Massachusetts business entity information is available through the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Corporations Division search portal. Each record includes the data points required for onboarding, compliance verification, and business transactions: entity name, type, identification number, and formation date.

The search is free and available 24 hours a day. Per the Corporations Division's online filing help page, JavaScript and per-session cookies must be enabled, and sessions time out after 20 minutes or when you close the browser.

Summary table: finding your Massachusetts entity information

Each piece of entity information appears in a predictable place with a predictable format.

How to search for Massachusetts business entities

The Massachusetts business entity search looks up any registered business by entity name, individual name, identification number, or filing number.

Go to the Corporations Division search portal and select your preferred search method. You have four options:

• Entity Name (for business name searches: company, LP, LLP, LLC, etc.)

• Individual Name (to find businesses associated with an officer or director; last name is required)

• Identification Number (for direct entity lookup; the field requires exactly nine digits)

• Filing Number (for specific document searches)

For entity and individual name searches, choose from four search types: Begins With, Exact Match, Full Text (entity name only), and Soundex. Enter your legal name exactly as registered for precise results.

Submit your search criteria to view results, displayed 25, 50, or 100 per page. Results show entity name, ID number, old ID number, and address. The "old ID number" column applies only to legacy entities; current lookups rely on the nine-digit Identification Number.

Click any entity name to view the complete profile: formation date, resident agent, principal office address, and filing history. For filing history, select ALL FILINGS and click View Filings; the Corporations Division's certified copy instructions cover copy requests.

What you'll see in Massachusetts search results and entity details

The entity summary page displays:

• Legal entity name (exact spelling and punctuation)

• Entity type (for example, "Domestic Business Corporation")

• Identification Number (nine-digit format)

• Current Status

• Date of Organization in Massachusetts

• Principal office address, registered agent name and address, and officers and directors

How to find your entity number in Massachusetts

Your Massachusetts entity number, officially called your "Identification Number," is state-assigned, follows the format 000123456 (nine digits with leading zeros), and appears in the public record.

Where to locate your Massachusetts entity number

1. Massachusetts business search (fastest method)

• Located: in search results (as "ID Number") and on the entity summary page

• Labeled as: "Identification Number"

• Format: 000123456 (nine digits with leading zeros)

2. Certificate of Organization/Incorporation

• Labeled "Identification Number" (some Secretary of the Commonwealth forms print it as "IDENTIFICATION NO.")

3. Annual reports and state correspondence

• Appears on official Secretary of the Commonwealth documents, including your Massachusetts annual report filings

• Used as your account identifier for state filings. Per the Corporations Division's online filing help page, online filings require a separate Customer ID Number (CID) and PIN, distinct from your public Identification Number

Massachusetts entity number format

Format: Nine digits with leading zeros

• Example: 000123456

• Search note: The portal's Identification Number search field enforces the nine-digit requirement, so include leading zeros

How to find your entity type in Massachusetts

Massachusetts recognizes multiple entity types, listed exactly as shown in search results and formation documents: domestic and foreign profit, professional, and nonprofit corporations; LLCs; LPs and LLPs; and voluntary associations and trusts.

Where to find your Massachusetts entity type

1. Massachusetts business search (most accessible)

• Displayed: Prominently on the entity details page

• Listed as: "Entity Type"

• Shows specific designations such as "Domestic Business Corporation" and "Domestic Limited Liability Company"; the list of display strings is not exhaustive.

2. Certificate of Organization/Incorporation

• At the top of your formation document

• States the specific entity type in formal legal language

How to find your formation date in Massachusetts

Your formation date appears in Massachusetts business search results and on your Certificate of Organization/Incorporation.

Where your Massachusetts formation date appears

1. Massachusetts business search (easiest access)

• Listed as: "Date of Organization in Massachusetts"

• Location: Displayed on the entity summary page

2. Certificate of Organization/Incorporation

• Top of the document with Secretary of the Commonwealth filing stamp

• May say "Filed on [date]" or show the official filing date

• Sometimes includes both the filing date and the effective date

Formation date vs. effective date

Massachusetts allows businesses to specify a future effective date when filing, creating two different dates:

• Formation date (file date): When the Secretary of the Commonwealth processed your paperwork

• Effective date: When the filing legally takes effect, if you specified a later date

For corporations, MGL c.156D §1.23 caps the delay: a delayed effective date "may not be later than the ninetieth day after the date when it is received for filing by the secretary of state." LLCs and LPs may also specify a later formation date under MGL c.156C §12(b) and MGL c.109 §8; neither statute states a maximum delay.

Automate Massachusetts entity compliance with Discern

With your Massachusetts entity information in hand, onboarding to Discern is quick. Discern files Massachusetts annual reports, tracks entity-specific deadlines automatically, and provides registered agent service for every Massachusetts registration.

For teams managing entities beyond Massachusetts, Discern covers registered agent service, annual reports, formations, and foreign registrations in every state you're registered.

Book a demo with Discern.

Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to common questions about looking up Massachusetts business entity information.

Is the Massachusetts business entity search free?

Yes. The Corporations Division search portal is free and available 24 hours a day, with no account required. Sessions require cookies and JavaScript, and time out after 20 minutes or when you close the browser.

What if I can't find my Identification Number?

Search the portal by exact entity name, or contact the Corporations Division at 617-727-9640 or corpinfo@sec.state.ma.us. If you've lost your online filing credentials (CID and PIN), email corpcid@sec.state.ma.us.

What's the difference between my Identification Number and an "old ID number" in search results?

The nine-digit Identification Number is the current format Massachusetts assigns to every entity today. An "old ID number" appears only for legacy entities carried over from a prior identifier system; use your current Identification Number for filings and correspondence.

Where do I find my Massachusetts registered agent information?

Your registered agent's name and address appear on the entity summary page alongside your Identification Number and formation date. Click into any search result to view the full profile.