A New York business entity search confirms whether a company name is available and shows the public record of any LLC or corporation registered in the state. It runs on a free Department of State database that needs no account.
This guide covers where to search, how to read the result, and the New York-specific cost that catches almost everyone: the publication requirement.
Where the official New York business search lives
The official tool is the Corporation and Business Entity Database, run by the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations:
https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
It is free, requires no login, and covers LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and registered foreign entities. Search by entity name or DOS ID number.
What the official search will not tell you
- Who owns the company. New York does not publish members or managers in the entity search.
- Whether the entity met the publication requirement. This is a separate obligation and does not appear as a status field.
- Trademark clearance. Distinguishability on the state register is not a trademark search.
- Tax standing. Standing with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance is tracked separately from the DOS record.
Key New York business search terms
| Term | What it means in New York |
|---|---|
| Active | The entity is registered and has not been dissolved. |
| Inactive - Dissolution | The entity has been dissolved, voluntarily or by proclamation. |
| DOS ID | The Department of State identifier assigned at registration. Not an EIN. |
| Registered Agent | Optional in New York. The Secretary of State is the statutory agent for service of process on every entity. |
| Articles of Organization | The document that forms a New York LLC. $200. |
| Biennial Statement | Filed every two years. $9. |
| Publication Requirement | New York LLCs must publish notice in two county newspapers for six consecutive weeks, then file a Certificate of Publication. |
| County of Formation | Determines your publication cost. This is the single biggest cost variable in New York. |
Step by step
Step 1. Open the Corporation and Business Entity Database
Go to apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry. No account is needed.
Step 2. Search by entity name or DOS ID
For a name availability check, search the distinctive words rather than the full legal name including "LLC".
Step 3. Try variants
Run singular, plural and common alternative spellings. New York blocks names that are not distinguishable, not only exact duplicates.
Step 4. Read the result
Each result shows entity name, DOS ID, initial filing date, county, jurisdiction, and current entity status.
Step 5. Note the county
The county on the record determines the publication cost for that entity, and it will determine yours. New York County is the most expensive by a wide margin.
New York entity status decoder
- Active. Registered and not dissolved. Note that "Active" does not confirm the entity completed publication or filed its Biennial Statement.
- Inactive - Dissolution by Proclamation. The state dissolved the entity, typically for unpaid taxes. It can usually be reinstated after clearing the balance.
- Inactive - Voluntary Dissolution. The owners closed it deliberately.
- Inactive - Merged Out. The entity merged into another and no longer exists separately.
The New York cost that surprises everyone
The $200 filing fee is not the real number. Every New York LLC must publish notice of formation in two newspapers designated by the county clerk, once a week for six consecutive weeks, then file a Certificate of Publication with a $50 fee.
Newspaper rates are set by county, not by the state, and the range is wide. In practice most founders pay somewhere between $300 and $1,600, and New York County (Manhattan) sits at the top of that range. Some founders form using an address in a cheaper county for this reason.
| New York | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | $200 | $100 |
| Publication requirement | $300 to $1,600, commonly | None |
| Certificate of Publication | $50 | not applicable |
| Ongoing state fee | $9 every 2 years | $60 every year |
| 5-year state cost | $550 to $1,850+ | about $340 |
New York's ongoing cost is genuinely low at $9 every two years. It is the one-off publication bill that makes it expensive to start.
If the name is available, or taken
Available. You can reserve it for 60 days, or file and secure it at registration.
Taken. Check whether the existing entity is Inactive. If so the name may free up over time. Otherwise change a distinctive word. Adding "LLC" does not make a name distinguishable.
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New York business entity search for non-US founders
The database is public and free worldwide. No citizenship, residency or US visit is required to search or to form a New York LLC.
Whether New York makes sense is the real question. For a founder with no New York presence, the publication requirement is a several-hundred-dollar cost with no operational return. Wyoming or New Mexico usually serve better. If you have real New York operations, an office, staff, or inventory, you will need to register there regardless.
Bastion Formations forms US LLCs for founders anywhere in the world from $249 + state fee, covering the name check, filing, EIN with CP-575 for applicants without an SSN, registered agent for year one, US business address with mail scanning, operating agreement and bank account help.
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Next steps
Forming a new company:
- Confirm the name on the DOS database.
- Choose your county, and price publication there before you file.
- File the Articles of Organization, $200.
- Complete publication within 120 days of formation.
- File the Certificate of Publication, $50.
- Get your EIN, then file the Biennial Statement when due.
Researching an existing business:
- Confirm status is Active.
- Note the DOS ID, county and initial filing date.
- Check the most recent Biennial Statement.
- Order a Certificate of Status if you need official proof.