What do the status labels mean in a Washington search?

The state defines 6 of the 14 labels listed on this page, and this page restates those definitions with a link to the state page each comes from. For any label the state does not define, check the search page rather than guessing from the word.

Business entity search · Washington

Washington Business Entity Search

By Edmond Hui · Last updated October 5, 2026

The short answer. The Washington Secretary of State (Corporations and Charities Division) keeps Washington's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Corporation Search” page, on ccfs.sos.wa.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.

Search Washington's register

Washington Business Entity Search at a Glance

Register kept by	The Washington Secretary of State (Corporations and Charities Division)
Official search	Corporation Search
Cost to search	Not confirmed
Search by	Entity name; entity or filing number
Filed documents online	Yes
Copy fee	See Documents
Certifying a copy	See Documents
Name reservation	Not confirmed
Name reservation fee	$30.00
Bulk data	Available

Read from the government sources listed at the foot of this page, last checked October 5, 2026. See the sources.

How to Search Washington's Register

The official search is the state's “Corporation Search” page, on ccfs.sos.wa.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself. You can search without an account. Open the official search.

On the main search page you can search by:

Entity name
Entity or filing number

The state also runs separate search pages:

Advanced Business Search, to search by entity name, or by registered agent or registered office, or by officer or principal, or by address.

What a Search Result Shows

A Washington result includes the items below, according to the state's own pages or a result page we read. It may show more.

Entity type
Status
Principal office address
Mailing address
Formation or registration date
Registered agent or registered office
Filing history
Images of filed documents

What Each Washington 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
ACTIVE In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
ACTIVE PENDING In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
ADMINISTRATIVELY DISSOLVED In the search tool	The domestic business has failed to remain compliant. Based on the definition at sos.wa.gov	Entities formed in Washington
CONSOLIDATED In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
CONVERTED In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
DELINQUENT In the search tool	The business has failed to file its Annual Report. Based on the definition at sos.wa.gov	All entities
DOMESTICATED In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
EXPIRED In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
INACTIVE In the search tool	The business is still legally recognized by the Washington Secretary of State but is not currently in good standing. This typically occurs when required filings, such as annual reports, have not been submitted. Based on the definition at sos.wa.gov	All entities
JUDICIALLY DISSOLVED In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
MERGED In the search tool	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
TERMINATED In the search tool	The foreign business has failed to remain compliant. Based on the definition at sos.wa.gov	Entities formed in another state
VOLUNTARILY DISSOLVED In the search tool	The domestic business has voluntarily closed its business registration in Washington State. Based on the definition at sos.wa.gov	Entities formed in Washington
WITHDRAWN In the search tool	The foreign business has voluntarily closed its business registration in Washington State. Based on the definition at sos.wa.gov	Entities formed in another state

These are all the labels in the search tool's own status filter.

If the search shows that your own LLC was dissolved, see how to reinstate an LLC in Washington.

A search result is not a certificate of good standing. If a bank or another state asks for one, see how to get a Washington certificate of good standing.

Viewing and Ordering Documents

Filed documents can be viewed online. We have not confirmed whether viewing them is free.

A copy of a single filed document costs $10.00 (charter documents cost $20.00), and certifying a copy adds $10.00. Files over 100 pages carry a further $13.00 for each 50 pages.

Is the Name Available?

We have not confirmed how Washington wants you to check whether a name is available.

The state's naming standard, in its own words: “distinguishable on the records of the secretary of state.”

We have not confirmed whether Washington requires a name reservation before you file. A name reservation costs $30.00.

Our free LLC name checker looks up domain and social media handle availability for a name. It does not search Washington's register, so check the state's search as well.

Bulk Business Entity Data

Washington offers bulk business entity data. The Advanced Corporation Search can export a list of businesses matching the chosen criteria, such as business type or status, as a CSV file. See the state's bulk data page.

Ready to form? See what goes on the Washington articles of organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

: The Washington Secretary of State (Corporations and Charities Division) keeps Washington's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Corporation Search” page, on ccfs.sos.wa.gov.
: We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself. You can search without an account.
: The state defines 6 of the 14 labels listed on this page, and this page restates those definitions with a link to the state page each comes from. For any label the state does not define, check the search page rather than guessing from the word.
: Filed documents can be viewed online. We have not confirmed whether viewing them is free. A copy of a single filed document costs $10.00 (charter documents cost $20.00), and certifying a copy adds $10.00. Files over 100 pages carry a further $13.00 for each 50 pages.

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 Washington 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.

sos.wa.gov/corporations-charitiesCorporations & Charities
sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities-filing-system-tools-resourcesCorporations & Charities Filing System Tools & Resources
ccfs.sos.wa.govCCFS Advanced Business Search
ccfs-api.prod.sos.wa.gov/api/Lookup/GetLookUpData?name=BusinessStatusCCFS Business Status lookup (Advanced Search drop-down data)
sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/business-entities/return-business-active-statusReturn a Business to Active Status
ccfs.sos.wa.gov/ng-app/view/businesssearch/businessInformation.htmlCCFS Business Information view
sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/frequently-asked-questions-faqs/fee-schedules-priority-servicesFee Schedules & Priority Services
sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/frequently-asked-questions-faqs/certificates-certified-copiesCertificates & Certified Copies
sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/business-entities/limited-liability-company-llc-professional-llc-pllc-filing-resource-pageLLC & PLLC Filing Resource Page
app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=23.95.300RCW 23.95.300 Permitted names
app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=434-112-085WAC 434-112-085 Fees and penalties
Name standard: RCW 23.95.300(1)

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.