How to search Michigan business entities online
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
Michigan's business search is the MiBusiness Registry at mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us/search/business, run by LARA (not the Secretary of State). Type at least 2 characters of the business name to see its status, resident agent, and officer/director information. LARA's Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing (CSCL) Bureau runs the registry — the same bureau that also oversees professional and occupational licensing statewide.
- Go to the MiBusiness Registry at mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us/search/business.
- Type at least 2 characters of the business name (use Advanced for more filters).
- Open the result to see its status, resident agent, and officer information.
Not the Secretary of State — and a recent system migration
Unlike most states, Michigan business entity registration isn't handled by the Secretary of State. It's the Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing (CSCL) Bureau within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Michigan also completed a full migration from the legacy COFS system to the new MiBusiness Registry Portal on June 23, 2025 — the old COFS portal is no longer operational, and COFS login credentials did not carry over, so returning users need to create a new account.
What the search covers
The MiBusiness Registry covers all entity types registered with the CSCL Corporations Division: domestic and foreign profit corporations, professional corporations, nonprofit corporations, ecclesiastical corporations, LLCs, professional limited liability companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and registered trademarks and service marks. Trademark search is at a separate tab within the same portal.
MiBusiness Registry — what changed in June 2025
Michigan migrated entirely from the COFS system to the MiBusiness Registry Portal on June 23, 2025. Several operational changes came with the migration:
- Paper annual reports and annual statements are no longer accepted — all must be filed online through the portal
- Credentials from the old COFS system did not carry over; a new account must be created at the MiBusiness Registry
- In-person document submissions now require scheduling a payment appointment in advance
- The search page displays a running notice of the exact dates through which business filings, and through which renewals and restorations, have been processed — check that notice on the page itself for the current processing lag rather than assuming same-day indexing
How to search
The portal requires a minimum of 2 alphanumeric characters to begin a search, plus an Advanced option for additional filters. Name searches retrieve matching entities; selecting a result opens the full record showing the entity's status, registered office address, resident agent name, officer and director information, and filing history. Certificates and certified copies can be ordered from the record after logging in.
Why a Michigan LLC almost never shows 'Dissolved' for a missed filing
Michigan handles non-compliance differently than most states. An LLC that misses its annual statement isn't administratively dissolved — Michigan dissolution only happens by member vote, an event specified in the articles or operating agreement, or a judicial decree, never automatically for a paperwork lapse. Instead, a non-compliant LLC simply drops to Not in Good Standing, a distinct and less severe status. It still legally exists and keeps operating, but with one specific restriction worth knowing: an LLC that's Not in Good Standing can't even file its own voluntary dissolution until it restores good standing first.
Restoring good standing is called a Certificate of Restoration of Good Standing in Michigan, not reinstatement — a $50 flat fee plus $25 for each missing annual statement (PLLCs pay $125 per missing year instead, with a February 15 cutoff affecting which year's fee applies). There's no stated deadline to restore it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Michigan Secretary of State handle business entity search?
No — business entity registration is handled by the Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing (CSCL) Bureau within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), not the Secretary of State. The old COFS portal (cofs.lara.michigan.gov) is no longer operational; searches now go through the MiBusiness Registry.
Do old Michigan COFS login credentials still work?
No. Michigan migrated entirely from the COFS system to the new MiBusiness Registry Portal on June 23, 2025, and credentials from the old COFS system did not carry over — returning users need to create a new account.
How many characters do I need to search a Michigan business name?
The MiBusiness Registry portal requires a minimum of 2 alphanumeric characters to begin a search, plus an Advanced option for additional filters. The search page also displays a running notice of the exact dates through which filings have been processed.
Can a Michigan LLC be administratively dissolved for missing its annual statement?
No — unlike most states, Michigan doesn't administratively dissolve LLCs for non-compliance. A missed annual statement drops the LLC to Not in Good Standing instead, a less severe status the entity can restore itself from, though it can't file its own voluntary dissolution until it does.
What is a Michigan Certificate of Restoration of Good Standing?
It's Michigan's specific term for reinstating a Not in Good Standing LLC — a $50 flat fee plus $25 for each missing annual statement (PLLCs pay $125 per missing year), with no stated deadline to file it.