The Missouri entity search is a free public tool run by the Secretary of State at bsd.sos.mo.gov. It lets you look up any corporation, LLC, partnership, or nonprofit registered in the state, check whether the business is in good standing, find its registered agent, see its officers and directors, and confirm whether a proposed business name is available. Results come back in seconds, and no account is required.
How to Run a Search
The search accepts three types of input: the entity’s legal name, its charter number (the permanent ID the state assigns at formation), or the name of its registered agent. Any one of them will pull up a record.
Dropdown filters control how strictly the tool matches what you type. “Exact Match” is best when you already know the precise legal name. “Starting With” helps when you only remember the first word or two, or when you’re checking whether a name is taken. “All Words” is the widest net, returning any record containing every word you entered in any order. If a search returns too many results, tighten the filter and try again.1Missouri Secretary of State. Business Services
Reading the Results
Your search returns a table listing every match with its legal name, entity type, and current status. Click the entity name or charter number to open the full detail page. When several businesses share similar names, check the entity type and charter number carefully so you know you’re looking at the right one.
The detail page pulls together the core registration data the state holds on file:
- Charter number, the entity’s permanent state ID, which stays the same even if the business later changes its name
- Date of incorporation or registration in Missouri
- Registered agent and the address where legal documents can be served
- Officers and directors from the entity’s most recent annual registration report2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 351.120 – Corporate Registration Report
- Current entity status
What the Status Field Tells You
Status is the single most important field on the page when you’re vetting a company. “Good Standing” means the entity has filed its required reports, paid its taxes, and kept a registered agent on file. A business in good standing can legally sign contracts and operate in the state.
“Admin Dissolved” means the Secretary of State has involuntarily terminated the entity’s authority to do business. For corporations, this can happen when a registration report is more than 90 days overdue, when the entity has gone 30 or more days without a registered agent, or when it fails to pay state taxes after notice from the Department of Revenue.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 351.484 – Grounds for Administrative Dissolution An administratively dissolved entity cannot legally transact business, and people who continue operating on its behalf risk personal liability for its obligations.
If a company you’re considering doing business with shows “Admin Dissolved,” treat it as a warning. The entity may be able to reinstate itself, but until it does, it lacks legal standing to sign binding contracts or bring a lawsuit.
Registered Agent Information
Every corporation and LLC registered in Missouri must continuously keep a registered agent with a physical address in the state.4Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 351.370 – Registered Office and Registered Agent5Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 347.030 – Registered Office, Registered Agent The agent can be an individual who lives in Missouri or a business authorized to operate in the state.
This matters because the registered agent is the address for service of process. If you need to serve a Missouri company with a lawsuit or legal notice, the agent listed in your search result is where you send it. A missing or outdated registered agent that goes unfixed for more than 30 days is itself grounds for administrative dissolution of a corporation.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 351.484 – Grounds for Administrative Dissolution
Checking Whether a Business Name Is Available
Another common reason to run the search is to see whether a name is free before forming a new company. Missouri law requires every LLC name to be distinguishable on the Secretary of State’s records from the name of any existing corporation, LLC, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership already registered in the state.6Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 347.020 – Name of Company Regulated Corporations face the same rule under a separate statute.7Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 351.110 – Name of Corporation Regulated
“Distinguishable” is a lower bar than “totally different,” but it’s not nothing. Adding “LLC” or swapping “Company” for “Inc.” will not make two otherwise identical names distinguishable. If an existing entity consents in writing and files paperwork to change its own name, you may still be able to use its name.
Once you find an available name, you can hold it for 60 days by filing an application for reservation with the Secretary of State. The fee is $25 for most entity types and $30 for limited liability partnerships, and total reservation for any single name is capped at 180 days.8Secretary of State of Missouri. Application for Reservation of Name
When You Need a Certified Document
The online search is enough for informal due diligence, but courts, lenders, and out-of-state agencies often require an official document with the state’s seal. The Secretary of State charges the following:9Secretary of State of Missouri. Corporations Division Schedule of Fees and Charges
- Certificate of Good Standing: $10
- Certified copy of a business record ordered online: $10
- Certified copy of a business record on paper: $10 plus $0.50 per page
- Certified abstract of a business record: $15
- Certificate of Fact: $25
Certified copies ordered online are usually available as immediate digital downloads. A physical copy with an embossed seal comes by mail. The Certificate of Good Standing is what banks, lenders, and courts most often ask for, because it confirms in one document that the entity is authorized to do business and current on its filings.