How to search Missouri business entities online
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
Missouri's business search is at bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx, run by the Secretary of State's Corporations Unit. Search by business name, registered agent, or charter number — active entities show by default — then open the General Information and Filings tabs for the registered agent and full document history. The portal requires JavaScript to load, and handles both business entity registration and UCC filing in one place — a tab at the top of the page toggles between the two sections.
- Go to bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx.
- Search by business name, registered agent, or charter number.
- Open the General Information and Filings tabs for the registered agent and history.
What the search covers
The database covers domestic and foreign for-profit corporations, close corporations, professional corporations, agricultural cooperatives, mutual associations, LLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs, nonprofit corporations, and fictitious names. The portal is the single system for all of these record types.
Search modes
The Business Name tab offers four match methods, defaulting to Starting With:
- Starting With — starts-with match (the default)
- All Words — every word you enter must appear in the name
- Any Word — at least one of your words appears in the name
- Exact Match — requires the full legal name including corporate designator (Inc., LLC, etc.) and punctuation
Separate tabs cover Registered Agent name, Name Availability, and Charter Number (the Missouri entity ID) searches. Results default to active entities only; unchecking "Only Active Corporations" adds dissolved and revoked records.
Entity detail
Each record has two tabs: General Information and Filings. The General Information tab shows the charter number, status, formation date, registered agent name and address, and officer/director information. The Filings tab lists every document on file with the Secretary of State, with links to document images. Certificates of Good Standing and certified copies can be ordered directly from the record.
Registration reports — corporations only, LLCs are exempt
Missouri LLCs are not required to file any periodic report with the Secretary of State. Corporations (both for-profit and nonprofit) must file an Annual or Biennial Registration Report tied to the entity's individual renewal month, which a filer can change when submitting a current report. Filing online is cheaper: for general business corporations, an annual report is $20 online versus $45 by paper, and a biennial report is $40 online versus $90 by paper; nonprofit corporations pay $10/$15 (annual) or $20/$30 (biennial). Confirm the exact due date for a specific entity on its record detail page.
Administrative dissolution and 'rescission' in Missouri
Missouri's term for reversing an administrative dissolution is rescission, not reinstatement. Corporations get administratively dissolved for a late registration report, no registered agent on file, an expired stated duration, or a handful of other situations — request a rescission packet online, then submit the Application for Reinstatement (Form CORP 50AD) together with a Department of Revenue tax clearance letter and any past-due registration reports, all at once.
LLCs go through a lighter version of the same process — Missouri's own LLC reinstatement checklist requires only Form CORP 50AD, with no Department of Revenue tax clearance letter listed. Either way, this process is specifically for entities that were administratively dissolved; one that was legally terminated or withdrawn doesn't qualify, and a fictitious name or LLP registration that simply expired can't be reinstated at all — it needs a brand-new filing instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search Missouri businesses by registered agent?
Yes. Missouri's BSD portal has a separate tab for Registered Agent name searches, alongside Business Name (with Starting With, All Words, Any Word, and Exact Match modes), Name Availability, and Charter Number searches.
Does the Missouri business search show dissolved companies by default?
No. Results default to active entities only. Unchecking 'Only Active Corporations' adds dissolved and revoked records to the results.
What does an Exact Match search require in Missouri's business database?
It requires the full legal name, including the corporate designator (Inc., LLC, etc.) and punctuation. The default search mode is Starting With, which matches names beginning with your search term.
Is Missouri's process to reverse a dissolution called reinstatement?
Missouri's official term is rescission, though it's requested through an Application for Reinstatement (Form CORP 50AD). Corporations also need a Department of Revenue tax clearance letter; LLCs don't.
Can an expired Missouri LLP or fictitious name registration be reinstated?
No — Missouri's rescission process only applies to entities that were administratively dissolved. An LLP or fictitious name registration that simply expired requires a brand-new filing instead.