The Empire State is a huge melting pot, and with its diversity, you’d expect it to have a thriving economy. However, for the last four years, New York’s real gross domestic product (GDP) has barely risen.
This doesn’t necessarily mean entrepreneurs should flock elsewhere. It just simply means that if you like a challenge, then you’ll like it here. And the big lights of the city are always bright and inviting for that big new thing! Who knows, you might just play a part in helping the state back up on its feet again.
If you’re interested in starting a business in NY, then keep reading. We’ll show you how to do a New York business entity search before submitting your paperwork.
Perform a New York Secretary of State Business Entity Search
The Secretary of State is responsible for business registrations and other relevant topics, so it makes sense to start here. You’ll find their corporation and business entity database on the page for the New York Department of State Division of Corporations. You can search limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and other business types as well.
To start your search, there’s the “Search by” bar. You can choose entity name, DOS ID, assumed name, or assumed name ID. You’d then type in the entity name in the box titled “Entity name.”
Next is the entity type. You can select all statuses, active, inactive, or suspended. We’d recommend leaving it on the default of “all statuses” to get more comprehensive results.
The following box is the search function. The dropdown options include base word, contains, or begins with.
Lastly, there’s the entity list. You can check off corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership. You should check all of them for the best results.
After clicking “Search the database,” you’ll a list of results of there are any matches. You’ll see the entity name, DOS ID, Assumed name ID, status, entity type, date of first filing, and the county.
To find out more about a business, click on any of its boxes. Additional information on the next page includes:
- Foreign legal name
- Fictitious name
- Chief executive officer’s name and address
- Principal executive office address
- Registered agent name and address
- Entity primary location name and address
Use a Search Engine
Another way you can do a NY business entity search is to use a search engine. Enter your potential business name in the search bar, along with “New York.” If you have a particular city in mind, you can put that in too.
You should then analyze the results to see if anyone has taken an exact or very similar name to your future company’s. To avoid legal troubles, you should make your name completely unique.
Don’t forget to look at social media accounts and domain names too, as digital marketing and branding is important. If you’re set on a name and it’s free, then reserve those on the relevant channels and platforms.
Use Business Anywhere’s Search Tool
We have a business registration service that is convenient for entrepreneurs like yourself. We understand the struggles of making it on your own, which is why we have a number of comprehensive services to make your life easier. They’re all listed with transparent pricing so you don’t have to go through extra steps to find out how much they’d cost.
We also have a business search tool on our page for you to do a New York business search. It can scour both LLCs and corporations, and all you have to do is type in the name and hit “Check availability.” If it isn’t taken, then you can fill out your details and we’ll reach out to discuss our offerings.
Make Sure You Do a New York Business Entity Search
A vital part of being a new entrepreneur is doing a New York business entity search first. This ensures that you aren’t wasting branding efforts on a name that’s unavailable.
What’s great is that the State of New York business entity search is free, as are the other methods mentioned in this article. So take a few minutes out of your day to do thorough research, as this will start your business journey off right.
Sign up with Business Anywhere if you want fast and easy business registration services. We can be your registered agent too!
