How to search North Dakota business entities online
Updated August 2026
Official Resource
North Dakota Official SOS WebsiteNorth Dakota business entity records are searchable through the FirstStop portal at firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business, operated by the North Dakota Secretary of State. The current business services hub, covering registration and annual report filing, is at sos.nd.gov/business/business-services.
What the search covers
The database covers entity types registered with the Secretary of State: LLCs, professional LLCs, business corporations, professional corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited partnerships, LLPs, limited liability limited partnerships (LLLPs), and cooperatives. Trade names and fictitious partnership names registered statewide are also included.
Search options
The basic search matches on entity name, including partial names. An Advanced search adds Contains and Starts With matching modes, plus a checkbox to limit results to active entities only.
Clicking a result opens a detail panel with the entity's SOS Control ID, status, principal and mailing addresses, term of duration, and filing history.
Annual report due dates
North Dakota annual report due dates differ by entity type, which makes compliance planning more involved than in states with a single universal deadline:
- March 31 — limited partnerships, LLPs, LLLPs, professional LLPs, and cooperatives
- April 15 — farming/ranching LLCs and corporations, and authorized livestock farm entities
- May 15 — foreign business corporations and foreign professional corporations
- August 1 — domestic business corporations and domestic professional corporations
- November 15 — LLCs and professional LLCs
A late annual report incurs a late filing fee and puts the business into Not Good Standing status. If the past-due report still isn't filed within roughly 6 to 12 months, the entity is involuntarily dissolved (or, for a foreign entity, its authority to transact business is revoked); reinstatement is possible within one year of falling out of good standing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information shows up when I click on a business in North Dakota's search results?
The detail panel shows the entity's SOS Control ID, status, principal and mailing addresses, term of duration, and filing history.
Are trade names searchable in North Dakota's business database?
Yes. Trade names and fictitious partnership names registered statewide are included alongside LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and cooperatives in the FirstStop search.
What happens if a North Dakota business misses its annual report deadline?
It incurs a late filing fee and is placed into Not Good Standing status. If the report still isn't filed within roughly 6 to 12 months, the entity is involuntarily dissolved (or its authority revoked, for foreign entities); reinstatement is possible within one year.
This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the North Dakota Secretary of State's office. Verify current procedures at the official state website. Last verified: August 2026.