Delaware Business Entity Search: look up any company in seconds.
A complete 2026 guide to the Delaware Division of Corporations entity search. Delaware is the most popular incorporation state in the country, with over one million entities. Verify a company, check name availability, and read every result field before you form, invest, or sign.
Quick answer: Delaware Business Entity Search
What the Delaware Business Entity Search does
The Delaware Business Entity Search is a free public lookup of every entity registered with the Delaware Division of Corporations. Delaware is home to over one million entities, so this is a key due-diligence tool. Note one Delaware quirk: the free search does not show good standing. It is still the first check founders, investors, and banks make before doing business with a company.
How to run a Delaware business search
Follow these steps on the official Delaware Division of Corporations search. The basic search is free, though status is a paid add-on.
Open the Delaware entity search
Go to the Search for a Business Entity page at corp.delaware.gov, the official Division of Corporations lookup.
Search by name or file number
Enter the entity name or the Delaware file number. Results return both active and inactive entities.
Tip: search by agent
You can enter a registered agent name in the Entity Name field to find all entities tied to that agent, useful for due diligence.
Open the free entity details
Click the entity to see its name, file number, formation date, kind, type, residency, and registered agent, all free.
Pay for status if needed
The free search will not confirm good standing. Order a $10 status report, or a certificate of good standing, for that.
What each result field means
Delaware is different from most states: the free search shows entity details but not status or good standing. To confirm an entity is current on its franchise tax, you must order a paid status report (around $10) or a certificate of good standing. The free details still confirm the entity exists and who its agent is.
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Entity Name | The legal registered name of the business |
| File Number | The unique file number from the Division of Corporations |
| Entity Kind / Type | Legal form (LLC, corp, LP) and domestic or foreign |
| Formation Date | When the entity was incorporated or formed |
| Registered Agent | The agent’s name, address, and phone (free) |
| Status | Paid add-on only, roughly $10 per entity |
| Good Standing | Confirmed only via a paid certificate |
Use the Name Availability Search at corp.delaware.gov to confirm your name is free, then reserve it for $75, which holds it for 120 days. If you are ready to file right away, you can skip the reservation, since the name registers automatically at formation. A search alone is not a reservation.
What you can and can’t find in Delaware records
Delaware is known for privacy. The public search shows the entity name, file number, formation date, and registered agent, but not the owners. Delaware does not require member or manager names on the LLC Certificate of Formation. Here is what is visible and what is not.
🔓 Public on the record
- Company legal name
- Business ID (control number)
- Registered agent name & address
- Entity type & status
- Formation date & filing history
🔒 Never disclosed
- Member & owner names
- Manager names
- Operating Agreement
- Ownership percentages
- Good standing (without paying)
Delaware already keeps owner names off the public record, one reason it is so popular. Pairing that with a registered agent service keeps your personal address off the filing too. Be Filing provides a registered agent in Delaware and handles your $300 annual tax.
Delaware is the number one choice for founders and investors
If you’re researching Delaware entities, you may be weighing it for your own company. Here’s why Delaware is the most popular incorporation state in the country, especially for startups and non-residents.
World-class business law
Delaware’s Court of Chancery and modern statutes are trusted worldwide.
Investor favorite
VCs and investors often expect or prefer a Delaware entity for funding.
Strong privacy
Delaware does not require member or manager names on LLC formation.
No annual report for LLCs
Delaware LLCs skip annual reports and simply pay the flat $300 tax.
No residency rule
You never need to live in or visit Delaware to form an LLC there.
1 million+ entities
More than a million businesses trust Delaware, a signal of its reliability.
Ready to form your Delaware LLC?
Be Filing handles it end-to-end for founders in 75+ countries: Registered Agent, EIN, U.S. business address, and BOI report included. No SSN or ITIN required to form.
