Washington business entity information, including entity name, type, number, and formation date, is available through the Washington Secretary of State's Corporations & Charities Filing System (CCFS). This free online database provides access to the key details you need for onboarding, compliance, or business transactions.

Accurate entity records carry real weight in multi-state compliance work. According to ACC research, more than one in four organizations (26%) report that at least some of their entities have been out of good standing with regulators in the last two years.

Here, we'll walk you through exactly how to search the Washington database, where to find each piece of information, and what format each data point takes in Washington's system.

Summary table: finding your Washington entity information

The table below shows where each data point lives in Washington's records and what it looks like.

How to search for Washington business entities

Navigate to the Washington CCFS portal and locate the Corporation Search section on the homepage, then enter your business name or UBI number in the search field. While Washington's system supports partial matches, using your complete legal name as registered gets you precise results.

Washington offers three search modes: "Contains" (the broadest, including results with the term anywhere in the name), "Begins with" (only returns names starting with the term), and "Exact match" (returns only entities that match the search exactly). Use exact match when you are looking up a single business you already know, and "Contains" when you need a list of businesses that share a common name.

Click your entity name in the results to view complete details, including your UBI number, formation date, registered agent information for Washington, and filing history. The Advanced Corporation Search, which per the SOS advanced search FAQ is designed "for customers needing a list of multiple businesses," lets you filter by business type, business status, expiration date, incorporation/formation date, and registered agent or governor.

What you'll see in search results

• Legal entity name (exact spelling and punctuation)

• Entity type: Profit Corporation, Professional Limited Liability Company, Social Purpose Corporation, Nonprofit Corporation, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, and Corporation Sole, among others (LLCs have their own rules; see the Washington LLC filing requirements for details)

• UBI Number (9-digit format)

• Formation/Registration Date (on the entity detail page, not the results list)

• Principal office address and registered agent name

• Current status: per SOS status guidance, Active, Inactive, Delinquent, Administratively Dissolved (domestic), Terminated (foreign), Voluntarily Dissolved (domestic), or Withdrawn (foreign)

How to find your entity number in Washington

Your Washington entity number, officially called your "UBI Number" (Unified Business Identifier), is a nine-digit number that, per the SOS glossary, identifies persons engaging in business activities in the state of Washington.

Where to locate your Washington UBI number

1. Washington business search (fastest method)

• Located: Prominently displayed in search results and in the entity's CCFS business information record

• Labeled as: "UBI Number"

• Format: 123456789 (nine consecutive digits)

2. Certificate of Formation/Articles of Incorporation

• Section (1) of the form contains a pre-filing field asking "Do you already have a UBI No.?"

• If you answered "No," the Secretary of State assigns a UBI upon successful filing; the assigned number appears in your CCFS entity record rather than being stamped onto the formation document itself

3. Washington state annual reports and state correspondence

• The annual report form includes a "UBI No." field, and the UBI and business name must match SOS records for the filing to be accepted

• Used as your account identifier across multiple state agencies

• Also appears on Department of Revenue correspondence and business licensing; the DOR notes the UBI is sometimes called a tax registration number, business registration number, or business license number

The UBI on a business license, an SOS record, and a DOR notice is the same nine digits, so whichever document is closest to hand will do for onboarding.

Washington entity number format

• Format: 9 numeric digits

• Example: 123456789

• Pattern note: Washington's UBI works as a shared identifier across the Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service, and, for employers, the Employment Security Department and Department of Labor and Industries

How to find your entity type in Washington

Washington recognizes numerous business entity types, listed exactly as shown in your business search results and formation documents.

Where to find your Washington entity type

1. Washington business search (most accessible)

• Displayed: Prominently in search results under the "Business Type" column

• Listed as: "LLC," "Profit Corporation," "Nonprofit Corporation," "Limited Partnership," etc.

2. Certificate of Formation/Articles of Incorporation

• Reflected in the entity name and form used; on the LLC certificate, if no designation is provided the name defaults to "LLC," and on profit corporation articles an omitted designation defaults to "INC" when processed

How to find your formation date in Washington

Your formation date (when the Washington Secretary of State officially filed your business entity) appears as the Formation/Registration Date field on your CCFS entity record.

Where your Washington formation date appears

1. Washington business search (easiest access)

• Listed as: "Formation/Registration Date"

• Location: Displayed in the entity detail page under basic entity information

2. Certificate of Formation/Articles of Incorporation

• Per SOS processing guidance, the office stamps all fulfilled records with "FILED" on the top right and an embossment on the bottom right

• File-stamped records are viewable in the filing history section of your CCFS account

3. Annual report filing confirmations

• Used to calculate annual report due dates; the SOS annual reports page confirms the report is due by the last day of the month in which the business was originally formed or registered, and filing early does not change that expiration date

Formation date vs. effective date

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

• Formation date (file date): When the Washington Secretary of State processed your paperwork (use this one). Under RCW 23.95.210(1), a filed record is effective when filed.

• Effective date: The later date on which the filing becomes legally effective, if you specified one. RCW 23.95.210(2) caps the delayed effective date at no more than 90 days after the date of filing; under RCW 23.95.210(3), if a delayed date is specified but no time is stated, effectiveness defaults to 12:01 a.m. on that date.

Automate Washington compliance with Discern

Once you've pulled your entity name, type, UBI number, and formation date from Washington's system, Discern uses those details to onboard your entity and take over the recurring work: the annual reports tied to your formation month, registered agent coverage, and deadline tracking, with filings pre-filled from a centralized data model.

For teams managing entities beyond Washington, Discern handles annual reports and foreign registrations in other states and gives you portfolio-wide visibility into compliance status.

Book a demo with Discern.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Washington business entity search free?

Yes. Business entity records are accessible on demand through the CCFS Business Search and Advanced Business Search, and no login is required to view documents filed with the office.

What is a Washington UBI number?

It is the nine-digit Unified Business Identifier assigned when you register with the Secretary of State or file a business license application with the Department of Revenue. The same number identifies your business across several Washington state agencies.

What does "Delinquent" status mean in CCFS?

Delinquent means the entity has failed to file its annual report. If the failure isn't cured, a domestic entity can be administratively dissolved and a foreign entity's registration can be terminated; a domestic entity can return to active status through the SOS reinstatement process, while a foreign entity may file for Requalification online.

How do I prove my Washington entity exists and is in good standing?

Order a Certificate of Existence. Per the SOS certificates FAQ, the express PDF short form carries the state seal and is issued for entities on record with the Secretary of State.