How to look up North Dakota business entity information

North Dakota business entity information, including entity name, type, number, and formation date, is available through the North Dakota Secretary of State business search portal, called FirstStop. This online database gives you the key details you need for onboarding, compliance, or business transactions.

FirstStop's licensing module went live in January 2019, per the Secretary of State's biennial report; no official record specifies when the business search portal itself launched. Searching the portal requires no login and no fee. This guide covers how to search the database, where each piece of information appears, and what format each data point takes in North Dakota's system.

Summary table: finding your North Dakota entity information

The table below shows where each required data point lives and how it is formatted.

How to search for North Dakota business entities

Go to the North Dakota FirstStop portal and enter your business name in the search field. Entering the complete legal name as registered gives the most precise results.

The portal has a basic search field and an Advanced toggle, which adds "Contains" and "Starts with" match filters plus an "Active entities only" checkbox. These options are not documented on the Secretary of State's own pages, but the live portal presents them once you open the Advanced toggle.

Click your entity name in the results to open a detail panel. As described in third-party guides, it lists registered agent details, principal and mailing address, duration, filing type, status, initial filing date, and filing history.

What you'll see in search results

Search results list:

• Legal entity name (exact spelling and punctuation)

• Entity type (LLC, Business Corporation, LP, LLP, PLLC, Professional Corporation, nonprofit corporation, and others; formation forms for each are on the FirstStop forms page)

• SOS Control ID, reported in the results column as "SOS ControlID#" (North Dakota's unique identifier)

• Status (Active or Inactive)

• Standing (Good Standing or Not Good Standing)

• Initial filing date

How to find your entity number in North Dakota

Your North Dakota entity number appears in FirstStop under the label "SOS Control ID." It is the numeric identifier attached to your entity's record with the North Dakota Secretary of State.

Where to locate your North Dakota entity number

You can find your SOS Control ID in three places, depending on how quickly you need it.

1. North Dakota business search (fastest method)

• Located: in the search results table

• Labeled as: "SOS Control ID"

• Format: numeric sequence like 1234567

2. Certificate of Formation/Organization/Incorporation

• Printed on the certificate the Secretary of State issues

3. Annual reports and state correspondence

• Appears on official North Dakota Secretary of State documents

• Referenced on later filings with the state

North Dakota entity number format

FirstStop displays the SOS Control ID as a plain numeric sequence, such as 1234567, in search results. The state does not publish a single mandated format, so use the exact string shown on your own record.

How to find your entity type in North Dakota

North Dakota's official entity designations include Business LLC, PLLC, Farm/Ranch LLC, Business Corporation, Professional Corporation, LP, LLP, LLLP, PLLP, nonprofit corporation, and cooperative association, with foreign variants for most of these types.

Where to find your North Dakota entity type

Your North Dakota entity type appears in three places, each pulling from the same underlying record.

1. North Dakota business search (most accessible)

• Displayed: in the entity type column of search results

• Shown using state designations such as "Business LLC," "Business Corporation," "PLLC," and "LP"; wording varies between state pages (both "Farm/Ranch LLC" and "Farming or Ranching LLC" appear)

2. Certificate of Formation/Organization/Incorporation

• May state "Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company" or a similar title

• Uses the full legal designation

3. North Dakota annual report filings

• Listed in the entity information section

• Matches the designation on file with the Secretary of State

How to find your formation date in North Dakota

Your formation date (when the North Dakota Secretary of State officially filed and approved your business entity) appears in North Dakota business search results and on your Certificate of Formation/Organization.

Where your North Dakota formation date appears

Your North Dakota formation date shows up in three places tied to the same underlying filing.

1. North Dakota business search (easiest access)

• Listed as: Initial Filing Date

• Location: in the search results table and detailed entity view

2. Certificate of Formation/Organization/Incorporation

• Shows the date the Secretary of State filed the document

3. Annual report confirmations

• Reference your original filing date, which determines only when your first annual report is due (generally the year after formation)

After the first report, deadlines are fixed by entity type. LLCs and PLLCs file by November 15; domestic business and professional corporations file by August 1; foreign business and professional corporations file by May 15.

Formation date vs. effective date

North Dakota law allows business entities to specify a delayed effective date of up to 90 days after filing, so the formation and effective dates are not always identical. For LLCs, the 90-day maximum appears in N.D.C.C. § 10-32.1-86; for business corporations, in N.D.C.C. § 10-19.1-148.1(3).

The "Initial Filing Date" is when your entity was filed, but its legal existence may begin later if a future effective date was selected.

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You've got what you need from North Dakota's system: business name, entity type, SOS Control ID, and formation date. Get those details into Discern and the platform handles your North Dakota annual reports against the state's fixed calendar deadlines and provides registered agent coverage. It also tracks good standing, so a missed November, August, or May filing does not quietly push an entity into Not Good Standing.

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Frequently asked questions about the North Dakota business search

Here are answers to common questions readers have about the North Dakota business search.

Is the North Dakota business search free?

Yes. Searching FirstStop requires no login and no fee. Certificates and certified copies cost extra, and a Certificate of Good Standing runs $20 through the Request Certificate form in FirstStop.

What does "Not Good Standing" mean in North Dakota search results?

It means the entity missed a required annual report filing. Per the Secretary of State's Maintain Registration page, the business has one year to reinstate; if the report remains unfiled after that year, the entity is involuntarily dissolved or terminated, and a foreign entity loses its authority to transact business in North Dakota.

How do I find my entity's SOS Control ID?

Your SOS Control ID appears in the FirstStop search results table and on your Certificate of Formation, Organization, or Incorporation. FirstStop displays it as a plain numeric sequence, such as 1234567.

Who do I contact if the FirstStop portal isn't working?

Contact the Secretary of State's Business Services team at 701-328-2900. They can also help with business and nonprofit registration questions that fall outside what the portal itself can answer.