Researching to find out which state a company is incorporated in should not be a difficult task to undertake. Before a corporation starts operating, it is a requirement of the law to register with the Secretary of State, whether it is a legal partnership or a limited liability company. There are specific tools and processes you can use to help you find a company’s incorporation address.
A partnership or business that is incorporated usually files an article of organization or an article of incorporation. If you visit a Secretary of State website, you will be able to find this information on the state of incorporation.
These tips will help you find the information you are searching for.
- Secretary of State
The office of the Secretary of State usually keeps this information. You can do a business search of the company you have in mind. Under corporations division, you can key in the legal name of the business and perform a search. The address of the business should have the state of incorporation.
Usually, a corporation files a report yearly to the Securities and Exchange Commission. In that report, you will find the State of incorporation on the first page.
When you get the State you have been looking for, you will also have to find the branch of government with the incorporation records. You can find this information on the federal government website. You can search either by looking out for the names of the directors or names of officers.
- Find the Accurate Spelling of the Business Name
When you are looking for the state of incorporation of a business, knowing how the business is registered legally is of utmost importance. Some companies operate “doing business as”. This will make it difficult and time-consuming to find the information you are looking for. Some companies don’t trade with the name that they registered the business with. That is why if you are not sure about the legal name, you should call the company to inquire.
- Research Company
Businesses that want to reach their customers usually have a website for sharing important information related to the service or product they’re offering. The State of incorporation can be found on the website. If this information is not there, you can either call them directly or send them an email and inquire directly from the company. Make your communication simple and straight to the point so that you can be assisted quickly.
Another way to find this information is by reading the mail you have received from the company. You can also look at the area code of the business phone number. It should give you an indication of which State it was incorporated in. You should remember though that some businesses register in a different State from the one they are operating in. They could have a presence in many parts of the world. So don’t assume anything when doing your research. This information is usually public knowledge and companies should not be secretive about it.
- Research State Records
You can also search the State records to find out information about the companies. When you find the company and state it should be easy to find records on the incorporation of the company.
