To find a company registration number in the USA, start by identifying which number you need. A state entity number, assigned by the Secretary of State where the company was formed, is free to look up in that state’s online business database. A federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is harder to find because the IRS keeps no public lookup for most businesses, though nonprofits, publicly traded companies, and your own business each have a defined path. A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), used only for federal contracting, is searchable at SAM.gov.
Figure Out Which Number You Need
There is no single “company registration number” in the United States. Businesses collect different identifiers from different agencies, and where you search depends on which one you want.
- The state entity number is assigned when a company files its articles of incorporation, articles of organization, or similar formation document. Depending on the state, it may be called an entity ID, file number, charter number, or corporate ID.
- The Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit federal tax ID issued by the IRS. It functions like a Social Security Number for the business and appears on tax filings, bank accounts, and payroll records.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
- The Unique Entity Identifier is a 12-character alphanumeric code managed by SAM.gov. It replaced the DUNS Number in April 2022 for federal contracts and grants. Only businesses registered in the System for Award Management have one.2U.S. General Services Administration. Unique Entity ID (SAM) Frequently Asked Questions
One company can hold several of these at once. A business formed in Delaware but operating in Texas will have a Delaware entity number, a separate Texas foreign qualification number, one EIN, and possibly a UEI if it does federal work. Each lives in a different database.
Looking Up a State Entity Number
Every state maintains a free, publicly searchable business entity database, almost always run by the Secretary of State’s office. This is the easiest number to find. Go to the state’s official business search portal, enter the company’s legal name, and the results page will list the entity number along with other public details.
A few tips speed the search. Use the exact legal name rather than a trade name or DBA; many databases default to exact-match. If you’re not sure of the legal name, most portals accept partial or keyword searches. If you already have the entity number and want the record, you can usually search by that too.
What the Results Show
State business databases typically display the entity number, formation date, registered agent name and address, principal office address, and current status. Status tells you whether the company is active, in good standing, or administratively dissolved for failing to file annual reports or maintain a registered agent. The record confirms the company legally exists in that state; it doesn’t tell you anything about its finances.
If You Don’t Know Where the Company Was Formed
A company that operates in more than one state usually holds a certificate of authority (foreign qualification) in each additional state, and each one carries its own registration number. If you’re not sure where a company was formed, you may still find its record in any state where it has qualified to do business. The formation state’s record is the primary one, and it’s the entity number most legal documents refer to.
Looking Up a Federal EIN
The IRS does not run a public directory where you can type in a company name and pull up its EIN. How you find one depends on whose number you’re after.
Your Own Lost EIN
If you’re the business owner and misplaced your EIN, the IRS suggests checking the original confirmation notice, your business bank (which recorded it when you opened the account), any state or local licensing agency you’ve applied to, and prior year business tax returns.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
If none of those turn it up, call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. After verifying your identity, an agent will give you the number over the phone. You can also request Letter 147C, a formal confirmation of your previously assigned EIN.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
A Nonprofit’s EIN
Tax-exempt organizations are the one broad exception to the no-public-database rule. Nonprofits must make their annual information returns available for public inspection, and the IRS publishes them.3Internal Revenue Service. Exempt Organization Public Disclosure and Availability Requirements The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov lets you search by name or EIN and view Form 990 filings, determination letters, and revocation data.4Internal Revenue Service. Tax Exempt Organization Search The EIN appears on the face of every Form 990.
Third-party aggregators like Candid (formerly GuideStar) and ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer republish the same filings with more user-friendly search.
A Publicly Traded Company’s EIN
Public companies file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and those filings include the EIN. The fastest route is the SEC’s EDGAR system: search by company name, open any 10-K or 10-Q, and check the cover page.5U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EDGAR Full-Text Search
A Private Company’s EIN
For private companies, no public database exists. Your realistic options:
- Ask the company. Any business that invoices other businesses or receives payments subject to information reporting should be used to providing its EIN.
- Send a Form W-9. If you need the EIN to file a 1099 or other information return, IRS Form W-9 asks the payee to certify its taxpayer identification number. A payee that refuses may become subject to backup withholding.6Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for the Requester of Form W-9 (03/2024)
- Check documents you already have. Past W-2s, 1099s, invoices, or contracts may carry the number.
Looking Up a Unique Entity Identifier
If you need a company’s UEI for a federal contract or grant application, SAM.gov offers a free public entity search. Go to sam.gov, choose the entity search, and enter the company name. Results include the 12-character UEI, registration status, physical address, and NAICS codes. Some entities opt out of public search, in which case only credentialed federal users can view their records.7SAM.gov. Entity Information
Only companies registered in SAM.gov have a UEI. If a business doesn’t work with the federal government, it probably doesn’t have one, and no lookup will produce a result.
If the Business Needs a New EIN
If your business needs an EIN and doesn’t have one yet, the IRS issues them for free online. The application takes about 15 minutes, and the number is available immediately upon approval. You’ll need the Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number of the person the IRS considers the responsible party.8Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number
The online tool operates most hours but not around the clock, and it limits applicants to one EIN per responsible party per day. If your principal place of business is outside the United States, you cannot use the online tool. Apply by phone at 267-941-1099, by fax, or by mailing Form SS-4 instead.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number
Avoiding Fake Lookup Sites and Scam Mailers
Searching for registration numbers online exposes you to scam sites and deceptive mail. A common version is a letter from a fake agency with an official-sounding name, often including words like “United States,” “business regulation,” or “trademark,” warning that your license or trademark needs immediate renewal and demanding payment to avoid fines.9Federal Trade Commission. Government Impersonators Mail Fake Notices to Business Owners
A few red flags make them easy to spot. Legitimate government agencies never demand payment by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or payment app. Any letter asking for one of those methods is a scam. Labor law compliance posters that federal and state agencies require are available for free from those agencies; a letter charging over a hundred dollars for one is a ripoff, not a regulatory notice.9Federal Trade Commission. Government Impersonators Mail Fake Notices to Business Owners
When you search for a state business registry online, check the domain before entering anything. Real government sites use .gov, which is restricted to verified U.S. government organizations and administered by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.10get.gov. Eligibility for .gov Domains If a business search site ends in .com or .org and wants payment for records the state provides free, close the tab and go directly to the Secretary of State website.