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The Business Services Division of the Idaho Secretary of State keeps the register of Idaho corporations, LLCs, partnerships, assumed business names and trademarks. All of it is searched in SOSBiz, which the office describes as a search for Idaho business and trademark information. The same tool lets you look up registered agents, and it is where you order a certificate of existence.
Idaho LLC and corporation search in SOSBiz, step by step
Open sosbiz.idaho.gov and use the business search. When you click a business name, everything the Secretary of State has on file slides out in a panel on the right of the screen. From that panel, owners can also request access to the business record by PIN, which links it to their SOSBiz account for filings.
Two things to know before you start:
- An account is for filing. You need an SOSBiz account to file forms, annual reports and amendments. If a business was set up by an attorney, accountant or filing service, the owner may need to request access before it shows under My Records.
- Browser trouble is common. If SOSBiz does not display correctly, the office suggests Google Chrome, a refresh, clearing your cache, or another device.
To find who receives legal papers for a company, see our registered agent lookup guide. The Secretary of State also posts a 14-day list of recent registered agents as a PDF.
Reading an Idaho record
Each record shows the business details on file, including its registered agent. Idaho requires a registered agent with a physical street address in Idaho, with no P.O. boxes, who is available during normal business hours. The agent must be an individual living in Idaho or a business authorized to do business in Idaho. An assumed business name cannot serve as a registered agent.
The key status to watch is administratively dissolved. Under Idaho Code 30-21-601, the Secretary of State can start that process if a business fails to deliver its annual report on time, or has no registered agent in Idaho for 60 days in a row. Only Idaho entities can reinstate, and they do it through SOSBiz.
One thing the record will not tell you is who owns the shares. The Secretary of State does not keep stock ownership records for Idaho corporations.
Idaho name rules and reservations
A new name must be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State under Idaho Code 30-21-301. When comparing names, entity words and abbreviations such as Inc., Corp., LLC and L.L.C. are not counted. So "Snake River Supply LLC" and "Snake River Supply Inc." count as the same name. A business can consent to another using its name, and a name may not suggest a link to the government.
For LLCs, Idaho Code 30-21-302 requires "limited liability company," "limited company," L.L.C., LLC, L.C. or LC. Limited can be shortened to Ltd. and company to Co. Corporation names need corporation, incorporated, company or limited, or Corp., Inc., Co. or Ltd.
To hold a name, file an Application for Reservation of Legal Entity Name. It costs $20 online, or $40 on paper with the $20 manual processing fee, and the Secretary of State says the name is then held for four months. Our name reservation guide explains how reservations work across states.
Annual reports and the certificate of existence
Every Idaho filing entity and registered foreign entity files an annual report. Under Idaho Code 30-21-213, it must reach the Secretary of State by the close of business on the last day of the month in which the business became effective, starting one year after formation. The report is a short check of the details on file, filed in SOSBiz under My Records. Our annual report deadlines page compares due dates by state.
Idaho's proof of status is called a certificate of existence. It costs $10, and you can order it in SOSBiz or by paper form. Each certificate has a number in the bottom left corner that anyone can check with the Secretary of State's verify tool. The office warns about scam mailings that claim a certificate is required and charge a high markup. It is not required to do business in Idaho. See our certificate of good standing guide for how these documents are used.
Filings take about 7 to 10 days from the filing date at the time of writing, according to the Business Forms page. Expedited service, where a form offers it, is typically done within 8 business hours. Same-day requests must arrive by 1 p.m. Mountain Time.
Bulk data
No bulk download or data file of Idaho business records was found on the Secretary of State pages. For individual records, use SOSBiz. Details on filings and fees are on the Business FAQ.
Starting a company here? Read our guide on how to start an LLC in Idaho and the Idaho registered agent rules.
DBA and assumed names in Idaho
Idaho calls a DBA an assumed business name, or ABN, and the Secretary of State takes the filing. The business forms page lists Assumed Business Names (ABN) among its paper forms, and SOSBiz handles online filing. Paper submissions carry a $20 manual processing fee, and forms sent without it are rejected.
The Idaho Uniform Business Organizations Code names four ABN filings in its fee section: a certificate of assumed business name, an amendment, an amendment that only changes an address, and a certificate of cancellation. The dollar amounts did not come through when we read that page, so we quote none. The Secretary of State's Business FAQ has an Assumed Business Names (DBA/ABN) section that covers the difference between a DBA and an ABN, consent letters, and changing or cancelling a name. Read it for the current fee.
Because the register lives in SOSBiz, you can look up an ABN with the search described above. Our DBA search guide shows how to read the results, and how to file a DBA gives the general steps. An assumed name is not a company. See DBA vs LLC if you are deciding, and the Idaho LLC guide if you want to form one. To check a name against existing records before you file, use the LLC name search guide.
Also see our guides to the Idaho business license.