The Secretary of State is the state government office responsible for business entity filings in the United States. Secretary of State records are the authoritative source for legal entity existence and registration status—the foundation of entity verification.
What Secretary of State Offices Maintain
Entity Filings
- Corporations: Articles of incorporation, amendments, annual reports
- LLCs: Articles of organization, operating agreements (in some states)
- Partnerships: Limited partnership and LLP registrations
- Foreign qualifications: Out-of-state entities registering to do business
Key Data Points
Each filing typically includes:
- Legal entity name
- Entity type (corporation, LLC, etc.)
- Date of formation
- State of formation (domestic) or state of origin (foreign)
- Registered agent name and address
- Principal office address
- Officers and/or directors (varies by state)
- Filing history and status
- Active/Good Standing: Entity is current on filings and fees
- Inactive/Administratively Dissolved: Failed to file required reports
- Voluntarily Dissolved: Owners chose to end the entity
- Suspended: Usually for tax or compliance issues
- Merged: Absorbed into another entity
The 50-State Challenge
Each state maintains its own registry with its own:
- Data formats and fields
- Filing requirements
- Update frequencies
- Access methods (online, API, manual)
- Fee structures
This fragmentation makes comprehensive entity verification complex. A business operating nationally might have filings in dozens of states.
What SoS Data Shows—and Doesn't Show
Shows
- Entity legally exists (or existed)
- Registration status
- Official registered name
- Registered agent and address
- Officers/directors (most states)
- Filing history
Doesn't Show
- Operating status (a registered entity might not actually operate)
- Operating locations (registered address ≠ where business happens)
- Trade names (unless separately filed as DBAs)
- Actual ownership percentages
- Revenue, employees, or operational details
- Whether the business is legitimate
Registered Address Complexity
The address on file is typically the registered agent address—where legal documents can be served. This is often:
- A commercial registered agent service
- An attorney's office
- A corporate headquarters
It's frequently not where the business actually operates. A Delaware LLC might have a Wilmington registered agent address but operate entirely in California.
Using SoS Data for KYB
Verification
Secretary of State data confirms:
- The entity exists
- It's in good standing (or not)
- The legal name matches (or can be matched via entity resolution)
- Who the registered agent is
Limitations
SoS data alone doesn't verify:
- The business actually operates
- The applicant controls the entity
- The ownership structure
- The business is what it claims to be
Comprehensive KYB combines SoS data with other sources.
Data Access
Direct Access
Many states offer:
- Free online searches (limited data)
- Bulk data purchases
- APIs (increasingly common)
Aggregators
Third-party services aggregate data across states, providing:
- Unified format
- Broader coverage
- Regular updates
- Additional enrichment
Key Takeaways
- Secretary of State offices are the authoritative source for business entity registration in the US
- Each state maintains its own registry with different formats and requirements
- SoS data confirms legal existence but not operating status or legitimacy
- Registered addresses aren't operating locations—they're often agent services
- SoS data is necessary but not sufficient for comprehensive KYB
Related: Registered Agent | Legal Entity | Entity Verification
