How to Find Company Information in Florida

There is a limited amount of information about companies available to the public in Florida. The public may access certain information relating to business entities including corporations (for profit and not for profit), limited liability companies (LLC), limited partnerships (LP), general partnerships and limited liability partnerships (LLP) that have registered to do business with the Florida Secretary of State through the state’s online portal: www.sunbiz.org.

The following company information in Florida may be available:

1. Business Search: The Florida Secretary of State's website provides a Search Records feature, which allows the public to search for information on entities that are registered to do business in the State of Florida, whether domestic or foreign. Users can search for companies by name, officer or registered agent name, document number, or other identifying information.
2. Corporate and Business Filings: The Florida Secretary of State's office also maintains a database of basic annual corporate and business filings, such as the articles of incorporation, annual reports, name changes, and any amendments regarding officers. This information can be found using the same portal referenced above, www.sunbiz.org.
3. Starting a business: Sunbiz.org is also a resource for potential business owners to obtain basic information and forms for starting and running a business, including information about incorporation and taxes. The portal includes information on entity formation, licenses and permits, taxes, and other business-related topics.
4. All of the documents referenced above are available for free to anyone searching. However, if certified copies of information related to particular businesses are desired, the Secretary of State will charge a fee.

Copies of documents filed with the Florida Secretary of State, including but not limited to, articles of incorporation, annual reports, amendments, certificates of good standing, dissolution, merger and withdrawal documents may be obtained through the state’s online portal. As mentioned above, non-certified copies of these documents are freely available, but a fee is charged to obtain certified copies.

On Sunbiz.org, the public may also access information regarding fictitious names, trademark registrations, and judgment and federal liens. On www.floridaucc.com, which is the website for the Florida Secured Transaction Registry, the public can search for any UCC-1s (formally securing an interest in a company’s collateral) or judgment liens recorded against a company.

It is possible, although not easy, to obtain information on pending litigation against a company, its shareholders, or legal representatives in Florida. However, available information will depend on the type of case. Each Florida state court has a unique online search system to look up pending litigation against a company, its shareholders, or legal representatives. And, to locate cases against shareholders or other representatives, one would first have to know who those individuals are, so that a name search is possible, and that information is not fully publicly available. Here are some ways to access information on pending litigation:

• State Court Records: The courts in each county in Florida maintain records of court proceedings, including those related to civil litigation. Some counties have all filings (other than those redacted for privacy reasons) available online through their individual court clerk websites. Other counties may have the dockets (listings of filings done in a particular case) available online, but one must request the actual filings in person or by phone, and a per-page fee will most likely be charged for such documents. These court records may include pleadings, motions, orders, and other documents filed by the parties in the case. Unfortunately, there is not currently a way to search the records of all Florida state courts from one centralized online database at this time.
• Federal Court Records: It is much easier to search for information related to federal court litigation involving various companies, because one can do so via a unified search system called Pacer (Public Access to Courts Electronic Records), https://pacer.uscourts.gov/. Through this link, one can conduct a name search nationwide and in all federal courts for the company, or its known shareholders or other representatives. To access public records, one has to create an account, as those searches are not free. The per-search fee is small, and, for another per-page fee, one can also obtain court documents from cases through that system.

It is not possible to obtain information regarding pending arbitrations, because those proceedings are not public. Only when the prevailing party seeks to have a court confirm or vacate an arbitration award could it possibly found through a records search.

We always recommend that potential litigants consult attorneys licensed in the State of Florida for guidance and assistance specifically tailored to one’s individual needs.