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How to Find Business Records in Virginia
Searching for Business Records in Virginia
In the State of Virginia, business records are maintained by the
Secretary of the Commonwealth, but made accessible online by the Office
of the Clerk. Below are a few tips on how to access this information.
What Records Are Maintained by the Virginia Secretary of the
Commonwealth?
The Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth maintains records pertaining
to the formation of corporations and similar business entities, as well
as information pertaining to changes to these entities and current
status. This information may be accessed in person or by telephone.
Additionally, the Office of the Clerk offers a searchable information
system through which some of this information can be accessed.
Additionally, UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filings are maintained and
some of this information is available online. UCC filings document
security interests that one party may have in another party�s
collateral.
How Can I Search for Records Maintained by the Virginia Secretary of the
Commonwealth?
Virginia is one of the few states that does not yet offer a searchable
online database through its Secretary of the Commonwealth website to
search for information about business entities within that state.
However, the business records maintained by the Virginia Secretary of
the Commonwealth are considered to be matters of public record and will
be provided for viewing to those who visit the Secretary of
Commonwealth�s office, at 1111 East Broad Street, 4th Floor, Richmond,
Virginia 23219. You can also address questions to the Secretary of the
Commonwealth by using an inquiry form found online at http://www.soc.state.va.us/SecInfo/InquiryForm.cfm.
Additionally, if you wish to investigate name availability in the State
of Virginia or request other business entity information, you can do
this by contacting the Call Center of the Clerk�s Office by telephone.
The telephone number for this office is 804-371-9733. You can also call
toll-free in Virginia by dialing 866-722-2551.
Both UCC filings and business entity information can be accessed online,
but not through the Secretary of the Commonwealth website. Instead,
begin at the website for the Office of the Clerk, Virginia State
Corporation Commission, located at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/division/clk/.
From this web page, select the option marked �Uniform Commercial Code.�
This will take you to a page by the same title, from which you can
select the option �Search Clerk�s Information System (CIS) for UCC
Filings.� This will take you to a page providing information about the
CIS system. Toward the bottom of the page is a button marked �Clerk�s
Information System� which may be clicked to proceed to the search page.
The search page will open in a new window and provides a number of
search options. Note that the searches for corporations, limited
partnerships, limited liability companies and business trusts are all
separate searches. Additionally, there are separate search options for
history inquiries, limited liability company (LLC) history inquiries,
and business trust history inquiries. If you are not certain what
category the searched-for business entity falls into, you can select the
option �Name Search of All Entities� to find the business entity by
name. Note that the searching system is a bit unusual. It is not
possible to simply click on options you desire. Instead, after clicking
on the search option, it is necessary to press the Enter key in order to
proceed. If you get stuck, the F2 key may be used to return to the main
menu, and the F4 key may be used as a �back button� to return to the
previous screen. If you come upon a screen showing a list of items, you
may use F8 to move forward through the list, and F7 to move backward
through the list. Also note that there is a �Help� button to the left.
Clicking this button will open up a pdf file providing additional
assistance using the CIS system.
By first clicking in the box before the name of the desired business
entity, and then hitting Enter, you will be taken to a page where you
may choose to see a data summary for that entity, information about
stock, the registered agent, officers and directors, fictitious names,
registered names, old names and activity pertaining to the business
entity. To view this information, first select the box in front of the
name using the mouse, then hit the Enter key on the keyboard.
The search page main menu provides an option to search for UCC forms as
well. This will take you to a page where you can enter a great deal of
information to limit your search if you choose, including debtor name,
address, dates, type and whether or not the file is active. It is not
necessary to input all of this information, however. If you input only
the name of the debtor and the filing type (�T� for tax liens, �F� for
financial liens or �A� for all liens), the search will be performed. You
will be able to view matching debtor names and the microfilm location of
the image of the file. You may also use F10 and F11 to scroll left and
right to view additional information, including the file date,
expiration date, purge date, status, and type of lien.
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