Washington business lookup

Search our directory first

USA Business Search lists Washington businesses built from Foursquare open place data plus listings that owners submit. Use it when you need to reach a business: its phone number, website, address and category. Start on the Washington hub and drill into a city, or go straight to a large market:

Search a distinctive word from the name rather than the full legal name, because many companies operate under a trade name that differs from what is on file with the state. If a listing looks out of date, the owner can claim and correct it. A directory listing does not mean we verified or endorse the business.

Verify a business with the Washington Secretary of State

The official record lives in CCFS, the Corporations and Charities Filing System. Public search needs no login. You can search by:

• Business name, including partial names.
• UBI number, the nine-digit Unified Business Identifier that Washington's state agencies share.
• Advanced search by business type, status, dates, registered agent or governor.

A record shows the business type, current status, expiration date and filing history. Status words to know: Active; Delinquent (the annual report is overdue); Administratively Dissolved (a Washington entity the state dissolved, which can usually be reinstated within five years); and Terminated (an out-of-state entity). Sole proprietors have no Secretary of State record.

Proof of good standing

Washington issues a Certificate of Existence as a PDF. The Express PDF version costs $20 for active entities, ordered in CCFS with a free account, per the Secretary of State certificates page. Delinquent or dissolved entities must be reinstated first.

Trade names are state records

Unlike many states, Washington registers trade names with the Department of Revenue Business Licensing Service, not the county. Registration costs $5 per name with a business license application, under RCW 19.80, as the Department of Revenue explains. The DOR Business Lookup covers business licenses and trade names. Registering a trade name does not reserve it against others.

Check a contractor

Every construction contractor in Washington must be registered with the Department of Labor & Industries. Search L&I Verify a Contractor by business or owner name, UBI or registration number. It shows whether the registration is active, workers' comp status, the bond and any lawsuits against it. Electricians and plumbers also hold L&I licenses. See our contractor license lookup guide.

Questions