Delaware Secretary of State – DE SOS Business Entity Search

Delaware Secretary of State Division of Corporations
Address: Division of Corporations, John G. Townsend Building, 401 Federal Street Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901
Telephone: (302) 739-3812
Website: www.corp.delaware.gov
Email: sos.delaware.gov/contact-information
Hours: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday thru Friday excluding State Holidays

Lookup a Business Entity

Step 1 – Start

To look up a business entity in Delaware you must first go to the Secretary of State’s Website.

*All searches must be performed 7:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

You will have the option to look up a Corporation, LLC, or Partnership by Name or File Number. When performing a lookup by name, you will want to include as many keywords as possible in an effort to narrow down the results as the system will return every related entry.

After selecting your option you will be sent to the results page (As Seen Below).

Step 2 – Choose Your Entity

Secretary of State allows you to view the entity’s File Number and Name while you try to find the corporation you are looking up. Once you have found the business you were searching you must click on the dark blue text link and you will be brought to the Details Page (Seen Below).

Step 3 – Retrieve Information

You have reached the final step in your lookup and are now able to view all information about the corporation including its Name, File Number, Formation Date, Entity Type, State of Incorporation, Principal Address, Registered Agent (Name and Address), and the option to view Certified Status, and Previous Filings.

Step 4 – Steps to form your new Business in Delaware

• Business name availability search (above)
• Internet domain availability search for website and email.
• Choose your entity type (LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, Partnership, or Non-Profit Org)
• Obtain IRS EIN Number (employer identification number).  Create New IRS EIN Number
• Create Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws that include describing the business purpose of the entity, naming the registered agent, directors, registered address, operating guidelines, dissolution provisions, and other information.
• Determine if the new entity requires any federal, state, or local business licenses.
• Determine payroll tax requirements.
• Determine federal, state, and local tax filing requirements.
• Establish the business physical and/or mailing address, phone number, voicemail, website, email address, and business cards.