Looking up business information in Florida? You don’t have to be a lawyer or a private investigator to get it. The Florida Business Entity Search tool provided by Sunbiz.org is straightforward, accessible, and fast. If you’re a business owner, investor, journalist, or just wondering about a company in the Sunshine State, the guide will give you everything you need to know.
What Is the Florida Business Entity Search?
The Florida Business Entity Search is an online lookup tool provided by the Florida Division of Corporations via Sunbiz.org where users can search registered business entities in Florida and obtain key company information for legal, compliance, or due diligence purposes.
Sunbiz is not a private entity; it is operated by the Florida Department of State, so the information representation is more trustworthy because Sunbiz is the official registry of corporations, LLCs, and partnerships that has been formed or registered in Florida and it is regularly updated.
Why the Florida Business Entity Search Matters More Than You Think
In a time when business transparency is essential, Sunbiz’s Business Entity Search acts as a vital verification tool. Are you considering signing a contract with a Florida-based LLC? Want to validate the status of a contractor’s registration? Need to check if a name is already taken for your new startup? This search tool is where you begin.
How to Use the Florida Business Entity Search
Step-by-Step Overview
The main search page is available here: Entity Name Search
Here’s how it works:
- Go to the Sunbiz Entity Search page
- Enter a business name or a part of it
- View the list of matching entities
- Click on a business name to access detailed records
Information You Can Find
Each entity listing contains:
- Corporate Name
- Document Number
- Status (e.g., Active, Inactive, Dissolved)
- Filing Information:
- Document Number
- FEI/EIN Number
- Date Filed
- State
- Status
- Principal Address and Mailing Address
- Registered Agent Name & Address
- Authorized Persons: Names and contact addresses
- Annual Reports with PDF view
- Document Images: Filings available in downloadable PDF format
Additionally, many entity profiles provide access to Name History, allowing users to view past business names associated with the same registration. This can be useful for uncovering rebranding efforts or historical records.
There’s also an Event section accessible via the “Event” button on a business profile. This section offers a timeline of corporate actions and includes detailed metadata such as:
- Document Number
- Data Filed
- Effective Date
- Status
- Event Type
- Filed Date
- Effective Date Description
These insights can be essential when tracking business formation changes, mergers, conversions, or administrative actions.
Florida Business Entity Search: Advanced Options You Should Know
Sunbiz doesn’t stop at entity name lookups. You can search businesses using several different identifiers:
Search Filters:
- By Officer or Registered Agent: Useful when tracing all businesses tied to a specific individual or registered agent.
- By Registered Agent Name
- By Trademark Name: Identify entities with registered trademarks.
- By Trademark Owner
- By FEI/EIN Number: A direct way to pinpoint an entity if you have the federal tax ID. → Learn more about FEI/EIN searches in our complete EIN database guide
- By Document Number
- By ZIP Code
- By Street Address
These filters are especially valuable for investigative work or real estate professionals mapping ownership records.
Real-World Example: Validating a Vendor
Let’s say you’re considering hiring “Coral Solutions LLC” for IT services. A quick search on Sunbiz reveals:
- Their Document Number and FEI/EIN
- Their status (Active)
- A principal address that matches the one on their invoice
- Their registered agent is a professional service provider, not the owner—something worth noting
You can download their most recent annual report, which shows who actually owns and manages the LLC. These insights can influence whether you proceed with the vendor or conduct further verification.
Key Use Cases for the Florida Business Entity Search Tool
Business Owners:
- Check name availability before registering your business
- View other entities with similar names
Legal Experts:
- Verify compliance status and filing history
- Find document images for incorporation or amendment filings
For Journalists and Researchers
- Track business ownership trends
- Link companies to common officers or addresses
For Citizens
- Confirm legitimacy of local service providers or contractors
Florida Business Entity Search: Tips for Efficient Searching
- Use partial names to catch variations (e.g., “Palm Tech” instead of “Palm Technologies Inc”)
- Leverage address search to find all entities located at a given property
- Cross-reference with EIN lookups for tighter identification
- Download PDFs of filings to keep for your records
Limitations to Be Aware Of
While Sunbiz is thorough, keep in mind:
- It only includes businesses registered in Florida
- Some out-of-date entities may still be listed as “Active” if no dissolution paperwork has been filed
- Not all document images go back decades
For information on the federal level (e.g., lien records or trademarks), you may need to use other tools. However, Sunbiz also provides guides to fictitious name registration and federal lien records that you may also want to use in your broader research.
Final Thoughts
The Florida Business Entity Search is much more than a registry. It’s a valuable public asset for financial literacy, consumer protection, and accountability for companies. With only a few clicks, you can uncover a wealth of information, information that might take you days, and/or cost you hundreds of dollars to receive elsewhere.
Whether you’re starting a company, vetting a prospective partner, or simply looking to understand the business climate in Florida, Sunbiz provides you reliable, and timely access to records and data.
Sources
- Florida Division of Corporations: https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz
- Entity Search Interface: https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ByName
- Corporation Records Guide: https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/guides/corporation-records/
- Federal Lien Registration Guide: https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/guides/federal-lien-registration/
- Fictitious Name Filing: https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/guides/fictitious-name/
- GP/LLP Partnerships: https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/guides/gp-llp-partnership/
