Most small clients you work with are limited liability companies. An LLC lookup confirms that the company exists, shows when and where it was formed, and tells you its status with the state. The status word is the part people skim past, and it is often the most important line on the page. This guide shows how to look up an LLC step by step and what each common status means for a business that is about to send you an invoice.
Get the exact legal name from the proposal, the client's website footer, its terms page or its invoice details. Note the suffix, such as LLC, L.L.C. or Limited Liability Company.
Find the state of formation. Ask the client, or start with the state of its business address and the popular formation states, Delaware and Wyoming in particular.
Open that state's registry. Our business entity search guide lists the filing office for all 50 states and DC.
Search by name, then open the record and read the entity type, formation date, status, registered agent and filing history.
If the LLC formed in another state, search your client's home state too for a foreign registration, because the two records can have different statuses.
States use different words for similar situations, and a few use the same word for different ones. The table gives the usual meaning. Always read the record itself for the details in that state.
| Status | Usual meaning | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Active | The LLC exists and the state has no open problem on file | A normal starting point, check the rest of the footprint |
| Good standing | Active and current on annual reports, fees and required filings | The best registry result, often proven with a certificate of good standing |
| Inactive | Used in some states for an entity behind on filings, in others for one that is no longer active | Read the filing history and ask the client what happened |
| Dissolved | The members chose to close the LLC and filed to end it | The entity is winding down and should not be taking on new work |
| Administratively dissolved | The state dissolved the LLC, usually for a missed annual report, unpaid fees or no registered agent | A red flag, many states allow reinstatement, ask for proof before you start |
| Forfeited | The LLC lost its rights, often for unpaid franchise tax or missed reports, a term used in states such as Texas and Maryland | A serious flag, the company may not be able to enforce contracts until it fixes this |
| Revoked | The state cancelled the LLC's charter or its authority to do business there | A serious flag, especially for a foreign registration in the state where you work |
| Merged | The LLC merged into another entity and no longer exists on its own | Find the surviving entity and contract with that one |
Other words you may see include delinquent, void, expired, withdrawn, cancelled and not in good standing. They usually describe one of the situations above. This page is general information, not legal advice.
When you check a client, ClientVetter finds the matching LLC record, reads the status in its own state wording and maps it to a common scale. Active and good standing count toward a Low band. A very recent formation date counts as a Watch signal, because a new LLC has no track record yet. Administratively dissolved, forfeited and revoked appear as clear red flags with the original wording, the date of the change when the record shows it, and a link to the source. A merged LLC is flagged with the name of the surviving entity when the record lists it.
The status is one of several signals. The same report shows the domain age, website and mail setup, reviews, public dispute mentions, documented reports about non paying clients and sanctions screening, and the risk score explains each point. For a full routine, see the client due diligence checklist.
An LLC that is active in March can be administratively dissolved in June if it misses its annual report. That is often an early sign that the owners stopped running the business. Business credit monitoring rechecks the registry status of every client on your list and emails you when it moves, so you can hold the next milestone until the client sorts it out.
LLC records can list members, managers, organizers and a registered agent. ClientVetter treats these people only in their role at the business, for example by checking listed principals against the OFAC SDN list. It never adds home addresses, private history or family details, and its reports are not consumer reports. They may not be used for decisions about an individual's credit, insurance, employment or housing. See the fcra compliant background check page for the permitted use.
It may, but it is a warning. The company missed a basic duty to the state, and in many states it cannot sue or carry on new business until it is reinstated. Ask for reinstatement first or take a deposit.
Not on its own. Many honest businesses are new. A new LLC with a new domain, no mail setup and a large project is a reason to use deposits and milestone billing.
The LLC was formed in one state and registered as a foreign entity in another. Each state tracks its own record, so the company can be current in the first and behind in the second.
The registry check is part of every full client check. Plans start at $49 per month, or $24 per month billed yearly at $288, with 25 full checks a month on Starter.
Enter the client's domain and see the LLC status, formation date and the rest of the risk picture in one report.
Your full report for this client is saved to your account.