How to search Oregon business entities online
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
Oregon's business search is at sos.oregon.gov/business/pages/find.aspx, run by the Corporation Division. Search by business name, Registry Number, or registered agent name (via the Associated Business Search) to see the entity's status, registered agent, and document history — free with no account. The search page embeds a live lookup box that actually submits to a separate backend system, the Oregon Business Registry at egov.sos.state.or.us — an Advanced Business Name Search link opens that system directly if you need more filters. The interface is dated, but functional.
- Go to sos.oregon.gov/business/pages/find.aspx.
- Search by business name, Registry Number, or registered agent name.
- Open the result to see its status, registered agent, and document history.
What the search covers
The database covers all entity types registered with the Corporation Division: domestic and foreign business corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs, nonprofit corporations, benefit companies, professional corporations, cooperative associations, and religious organizations. Trade names registered statewide are also included.
Search options
Three search modes are available:
- Business Name — partial and full name searches; case-insensitive
- Registry Number — the Oregon Business Registry (OBR) identifier assigned at formation
- Registered Agent Name — individual or organization name, via the Associated Business Search tool
Results display entity name, registry number, status, formation date, registered agent, and principal address. Document history for amendments, annual reports, and other filings is accessible from the entity detail page.
Phone service hours — Friday afternoon cutoff
Oregon's Corporation Division has non-standard phone hours. Staff answer phones Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Fridays, phone service ends at noon. The front desk window remains open until 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. If you need to call about a filing, plan accordingly.
What 'Active' and 'Inactive' mean for name availability
Oregon's search shows a business as either Active or Inactive, and that status controls more than whether the entity is in good standing — it controls whether anyone else can take its name. A name is only protected while its registration is Active; the moment a registration goes Inactive, whether from voluntary dissolution or Oregon's specific 'administratively dissolved' status for a missed annual report, the name becomes available to other filers essentially immediately. Oregon doesn't hold a dissolved entity's name in reserve the way some states do.
That timing matters for reinstatement: Oregon gives 5 years from an administrative dissolution to reinstate online or by paper form, but only if the name is still available — if someone else has already registered it, reinstating requires filing a name change as part of the process. After 5 years, reinstatement still isn't flatly impossible, but it needs special forms and direct contact with the Corporation Division rather than the standard online process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search Oregon business records by registered agent name?
Yes. Oregon's search offers a Registered Agent Name option through the Associated Business Search tool, in addition to searching by business name or by the entity's Oregon Business Registry (OBR) number.
What are the Oregon Corporation Division's phone hours?
Staff answer phones Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but on Fridays phone service ends at noon. The front desk window itself stays open until 5:00 p.m. on Fridays, so plan calls accordingly.
Does the Oregon business search include trade names?
Yes. Along with all entity types registered with the Corporation Division — corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs, nonprofits, benefit companies, and more — trade names registered statewide are included in the same database.
If my Oregon LLC is administratively dissolved, can someone else take its name?
Yes, essentially right away — Oregon only protects a business name while its registration is Active. Once it goes Inactive, including from administrative dissolution, the name becomes available to other filers, so reinstating later may require a name change if someone else registered it first.
Does Oregon's Assumed Business Name (DBA) work the same way as an entity registration?
Mostly, but it renews every 2 years instead of annually. An inactive Assumed Business Name can be reactivated online the same way, as long as it's been inactive less than 5 years.