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In Massachusetts, LLCs and corporations file with the Corporations Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Its public search of the corporate database is free, available to everyone and open 24 hours a day. You can search by entity name, identification number, filing number or an individual's name. The Secretary also runs a separate Corporation Card File Database search. People often search for a "Massachusetts secretary of state business search". The Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Division is the right office for it.
Choosing how to run a Massachusetts business search
Start by picking what you know. An entity name is the usual choice. If you have the state identification number, entering it takes you straight to the company's summary screen. A filing number takes you straight to the list of filings. The individual name search helps when you know a manager or officer but not the company.
For entity and individual names you also pick a method. The state's search help page describes four:
- Exact match returns records that match what you typed exactly
- Begins with returns records that start with your words
- Full text returns records that contain your words anywhere, for entity names only
- Soundex returns records that sound like your words
A sensible order is begins with first, then full text if the company uses a longer name, then soundex if you are unsure of the spelling. The search needs JavaScript and session cookies turned on, so a locked down browser may not load it.
What the summary screen gives you
Clicking a result opens a summary screen of the entity's information. From there you choose a type of filing or activity, and the system lists the matching filings. When a filing has a link next to it, you can view the document online, which needs Adobe Reader. That lets you read the filed documents themselves, not only a summary. Our business owner lookup guide explains how to read those names.
If you need proof rather than a screen view, order a certificate. A Certificate of Good Standing costs $25 for an LLC. A plain Certificate of Existence for an LLC costs $12. For a domestic profit corporation, the good standing certificate is $12, and the fee page warns that it is not a tax good standing. See our certificate of good standing guide for how these documents compare.
Name rules under chapter 156C
Section 3 of M.G.L. chapter 156C sets the LLC name rules. The name must contain "limited liability company" or "limited company", or the abbreviation "L.L.C.", "L.C.", "LLC" or "LC". It may contain the name of a member or manager. It may not be the same as, or deceptively similar to, the name of any corporation, limited partnership or LLC organized, reserved or registered in the Commonwealth, unless that entity gives written consent filed with the Secretary. The statute text is short and worth a read.
To check a name, the Corporations Division suggests searching both the corporate database and the name reservation database. An LLC name reservation costs $30. The division's name reservation page says a reserved name is held for 60 days. During that time you can extend it once for another 60 days for a further $30. More on the general process is in our name reservation guide.
Trade names work differently here. A business certificate, often called a DBA, is filed with the city or town where the business is located. It will not appear in the state corporate database. Our DBA search guide covers local records.
Annual report and other fees
Massachusetts LLCs file an annual report each year. It is due by the anniversary of the LLC's original filing, and the fee is $500, set by section 12 of chapter 156C. Compare it with other states in our LLC fees by state table.
Corporations pay less for the report: $125, or $100 if filed electronically. A corporation that does not file on time pays $150 instead. An LLC that has been administratively dissolved can apply for reinstatement for $100. Full amounts are on the Corporations Division fee page.
Formation costs, for reference: the Certificate of Organization for an LLC costs $500, and the LLC only exists once the state approves it. A foreign LLC registration also costs $500. Articles of Organization for a profit corporation start at $275 for up to 275,000 shares. A nonprofit corporation under chapter 180 pays $35.
Bulk data
The Corporations Division fee page lists no bulk data file or database extract for sale. For research across many companies, the practical options are the free public search and the card file database search.
Starting a company here? Read our guide on how to start an LLC in Massachusetts and the Massachusetts registered agent rules.
Also see our guides to the Massachusetts DBA and Massachusetts business license.