To run a Florida LLC search on Sunbiz, go to the Division of Corporations’ free public database at Sunbiz.org, pick a search field that matches what you already know about the company, and open the entity’s record to see its status, registered agent, managers, and filing history.1Florida Department of State. Search Records – Division of Corporations The search is free, takes a few minutes, and works whether you’re checking a name before forming a company or vetting a business before signing with it.
Pick the Search Method That Fits What You Know
Sunbiz lets you search by more than just the company name. The right field depends on the information already in your hands:
- Entity name, full or partial, when you know what the company is called.
- Officer or registered agent name, when you want every LLC tied to a particular person.
- Document number, the unique number the Division assigns at registration, when you want an exact match to one entity.
- FEI/EIN, the federal employer identification number.
- Street address or zip code, when you know where a business operates but not its legal name.2Florida Department of State. Search Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Partnerships, and Trademarks
The document number is the most precise input because it maps to one entity. A name search, by contrast, often returns dozens of similar results and needs a click-through to sort out.
Running the Search
Open the Sunbiz search page at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search and choose the field that fits your input.1Florida Department of State. Search Records – Division of Corporations You don’t need the exact legal name. The first few distinctive words usually pull the right company into the results list, along with its document number, filing date, and current status.
The results list is a summary only. To see anything useful, click the entity name to open its full detail page. That’s where the record actually lives.
Reading the Entity Record
An LLC’s detail page follows a consistent layout. A few fields do most of the work.
Status
The status line at the top of the record is the single most important field. “Active” means the LLC is in good standing, has filed its most recent annual report, and is authorized to do business in Florida.
“Inactive” means the LLC has been dissolved or revoked, usually because it missed an annual report or was voluntarily wound down. A dissolved LLC cannot legally conduct business, so catching this on Sunbiz before you sign a contract is one of the main reasons to search in the first place. An inactive company can be reinstated under certain conditions, but until that happens, its authority is gone.3Florida Department of State. Division of Corporations – Division FAQs
Watch the suffix on inactive records. “INACT” means the name is available for someone else to register. “INACT/UA” means the state still holds the name, either for one year after administrative dissolution or for 120 days after voluntary dissolution.3Florida Department of State. Division of Corporations – Division FAQs If you’re checking whether a name is actually free, that suffix is the answer.
Registered Agent and Addresses
The record shows a principal address, a mailing address, and the registered agent. Every Florida LLC must designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state, and the Division is required to keep an accurate record of the agent’s name and address.4The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605.0113 – Registered Agent If you ever need to serve legal papers on the company, this is the official contact.
All three addresses come from the LLC’s most recent filing, so they’re only as current as the last annual report the company submitted.
Managers, Members, and Authorized Persons
The record identifies the people who manage or own the LLC, listed as managers, members, or authorized persons depending on how the company is structured. These names come from the Articles of Organization and later annual reports. Check this section when you need to confirm that the person negotiating with you is actually authorized to bind the company.
Filed Documents
Near the bottom of the detail page, an image index lists every document the LLC has filed with the state. You can view and download PDF copies of the Articles of Organization, every annual report, and any amendments, all for free. Together, these build a paper trail of when the LLC was formed, who managed it over time, and what has changed.
The annual reports in that history also tell you whether the company has kept up with its yearly filing obligation, which is what keeps its status “Active.” A gap in the reports usually explains an “Inactive” tag.
Checking Whether a Name Is Available
Florida law requires every LLC name to be distinguishable from every other entity already on file with the Division of Corporations.5The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605.0112 – Name If your proposed name is too close to an existing one, the Division will reject your Articles of Organization outright, and you lose the filing fee.
“Too close” is tighter than most people expect. Differences in suffixes, articles like “the” or “a,” “and” versus an ampersand, singular versus plural forms, and punctuation do not make a name distinguishable.5The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 605.0112 – Name “Sunshine Consulting LLC” and “Sunshine Consulting, L.L.C.” would be treated as identical. So run your name against Sunbiz with that standard in mind, not just an exact-match mindset.
Finding a name unclaimed on Sunbiz doesn’t hold it for you. Anyone can file first. If you need time to finish your operating agreement or funding before filing, you can reserve the name through the Division of Corporations for $25.00, which holds it for 120 days.6Florida Department of State. Fees – Division of Corporations
One boundary worth naming: registering a name with the Division only stops another Florida entity from filing the same name. It does not give you trademark rights. A different company may hold a federal trademark on an identical or confusingly similar name and could force you to rebrand. If the name matters to your business long-term, search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database before you commit.
What Sunbiz Won’t Show You
The Sunbiz database is a registration index, not a full background check. It confirms that an LLC exists on paper, shows who filed the paperwork, and tracks whether the company has kept up with state filing requirements. It does not reveal whether the LLC holds the proper local or state business licenses, whether it owes back taxes, whether it’s currently being sued, or whether its members have personal legal issues. It also won’t show federal information like whether the company is taxed as an S corporation or a C corporation.
For a company you’re planning to do serious business with, treat the Sunbiz search as the starting point. Pair it with county court records, the Florida Department of Revenue, and the federal trademark database when the brand name is part of what you’re buying into.