Learn how to run a free Delaware Business Entity Search to verify a company's status, formation date, and registered agent in minutes.
Before you sign a contract, hire a vendor, or invest in a company, you want proof that it's real. Delaware's free Business Entity Search lets you look up any registered company by name or file number and confirm its formation date, entity type, and registered agent in minutes.
If you're forming a new business and want to check whether your desired name is available, you'll need Delaware's separate Name Availability Search. We will cover that tool too in this guide.
Key Takeaways
Delaware's Business Entity Search is free and public. It allows you to look up any registered company by name or file number.
The search returns both active and inactive entities by default; appearing in results doesn't mean a business is currently in good standing.
Confirming current status requires a separate paid Check Entity Status service ($10 basic, $20 with tax and filing-history info).
There is a separate Name Availability Search for those who are forming a business. It gives an available/not available answer, with the option to reserve a name for 120 days.
What Is the Business Entity Search Tool
The Business Entity Search is a free, public lookup tool run by the Delaware Division of Corporations. Use it to research an existing entity, confirm a company's file number, formation date, entity type, or registered agent. You can search by entity name or by file number, and results come back in seconds.
The tool covers every entity type Delaware allows people to form or register, including:
- Domestic corporations (C Corps and S Corps electing at the federal level)
- Limited liability companies (LLCs)
- Limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
- Statutory trusts
- Foreign entities registered to do business in Delaware (formed elsewhere, qualified in Delaware)
Sole proprietorships are not included, since Delaware does not require them to register as a formal entity with the Division of Corporations.
How to Conduct a Delaware Business Entity Search
Step 1. Go to the Official Delaware Portal
Go directly to the Delaware Division of Corporations website and click on the Search for a Business Entity option.
Step 2. Enter the Entity Name or File Number
Type the company's exact name, or its file number if you already have it. A file number search is faster and more precise because it avoids confusion caused by similar business names.
If you only have a partial name, enter the most distinctive word rather than common words like "group" or "holdings," which return too many matches.
Step 3. Read Your Results
Once results load, you'll see the following things:
- Entity's legal name
- File number
- Entity type
- Formation or incorporation date
- Registered agent name and address
If you need current status details, Delaware offers a separate paid status lookup. On the other hand, if you need official proof of status or a complete filing record, you must order the appropriate certificate.
The entity search tool returns both active and inactive entities by default. Seeing a business name appear in the results does not mean it is currently operating or in good standing with the state.
To verify an entity’s current standing, use Delaware’s paid Check Entity Status service. The $10 option provides the entity’s current status, while the $20 option adds tax information and details about the five most recent filings.
Note: These results are informational and are not official Certificates of Good Standing. For certified proof of status, order a short-form certificate and for a complete list of documents filed with the state, order a long-form certificate.
What the Business Entity Search Does Not Show
The Delaware entity search does not display:
- Owner or member names for LLCs, since Delaware does not require this information in public filings
- Financial records or revenue figures
- Official status, detailed tax history, or annual-report filing information
- DBA or trade name registrations, which are now filed through the Division of Revenue, not the Division of Corporations
If you need to confirm who owns a Delaware LLC, the public search will not tell you. That information sits in the company's private operating agreement, not in a state filing.
Checking Name Availability for a New Business
If you're forming a brand-new Delaware business rather than researching an existing one, you need the Name Availability Search instead. It's a separate free tool on the Division of Corporations site that gives you an instant available or not available answer before you file, and it connects directly to the name reservation system.
How to Check Delaware Business Name Availability
Step 1. Go to the Delaware Division of Corporations Portal
Head to corp.delaware.gov, the state's free official search tool.
Step 2. Select Name Availability Search
Choose the Check Entity Name Availability option, it will open a Name Reservation portal.
Step 3. Enter Your Desired Business Name
Select your entity type and desired entity ending from the dropdown menus. Then enter only the core business name in the Entity Name field. Do not repeat “LLC,” “Inc.” or any other ending in the name field.
Step 4. Complete the CAPTCHA and Read Your Result
Delaware requires a quick CAPTCHA verification before showing results. You'll get an instant ‘available’ or ‘not available’ answer. If the name is taken, try a variation or check for similar registered names before resubmitting.
How to Reserve a Business Name
The name confirmation form includes a question: "Do you want to reserve your name?" at the bottom. Click the option that says Yes.
If the name is available and you're not ready to file yet, you can reserve it for 120 days for a $75 fee. The reservation fee is non-refundable and does not count toward your later formation filing fee. If 120 days pass without filing, the name becomes available to everyone again.
What are Delaware's Business Name Conventions
Delaware sets specific naming rules depending on entity type. The name must be distinguishable from every other entity name already on file with the Delaware Division of Corporations. Other rules are as follows:
Naming Rules for a Delaware Corporation
Required designator: A Delaware corporation name must include one of the following words or an abbreviation of it: association, company, corporation, club, foundation, fund, incorporated, institute, society, union, syndicate, or limited [1]. In practice, most businesses use Inc., Corp., Co., or Ltd.
Naming Rules for a Delaware LLC
Required designator: A Delaware LLC name must contain the words "Limited Liability Company," or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC" [2]. Beyond that requirement, an LLC name may also include words like Company, Association, Club, Foundation, Fund, Institute, Society, Union, Syndicate, Limited, or Trust.
For both types of entities, certain words require prior state approval before you can use them, including "bank" and "trust". Words such as "university" or "college" require sign-off from the relevant state agency. Following these naming rules before you finalize a business name saves you from a rejected filing later.
Delaware Business Entity Search Costs
Service | Fee | What You Need |
General Information Search (entity lookup) | Free | Entity name or file number |
Name Availability Search | Free | Desired entity name and entity type |
Name reservation (120 days) | $75 | Confirmed available name, entity type, and payment |
Certificate of Status (short form) | $50 per certificate | Entity name or file number |
Certificate of Good Standing (long form) | $175 per certificate |
When To Consider a DBA (Trade Name) in Delaware
If you plan to operate under a name different from your legal business name, you'll need a Delaware trade name, commonly called a DBA.
Before February 2, 2026, Delaware DBAs were filed with the county Court, and businesses operating in more than one county had to file and pay separately in each one.
As of February 2, 2026, Delaware DBAs are registered statewide through the Division of Revenue via One Stop. [5].
Under the current system:
- DBAs are filed online through the Delaware One Stop portal
- The fee is a flat $25 for statewide coverage
- A Delaware business license is required to register a DBA
- Entities that do not conduct business in Delaware may use a Trade Name Only business license.
A DBA does not create a new legal entity, and it does not by itself determine your tax obligations or filing requirements.
Let Us File Your Delaware Business
Once your entity and name search is complete, the next step is to file your formation paperwork. Swyft Filings has helped more than 600,000 businesses get started since 2015. We can handle your Delaware LLC formation, registered agent service, and ongoing compliance so you don't have to track deadlines yourself. Let us handle your filing from name to formation today!
Bibliography
[1]Delaware Code Online. Title 8, Chapter 1, § 102. Accessed on July 9, 2026.
[2] Delaware Code Online. Title 6, Chapter 18, § 18-102. Accessed on July 9, 2026.
[3]Delaware Division of Corporations. Accessing Corporate Information. Accessed on July 9, 2026.
[4]Delaware Division of Corporations. Corporate Fee Schedule. Accessed on July 10, 2026
[5] Delaware Division of Revenue. Trade Names FAQs. Accessed on July 9, 2026.
