legal name or its entity number. The entity number is the unique identifier assigned when the LLC first registered. Older LLCs carry a seven-digit number; newer ones have a 12-character ID that starts with the letter “B.”²

Searching by name runs a keyword match, not an exact match.¹ The name doesn’t have to be letter-perfect, but try variations like “LLC” versus “L.L.C.” if nothing shows up. The system caps results at 500, so a common word like “Pacific” floods the list. Add more of the name to narrow things down.

Running the Search

Open the bizfile search page. You’ll see a search bar and options to filter by entity type. Choose “LLC” from the entity-type menu to filter out corporations and limited partnerships. Type the name or entity number and hit search. A quirk with older entity numbers: the portal’s search tips say to drop the letter “C” from the number before searching.¹

Results list each matching entity with its name, number, status, and formation date. Click any row to open the detail page. If you’re still getting too many hits, the advanced search lets you filter by status (active, dissolved, suspended) or by the date the entity was first filed.¹

What the Entity Detail Page Shows

The detail page is where the useful information lives.

Status. Whether the LLC is Active, Dissolved, Canceled, FTB Suspended, or FTB Forfeited. Active means the entity filed its formation documents and is authorized to do business in California. Dissolved means the LLC voluntarily wound down. Canceled means it filed a Certificate of Cancellation and its powers have ceased.³
Registration date and jurisdiction. When the LLC registered in California and where it was originally organized. This is how you tell a California-formed LLC apart from a foreign LLC (formed in another state) that registered to do business here.³
Agent for Service of Process. The name and physical California street address of the person or company designated to accept lawsuits and legal notices on the LLC’s behalf. This must be either a California resident or a registered corporate agent.³
Management structure. For California LLCs, whether the company is managed by its members, by one or more managers, or by a single manager.³
Document history. Free downloadable PDF copies of public filings, including the original Articles of Organization and the most recent Statement of Information.¹

What “FTB Suspended” or “FTB Forfeited” Means for You

If you’re looking up an LLC because you’re about to do business with it and the status says “FTB Suspended” or “FTB Forfeited,” stop. The Franchise Tax Board suspends or forfeits an LLC’s powers when it fails to file a required tax return, pay taxes, or pay penalties owed to the state.³ The Secretary of State can also suspend an LLC for failing to file its Statement of Information.

A suspended LLC loses its right to conduct business in California, and the consequences hit anyone dealing with it:

Contracts signed by a suspended LLC are voidable at the other party’s option. Unless the LLC applies for and receives Relief from Contract Voidability from the FTB (which costs $100 per day, capped at the tax owed for the period), those contracts remain unenforceable.⁴
A suspended LLC cannot file or defend a lawsuit in California. An opposing party can raise the suspension as an affirmative defense, and courts read this disability broadly to cover appeals, discovery, and petitions for writs.

If you’re considering hiring, buying from, or partnering with an LLC in this status, investigate before you sign anything. Suspension isn’t rare and it doesn’t clear on its own; the LLC has to file every missing return, pay everything owed, and apply for a Certificate of Revivor before its powers come back.⁴

What the Search Won’t Show

The public record has limits. bizfile won’t show you the LLC’s operating agreement, its financial records, or a full member list beyond what appears on the Statement of Information. California Corporations Code Section 17701.13 leaves those records with the LLC itself, and they’re generally available only to members and their legal representatives.⁵ If you need that information, you’ll need to request it directly, and unless you’re a member you’ll usually be turned down.

Ordering Certified Documents

The free PDFs are enough for most casual lookups. Some situations need something more formal. Banks opening a business account, other states processing a foreign LLC registration, and attorneys verifying authority often need a stamped, certified document from the Secretary of State.

The most commonly requested one is a Certificate of Status, which confirms the LLC is currently in good standing. It costs $5.⁶ Certified copies of filed documents such as Articles of Organization or Statements of Information cost $1 for the first page plus $0.50 for each additional page, with a $5 fee for the state seal. Same-day over-the-counter processing adds a $10 special handling fee on top of the regular charges.⁷ You can order all of these through the bizfile portal, with electronic delivery typically arriving within a few business days.

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California Secretary of State. Search | California Secretary of State – bizfile Online
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California Secretary of State. bizfile
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California Secretary of State. Business Search – Frequently Asked Questions
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Franchise Tax Board. My Business Is Suspended
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California Legislative Information. California Corporations Code 17701.13
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California Secretary of State. Forms and Fees
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California Secretary of State. Business Entities Fee Schedule