Michigan Business Entity Search
By Edmond Hui · Last updated October 5, 2026
The short answer. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division) keeps Michigan's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.
Michigan Business Entity Search at a Glance
| Register kept by | The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau, Corporations Division) |
| Official search | Business Entity Search |
| Cost to search | Not confirmed |
| Search by | Not confirmed |
| Filed documents online | Not confirmed |
| Copy fee | See Documents |
| Certifying a copy | See Documents |
| Name reservation | Not required by any rule we found |
| Name reservation fee | $25.00 |
Read from the government sources listed at the foot of this page, last checked October 5, 2026. See the sources.
Some of Michigan's pages could not be read directly, so several answers here are marked not confirmed. Check them on the state's own search page.
How to Search Michigan's Register
The official search is the state's “Business Entity Search” page, on mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself. Open the official search.
We have not confirmed which fields Michigan's main search page lets you search by; check the search page.
What a Search Result Shows
A Michigan result includes the items below, according to the state's own pages or a result page we read. It may show more.
- A standing indicator shown apart from the status
What Each Michigan Status Means
The status is the label the register puts on each entity. Where the state defines a label, the meaning below restates that definition, with a link to the state page it comes from. Where it does not, we do not guess from the word, because the same word can mean different things in different states.
| Status label | What it means | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| “Not Good” Named on michigan.gov | Shown as the AR Standing of an LLC that is not in good standing. Based on the definition at michigan.gov | LLCs |
This list is not complete. It holds the labels we found in the filing office's own pages, and the register may show others.
If the search shows that your own LLC was dissolved, see how to reinstate an LLC in Michigan.
A search result is not a certificate of good standing. If a bank or another state asks for one, see how to get a Michigan certificate of good standing.
Viewing and Ordering Documents
We have not confirmed whether filed documents can be viewed online; check the search page.
Uncertified copies cost a minimum of $6.00 for the first six pages and $1.00 for each additional page. Certified copies are priced separately, at a minimum of $16.00 for the first six pages and $1.00 for each additional page. Order copies from the state.
Is the Name Available?
The state tells you to use this same search to check whether a name is already in use. The state says this search is only a preliminary check, not a formal decision that the name is available.
The state's naming standard, in its own words: “distinguish the name in the records in the office of the administrator.”
The state lets you reserve a name; we have not found a rule requiring one before you file. A name reservation costs $25.00.
Our free LLC name checker looks up domain and social media handle availability for a name. It does not search Michigan's register, so check the state's search as well.
Ready to form? See what goes on the Michigan articles of organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state's business entity filing office publishes about searching its register, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you whether a particular business is active, authorized or reliable: read the state's own record for that, and search tools, status labels and fees change between our reviews. Confirm anything you rely on with the filing office named on this page before you act on it.
Sources
Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Michigan sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so. Where we hold the citation but no stable public link, the citation is printed on its own rather than pointed at a guessed address.
- michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corpsCorporations Division
- michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/frequently-asked-questionsCorporations Division Frequently Asked Questions
- michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/Folder6/Filing_Fees.pdfCorporations Division Filing Fees
- michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/NonImages_new/Corps/Name_Reservations.pdfAbout Name Reservations
- legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4204MCL 450.4204 (Michigan Limited Liability Company Act, name)
- michigan.gov/lara/news-releases/2025/06/30/michigan-launches-new-mibusiness-registry-portal-to-improve-business-filing-servicesMichigan Launches New MiBusiness Registry Portal to Improve Business Filing Services
- Name standard: MCL 450.4204(1)(c)
Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC
Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.