What is a UBI number in Washington?

A UBI (Unified Business Identifier) is a nine-digit number the state assigns to a business, used across the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, and other agencies. You can search CCFS by UBI to pull up a specific entity's record.

What does 'Administratively Dissolved' mean in Washington?

It means the Secretary of State dissolved the entity, usually for failing to file its annual report. An entity in good standing shows 'Active.' An administratively dissolved LLC can generally be reinstated by filing the missing reports and paying the fees.

Can I check a Washington business name's availability with the search?

Yes. Searching existing names in CCFS shows whether your desired name is distinguishable from names already on record. A clear search is not a guarantee; the Secretary of State makes the final determination when you file your Certificate of Formation.

Washington Business Entity Search: CCFS Lookup (2026)

Q: Is the Washington business entity search free?

Yes. The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) operated by the Washington Secretary of State is free to search. You can look up any registered LLC, corporation, or nonprofit by business name or UBI number and view its status and registered agent at no charge.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

You look up a Washington business for free in the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS), the online portal of the Washington Secretary of State. Search by business name or UBI number to confirm a company's exact legal name, its Active or Administratively Dissolved status, its registered agent, and its annual report history. There is no fee to search or view records.

Quick Answer

Database: Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) - Washington Secretary of State
Cost: Free to search and view entity records
Search by: Business name or UBI (Unified Business Identifier) number
Shows: Legal name, status, registered agent, governors, annual reports
Status codes: Active (good standing) or Administratively Dissolved
Certified copies: Available from the Secretary of State for a fee

What CCFS Is

The Corporations and Charities Filing System, or CCFS, is the public online system of the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division, the office that registers business entities in Washington. CCFS holds the official record of every Washington LLC, corporation, limited partnership, and nonprofit, along with their registered agents and annual reports. The entire database is free to search and view, which makes CCFS the first stop for verifying a company before you sign a contract, extend credit, or serve legal papers. For the national overview of these tools, see our business entity search hub, and compare the process in another state on our Florida business entity search and Virginia business entity search pages.

Ways to Search in CCFS

CCFS is organized around the entity, so its two primary search paths both point to a company record. You can search by:

Search type	Use it when
Business name	You know the business name and want its record and status
UBI number	You have the Unified Business Identifier for a direct lookup
Partial / advanced search	You are unsure of the exact legal name and want a match list

When you know only part of a name, use the advanced business search and narrow from the list of matches, watching for designators like “LLC,” “Inc.,” or “Corp.” that distinguish otherwise similar names. The UBI number is the fastest path when you have it, because it points straight to a single record - and because the same UBI ties the entity across the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, and other Washington agencies. If you are ready to form, our how to form an LLC in Washington guide walks through filing the Certificate of Formation.

What the Record Shows

Opening an entity's record in CCFS gives you a full snapshot: the exact legal name and any prior names; the UBI number; the entity type and formation date; the current status (Active or Administratively Dissolved); the principal and mailing addresses; the registered agent and registered office; the governors (managers or members); and the complete filing history, including the Certificate of Formation and every annual report. Most filed documents are viewable at no cost, which is why banks and attorneys rely on CCFS for verification.

How to Run a Search, Step by Step

Open CCFS. Go to the Corporations and Charities Filing System on the Secretary of State website and choose the business search.
Enter your term. Type the business name or UBI number; a partial name returns a list of matches.
Open the record. Click the entity to view its status, registered agent, UBI, governors, and filing history.
Order documents if needed. View the record free, or order a certified copy or a certificate of existence/authorization if a bank or court requires an official version.

Reading Washington Entity Status

The status field tells you whether a company is in good standing. Active means the entity is current on its filings, including the annual report. Administratively Dissolved means the Secretary of State dissolved the entity - most often because it failed to file its annual report, which is due each year by the end of the LLC's anniversary month for a $60 fee. An administratively dissolved Washington LLC can generally apply for reinstatement through CCFS by filing the missing reports and paying the reinstatement fees. If a counterparty's record shows a dissolved status, ask questions before relying on the entity's contracts or liability shield, since dissolution can affect both.

Common Uses and Name Checks

A CCFS search supports the same everyday needs as any state entity lookup. Founders use it to confirm a proposed name is distinguishable before filing a Certificate of Formation. Attorneys find a current registered agent to serve process. Lenders and vendors verify good standing before a deal. Buyers confirm status and ownership during an acquisition. Remember that a clear name search is not a guarantee of availability - the Secretary of State makes the final call at filing - and a name available in Washington can still infringe a federal trademark. If you are closing a company, see how to dissolve an LLC in Washington, and if you need a trade name, see what is a DBA.

What CCFS Does and Does Not Cover

It is important to understand the limits of what a CCFS search tells you. The Secretary of State record is the authority on an entity's legal existence and public filings - its name, status, registered agent, governors, and report history. It is not a credit report, a lawsuit search, or a tax-compliance record. An entity can show “Active” in CCFS while owing back business and occupation (B&O) tax to the Washington Department of Revenue or holding a delinquent business license, none of which appears in the Secretary of State record. Because Washington ties agencies together with the UBI, a fuller picture often requires checking the Department of Revenue and the Business Licensing Service separately. CCFS also does not verify a federal EIN; the IRS maintains the federal tax record. A thorough due-diligence review treats the CCFS search as one layer - confirming the entity is real, correctly named, and in good standing - and then adds tax, licensing, litigation, and, where relevant, EIN verification checks on top of it.

Washington vs Other States: A Free, UBI-Linked Search

Washington's CCFS is free, like Florida's Sunbiz and Virginia's CIS, and unlike Texas, which charges a small per-search fee through SOSDirect. What makes Washington distinctive is the UBI number: a single nine-digit identifier that follows the business across the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, and the Business Licensing Service. That linkage makes cross-agency verification easier than in states where each office assigns its own unrelated number. Like every state, though, Washington's corporate search only reflects Secretary of State filings - name, status, agent, and reports - so tax and licensing compliance live elsewhere. If you operate in multiple states, expect to learn each state's portal separately, because search fields, fees, and status labels vary. Our business entity search hub links out to each state's guide, and how to form an LLC covers the national picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Washington business entity search free?

Yes. The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) from the Secretary of State is free. You can search by business name or UBI number and view an entity's status and registered agent at no charge.

What is CCFS?

CCFS is the Corporations and Charities Filing System, the online filing and search portal of the Washington Secretary of State. It hosts the official record of Washington business entities and lets anyone search them free.

What is a UBI number?

A Unified Business Identifier - a nine-digit number the state assigns to a business and shares across the Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, and other agencies. You can search CCFS by UBI.

How do I find a Washington LLC's registered agent?

Search the entity by name in CCFS and open its record, which lists the current registered agent, registered office, governors, UBI, and filing history.

What does "Administratively Dissolved" mean?

It means the Secretary of State dissolved the entity, usually for a missed annual report. An entity in good standing shows "Active," and a dissolved LLC can often be reinstated.

Sources

Washington Secretary of State - Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) business search (free name/UBI search).
Washington Secretary of State - Corporations & Charities (Business Entities).
Washington Secretary of State - LLC & PLLC Filing Resource Page (Certificate of Formation; annual report $60).
Washington Secretary of State - File an Annual Report (due anniversary month; administrative dissolution).
Washington Legislature - RCW 23.95.255, Annual report.
Washington Legislature - RCW 25.15.021, Certificate of formation.
Washington Legislature - RCW 23.95.410, Registered agent.
Washington Department of Revenue - Unified Business Identifier (UBI).
Washington Department of Revenue - Business & Occupation Tax.
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
Cornell Legal Information Institute - Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Cornell Legal Information Institute - Registered agent.

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Search features, fees, and status codes change; verify current requirements with the Washington Secretary of State before acting.