How to search Georgia business entities online
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
Georgia's business search is eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch, run by the Secretary of State's Corporations Division. Search by business name, Control Number, registered agent name, or officer name to open a full detail record with formation date, status, registered agent, and filed documents. The Corporations Division registers domestic and foreign corporations (profit, nonprofit, professional, and benefit), LLCs, limited partnerships, limited liability limited partnerships, and trademarks. General partnerships and sole proprietorships do not file with the Corporations Division at all.
- Go to eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch.
- Search by business name, Control Number, registered agent, or officer name.
- Open the entity record to see its status, registered agent, and filed documents.
Search options
eCorp offers five search approaches:
- Business Name — three sub-modes: Starts With, Contains, or Exact Match
- Control Number — the Georgia-assigned entity identifier; returns a single record
- Registered Agent Name — links a specific agent to all entities they represent
- Officer Name — finds entities by the name of a listed officer or manager
- Designated Agent Name — applicable for entities using designated agent services
The search is explicitly not a name availability check. A name appearing in results does not determine whether a similar name would be approved for a new entity — the Corporations Division makes that determination during the filing review process. The same eCorp portal also has separate Service of Process Search and Trademark Search tabs alongside Business Search.
Entity detail records
Selecting an entity from search results opens a full detail record. The search page states it "provides access to all the entity's information of record with the Secretary of State," which includes formation date, current status, registered agent, principal office address, officers or organizers, and filed documents. The detail page also provides direct links to order certificates and copies for the selected entity.
Certificates and copies
Certificates of Existence (the Georgia equivalent of good standing certificates) and certified copies of filed documents are ordered through eCorp. Online processing is immediate — no expedited fee required for online orders. The base fee is $20 for a certificate or for a certified copy (documents under 25 pages). An optional Raised Seal Blue Ink Certificate adds $25. Paper submissions processed within two business days carry an additional $60 fee.
Annual registration window
Georgia entities must file an annual registration each year between January 1 and April 1. A $25 late penalty applies to registrations submitted after April 1. One practical efficiency: Georgia allows filing up to three years of annual registrations at once through eCorp, which can reduce the recurring filing burden for stable entities.
Georgia's 5-year window — and who can actually use it
Georgia gives an administratively dissolved entity 5 years from dissolution to reinstate, and reserves its name for that entire window rather than releasing it early — a longer name-hold than most states offer. Reinstatement costs $260 total: a $250 filing fee plus a $10 service charge.
That window only applies to domestic entities, though. A foreign entity that had its authority revoked in Georgia can't simply reinstate — it has to file a brand-new application for a certificate of authority to re-qualify, the same domestic-versus-foreign split that shows up in several other states' processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different ways to search for a business in Georgia's eCorp system?
eCorp offers five search options: Business Name (Starts With, Contains, or Exact Match), Control Number for a single-record lookup, Registered Agent Name, Officer Name, and Designated Agent Name for entities using designated agent services.
Does a name showing up in Georgia's business search mean it's available to use?
No. Georgia's eCorp search is explicitly not a name availability check. A name appearing in results doesn't determine whether a similar name would be approved for a new entity — the Corporations Division makes that call during filing review.
Can I order a Georgia Certificate of Existence directly from the business search?
Yes. Selecting an entity in eCorp gives direct links to order a Certificate of Existence or certified copy for $20. Online orders process immediately with no expedited fee; an optional Raised Seal Blue Ink Certificate adds $25.
How long does Georgia hold a dissolved entity's name before releasing it?
The full 5-year reinstatement window, or until the entity actually reinstates — whichever comes first. That's longer than most states, which release the name much sooner.
Can a foreign entity reinstate in Georgia the same way a domestic one does?
No — a foreign entity whose authority was revoked has to file a brand-new application for a certificate of authority to re-qualify, rather than filing the standard domestic reinstatement.