To check if a company is registered in the USA, input the company’s name in the search bar. The website will display whether the company is registered or not. You can also visit the SEC’s EDGAR search engine. This tool focuses on foreign and domestic public companies that have filed to do business in the United States.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has a business registration lookup called EDGAR. EDGAR houses all registration statements, reports, and forms from public companies going back 20 years.
Steps to Evaluate a Company’s Legitimacy
Below are steps to evaluate a company’s legal legitimacy in the United States:
- Search the Secretary of State’s database. It contains registration information about companies in each state. Search the company name to verify if it is registered and active.
- Check for proper licensing. Research government websites to determine if the company has obtained necessary licenses to operate legally, at both federal and state levels.
Where to Check Company Registration
To verify company registration, you can try:
- Official State Government Website – Go to the state government’s website, find the business registration section, and search for the company.
- National Business Registries – These can also verify if a company is registered in the USA.
To check and verify further its Secondary SEC Registration or Secondary License online, visit SEC Capital Market Participants Registry System at www.cmprs.sec.gov.ph.
Q. Can I check whether a company is a registered company in the United States?
A. Yes. You can find out information about U.S. companies through U.S. Secretaries of State websites: http://www.coordinatedlegal.com/SecretaryOfState.html#Related. Information on publicly traded companies can be found at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: http://www.sec.gov/ (main page).
Additional Methods
To look up registration information of a U.S. company, you need to search the database of the state or states where it is registered. National Corporation Directory allows you to search for companies in multiple states at the same time.
What is a company’s FBI number? The Federal Business Income Tax Number is an alphanumeric code assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to identify particular companies. In the United States, all companies that generate income are assigned a Federal Tax Identification Number (also known as an FDN).