How to Look Up an LLC in New York (2026)
To look up an LLC in New York, search the Department of State's Corporation and Business Entity Database, free to use for any entity on file with the state.
The database confirms an entity's current status, but it won't clear a name for you. A separate, paid request handles that instead.
This guide walks through both tools, plus how to check a name against trademarks and what New York LLCs owe once they form.
Quick Summary
- Search the Corporation and Business Entity Database by entity name or DOS ID.
- Confirming a NEW name's availability costs a small per-name fee, paid to the Division of Corporations.
- New York LLCs must publish formation notice in two newspapers. They also file a Biennial Statement every two years.
| Method | What to Enter | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Corporation and Business Entity Database | Entity name or DOS ID | Confirming an LLC is on file and viewing its current filing record |
| Division of Corporations (phone or email) | Up to five entity names per call or written request | A name-availability check the online database can't confirm on its own |
| USPTO / New York State Trademark Search | Business or product name | Checking for a federal or New York-only trademark conflict |
New York's Corporation and Business Entity Database
The Division of Corporations keeps the record every search pulls from. Its database covers LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships.
A search confirms whether an entity is on file and shows its current status. It won't tell you whether a name you want is open, since the tool only looks up entities already on file.
For that question, the Division runs a separate check. Run it before you settle on a name. State law blocks a new filing if its name is too close to one already on file. Our best LLC formation services in New York review covers providers who can handle the filing once your name is clear.
How to Look Up an LLC in New York
New York offers a few more ways to check an entity beyond the database search above, from a phone request to a domain check.
1. Search the Database
Open the database and search by entity name or DOS ID number, then scan the results for the entity you want.
Opening a match brings up that entity's own record. The DOS ID is the more precise identifier to use once you have it.
2. Request a Name-Availability Check
Call the Division of Corporations at (518) 473-2492. Ask for a search of up to five entity names in one call. The first five names are free. Each name past that costs $5 [1].
You can also mail or fax a written request to the Division of Corporations, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231. The same rate applies there too.
A name-availability result only reflects that moment. Check again right before you file, since another business could claim the name first.
3. Check Domain Name Availability
Once a name clears the state search, check whether the matching web domain is open. Try a registrar like Namecheap, testing .com, .net and a few other endings. A taken domain isn't a legal problem, but it can point to a competing business worth a closer look.
How to Check If a Business Name Is Trademarked in New York
A clear database search only means no other New York entity holds that exact name. It says nothing about trademark rights. Run a federal check and a state check too.
1. Search Federal Trademarks Through the USPTO
The USPTO's Trademark Search system covers marks registered or pending nationwide. It replaced the older TESS tool. Search the plain name first, then try close spellings. A mark doesn't need to match exactly to count as a conflict.
2. Search New York's State Trademark Registration
New York also runs its own trademark and service mark registration through the Division of Corporations. A state mark only covers use inside New York. Pair it with the federal search above for broader protection.
Reasons to Perform a Search
A search comes in handy well beyond picking a new business name:
- Legal compliance. New York rejects a name that isn't distinguishable enough from one already filed.
- Due diligence. Confirm a partner, vendor or investment target is actually on file and in good standing.
- Serving legal documents. Look up an entity's status and history before sending a legal notice.
- Market research. See how many similar names already work in your industry.
- Reusing a closed name. Confirm the earlier LLC actually closed. Our guide to dissolving an LLC in New York covers that step if it hasn't.
Maintaining an LLC in New York
New York LLCs carry two duties most other states don't pair together in one place. Missing either one causes its own separate problem down the road.
Every New York LLC must publish notice of its formation. Publish once a week for six weeks straight, in two newspapers picked by the county clerk where the LLC's office sits [2]. One newspaper runs daily, the other weekly.
Filing the resulting Certificate of Publication with the Department of State costs $50. The whole process must wrap up within 120 days of formation, or the state suspends the LLC's authority to do business until it's filed.
Every LLC also files a Biennial Statement with the Department of State every two years, due in the month it first formed [3]. The fee is $9, paid online through the Department's e-Statement service. A late Biennial Statement shows up on any Certificate of Status the LLC later requests, which can complicate certain business transactions.
Our guide to starting an LLC in New York covers the formation filing itself, and the how-to-look-up-an-llc hub covers every other state.
Related New York LLC Guides
Once your name is clear, compare registered agent services in New York if you'd rather pick your own agent than use the state's default.
FAQs
How Do I Verify a Member of a New York LLC?
You generally can't verify a member through the Department of State, since New York's Articles of Organization don't require member names. Ask the company directly, or check its operating agreement, for that information instead.
Is There a Fee to Search the Database?
No, the database search itself is free. A separate $5 fee only applies when you ask the state to confirm a NEW name is available.
Does New York Require a Registered Agent in the Database?
No, New York doesn't require a traditional registered agent. The Secretary of State stands in as the LLC's agent for service of process by default, though an LLC can name its own agent instead.
Can I See a New York LLC's Financial Details Through a Lookup?
No, you can't see financial details through a lookup. The database only shows public filing facts, not financial or ownership records.
References:
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EXC/96
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LLC/206
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LLC/301
