Guide
How to Find Out If a Business Was Dissolved (and Get Proof)
Whether a business was formally dissolved, administratively dissolved for non-compliance, or had its authority revoked is public record, held by the state where it was formed — not by any single national database. The current status, and often the exact date it changed, shows up for free in that state's business entity search. Getting a state-sealed document that proves it, for a bank, court, or other formal purpose, is a separate step.
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
Search the entity in the business registry of the state where it was formed — the Status field will show Dissolved, Revoked, Administratively Dissolved, or similar, often with an effective date. For an official document, order a certified copy of the dissolution filing or a certificate of status (not a certificate of good standing, which most states only issue to active entities) from that state's Secretary of State or equivalent office.
Start with the free business entity search
Business entity registries are run state by state, not federally, so search the state where the company was originally formed. If it also registered as a foreign entity elsewhere, check those states separately — closing in the home state doesn't automatically update the record anywhere else it was registered.
Look at the Status field in the search result. States use different labels for a closed entity — Dissolved, Revoked, Administratively Dissolved, Inactive, Cancelled, Withdrawn — and most also display the effective date of that status change alongside the entity's filing history.
Getting an official document instead of a screenshot
A free search result isn't always accepted as formal proof by banks, insurers, courts, or other agencies — they typically want a state-issued certified document instead. The two options states offer are a certified copy of the actual dissolution filing (Articles of Dissolution, Certificate of Termination, or whatever the state calls it) or a certificate of status confirming the entity's current standing.
A certificate of good standing is different and won't work for this: most states only issue one to entities that are currently active and compliant, so requesting one for an already-dissolved company is typically rejected. Ask specifically for a certified copy of the filing or a certificate of status/fact instead.
When the business was administratively dissolved, not voluntarily closed
An entity that gets administratively dissolved or revoked — usually for missing an annual report or unpaid fees, rather than by its own choice — shows up the same way in the search, with the same status field. The document a state issues to prove it is typically the same certified copy or certificate of status process; just note in the request that you're asking about an administrative dissolution or revocation rather than a voluntary one.
Older or historical closures
For entities dissolved decades ago, some states route the older paper filings to a state archive rather than keeping them in the current online system. If the current Secretary of State's office can't locate a record, ask whether it was transferred to the state archives or records division — that's a common reason an old filing doesn't show up in today's search.
How to Get Proof of Dissolution by State
| State | Document to Request | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Certified copy of the dissolution filing | $10.00 certified-copy surcharge + $3.50/page (online) or $2.00/page (paper) | Filings from 1949–2010 are held by the Alabama Department of Archives and History rather than the SOS. |
| Alaska | Certificate of Compliance (good standing) | $10 | |
| Arizona | Certified copy of the dissolution filing | $5 plus $0.50 per page | |
| Arkansas | Certified copy of the dissolution filing | $0.50 per page plus a $5.00 certified-copy surcharge | |
| California | Certificate of Status | $5 | |
| Colorado | Certificate of Good Standing | Free (online) | Colorado's free online record already shows dissolution history and filing dates; contact the SOS directly if a state-sealed paper copy is required. |
| Connecticut | Certificate of Legal Existence — Express | $50 | |
| Delaware | Certified copy of the Certificate of Dissolution | $50 (plus same-day or 24-hour expedite fees if needed) | Order by mail or through Delaware's Document Filing and Certificate Request Service — there's no self-service online ordering. |
| District of Columbia | Status Certificate | $50 (LLC/for-profit) or $40 (nonprofit) | |
| Florida | Certificate of Status | $5 (LLC) or $8.75 (corporation) | Sunbiz's free online record already shows the exact dissolution or administrative-dissolution date. |
| Georgia | Certified Copy (documents under 25 pages) | $20 | |
| Hawaii | Certified copy of the dissolution filing | $0.25 per page plus a $10.00 certified-copy surcharge | |
| Idaho | Certificate of Existence or certified copy | Verify at sosbiz.idaho.gov | Idaho's fee schedule doesn't list a standalone certificate fee — it displays inside the SOSBiz filing wizard when you select the document type. |
| Illinois | Certificate of Good Standing | $25 (LLC) or $5 (nonprofit) | Good standing certificates are issued only to active entities — request a certified copy of the dissolution filing from the Department of Business Services for a closed LLC or corporation. |
| Indiana | Certificate of Existence (online) | +$11 | |
| Iowa | Certificate of Existence (original, by mail) | $5 | |
| Kansas | Certificate of Good Standing (online only) | $5 | |
| Kentucky | Certified Copies (first 5 pages) | $10 | |
| Louisiana | Certified Copy (standard) | $15 ($25 with amendments attached) | |
| Maine | Certificate of Existence / Certificate of Fact | $30 (LLC or business corporation) or $10 (nonprofit) | |
| Maryland | Certificate of Status or certified copy | Verify at dat.maryland.gov | Maryland's published fee schedule doesn't list a standalone certificate fee. |
| Massachusetts | Certificate of Existence | $12 | |
| Michigan | Certificate of Good Standing | $10 ($12.50 expedited) | |
| Minnesota | Certified copy of the dissolution filing | $3 (mail) or $13 (online), plus $5 per certification | |
| Mississippi | Certificate of Good Standing | Verify at sos.ms.gov | |
| Missouri | Certified copy of the business record | $10 online, or $10 plus 50¢ per page by mail | Missouri also offers a $25 Certificate of Fact confirming the entity's current status, including permanent revocation. |
| Montana | Certified Copies | $10 | |
| Nebraska | Certificate with Seal (Good Standing equivalent) | $10 | |
| Nevada | Certificate of Good Standing | $50 (standard) or $100 (ceremonial) | |
| New Hampshire | Certificate of Good Standing | Verify at sos.nh.gov | Current pricing requires a QuickStart account login to view. |
| New Jersey | Certified copies | $25 per document | |
| New Mexico | Certificate of Good Standing and Compliance | $50 | |
| New York | Certificate of Status | $25 | |
| North Carolina | Certificate of Existence | $15 | |
| North Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | |
| Ohio | Certificate of Good Standing | $5 | |
| Oklahoma | Certificate of Good Standing | $20 | |
| Oregon | Certified Copy of Document File | $15 | |
| Pennsylvania | Certified copy of a filed document | $55 plus $3 per page | |
| Rhode Island | Certificate of Good Standing (online) | $22 ($7 nonprofit rate) | |
| South Carolina | Certificate Under Seal | $20 | |
| South Dakota | Certificate of Existence | $20 online or $35 paper | |
| Tennessee | Certificate of Existence (Good Standing) | $20 | |
| Texas | Certificate of Fact — Status | $15 | |
| Utah | Certificate of Existence | $12 (standard) or $20 (long form) | |
| Vermont | Certified copies | $25 | |
| Virginia | Certified copy of filed document (instant download via CIS) | $6 | |
| Washington | Certified copy of filed document | $10 plus copy fees | |
| West Virginia | Certificate of Existence/Authorization | $10 | |
| Wisconsin | Certificate of Status (Good Standing) | $10 | |
| Wyoming | Certificate of Existence/Good Standing (certified, mailed) | $20 |
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the dissolution filing
- Fee
- $10.00 certified-copy surcharge + $3.50/page (online) or $2.00/page (paper)
- Notes
- Filings from 1949–2010 are held by the Alabama Department of Archives and History rather than the SOS.
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Compliance (good standing)
- Fee
- $10
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the dissolution filing
- Fee
- $5 plus $0.50 per page
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the dissolution filing
- Fee
- $0.50 per page plus a $5.00 certified-copy surcharge
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Status
- Fee
- $5
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- Free (online)
- Notes
- Colorado's free online record already shows dissolution history and filing dates; contact the SOS directly if a state-sealed paper copy is required.
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Legal Existence — Express
- Fee
- $50
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the Certificate of Dissolution
- Fee
- $50 (plus same-day or 24-hour expedite fees if needed)
- Notes
- Order by mail or through Delaware's Document Filing and Certificate Request Service — there's no self-service online ordering.
- Document to Request
- Status Certificate
- Fee
- $50 (LLC/for-profit) or $40 (nonprofit)
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Status
- Fee
- $5 (LLC) or $8.75 (corporation)
- Notes
- Sunbiz's free online record already shows the exact dissolution or administrative-dissolution date.
- Document to Request
- Certified Copy (documents under 25 pages)
- Fee
- $20
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the dissolution filing
- Fee
- $0.25 per page plus a $10.00 certified-copy surcharge
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence or certified copy
- Fee
- Verify at sosbiz.idaho.gov
- Notes
- Idaho's fee schedule doesn't list a standalone certificate fee — it displays inside the SOSBiz filing wizard when you select the document type.
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $25 (LLC) or $5 (nonprofit)
- Notes
- Good standing certificates are issued only to active entities — request a certified copy of the dissolution filing from the Department of Business Services for a closed LLC or corporation.
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence (online)
- Fee
- +$11
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence (original, by mail)
- Fee
- $5
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing (online only)
- Fee
- $5
- Document to Request
- Certified Copies (first 5 pages)
- Fee
- $10
- Document to Request
- Certified Copy (standard)
- Fee
- $15 ($25 with amendments attached)
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence / Certificate of Fact
- Fee
- $30 (LLC or business corporation) or $10 (nonprofit)
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Status or certified copy
- Fee
- Verify at dat.maryland.gov
- Notes
- Maryland's published fee schedule doesn't list a standalone certificate fee.
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence
- Fee
- $12
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $10 ($12.50 expedited)
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the dissolution filing
- Fee
- $3 (mail) or $13 (online), plus $5 per certification
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- Verify at sos.ms.gov
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of the business record
- Fee
- $10 online, or $10 plus 50¢ per page by mail
- Notes
- Missouri also offers a $25 Certificate of Fact confirming the entity's current status, including permanent revocation.
- Document to Request
- Certified Copies
- Fee
- $10
- Document to Request
- Certificate with Seal (Good Standing equivalent)
- Fee
- $10
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $50 (standard) or $100 (ceremonial)
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- Verify at sos.nh.gov
- Notes
- Current pricing requires a QuickStart account login to view.
- Document to Request
- Certified copies
- Fee
- $25 per document
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing and Compliance
- Fee
- $50
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Status
- Fee
- $25
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence
- Fee
- $15
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $20
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $5
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Fee
- $20
- Document to Request
- Certified Copy of Document File
- Fee
- $15
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of a filed document
- Fee
- $55 plus $3 per page
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Good Standing (online)
- Fee
- $22 ($7 nonprofit rate)
- Document to Request
- Certificate Under Seal
- Fee
- $20
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence
- Fee
- $20 online or $35 paper
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence (Good Standing)
- Fee
- $20
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Fact — Status
- Fee
- $15
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence
- Fee
- $12 (standard) or $20 (long form)
- Document to Request
- Certified copies
- Fee
- $25
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of filed document (instant download via CIS)
- Fee
- $6
- Document to Request
- Certified copy of filed document
- Fee
- $10 plus copy fees
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence/Authorization
- Fee
- $10
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Status (Good Standing)
- Fee
- $10
- Document to Request
- Certificate of Existence/Good Standing (certified, mailed)
- Fee
- $20
No states match your search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a letter confirming my LLC was officially closed?
Yes — request a certified copy of the dissolution filing or a certificate of status from the Secretary of State (or equivalent office) in the state where the LLC was formed. A certificate of good standing won't work for this since it's only issued to active entities.
Does the free entity search count as legal proof of dissolution?
Usually not for formal purposes. Banks, courts, and other agencies typically want a state-sealed certified document rather than a printout of the online search result, even though the search shows the same status information.
What if the business dissolved years ago and I can't find records online?
Older filings are sometimes moved to a state archive or records division rather than kept in the current searchable system — contact the Secretary of State's office directly and ask where historical records from that period are held.
Is there one nationwide database to check business dissolution across all states?
No — each state runs its own independent business registry, so you need to check the specific state (or states, if it registered as a foreign entity elsewhere) where the business was on file.
This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees vary by state — verify specifics on your state's Secretary of State office page. Last verified: August 2026.