Overview

Business Records is responsible for issuing certificates of existence, authorization, and other certificates of  fact and for providing certified copies of documents on file with the Secretary of State.

Business Records also authenticates documents intended for use abroad by use of an apostille or authentication.

Please click here to access information on a business or organization, then enter the organization name.

Some documents intended for use abroad (such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, grade transcripts and diplomas, adoption papers, and corporate documents) require some form of authentication.

The Secretary of State provides this authentication in the form of either an apostille or a certificate of authentication.  Authentications are often called legalizations or incumbencies.  An apostille is a form of authentication used for countries which are parties to the Hague Convention, which abolished the need for legalization of foreign public documents.

Please click here for more information on apostilles and authentications of documents.

A certificate of existence and a certificate of authorization may be relied upon as conclusive evidence that a domestic corporation or domestic limited liability company is in existence or a foreign corporation or foreign limited liability company is authorized to transact business in this state.  Anyone may request a certificate of existence, a certificate of authorization, or other certificates of fact for $10 per certificate.  Please click here to enter name of business and select from the certificates available.

Domestic Corporation
Certificate of Existence
Certificate of Existence (long form)
Certificate of Merger (domestic into nonqualified corporation)
Certificate of Voluntary Dissolution
Certificate of Administrative Dissolution
Certificate of Registered Agent
Certificate of No Record

Foreign Corporation
Certificate of Authorization
Certificate of Authorization (long form)
Certificate of Withdrawal
Certificate of Revocation of Certificate of Authority
Certificate of Registered Agent
Certificate of No Record

Domestic Limited Liability Company
Certificate of Existence
Certificate of Existence (long form)
Certificate of Dissolution
Certificate of Administrative Dissolution
Certificate of Registered Agent
Certificate of No Record

Foreign Limited Liability Company
Certificate of Authorization
Certificate of Authorization (long form)
Certificate of Withdrawal
Certificate of Revocation of Certificate of Authority
Certificate of Registered Agent
Certificate of No Record

Domestic Limited Partnerships
Certificate of Formation
Certificate of Registered Agent
Certificate of No Record

Registered Limited Liability Partnerships
Certificate of Registration (domestic)
Certificate of Registration (foreign)
Certificate of No Record

Business Trusts
Certificate of Business Trust
Certificate of Registered Agent (foreign business trust)

A certificate attached to a copy of a document filed by the Secretary of State, bearing the Secretary of State's signature and the seal of the state, is conclusive evidence that the original document is on file with the Secretary of State.  The Secretary of State may certify a copy of any filed document of record.  A certification is $5.00 up to 5 pages, then $0.50 a page thereafter and $5.00 for the document being certified.  If a regular copy is needed without certification, the cost is $5.00 up to 5 pages, then $0.50 a page thereafter .  To request documents, please use the Request for Corporate Documents Form.

For more information regarding records, please contact the Records Branch of the Office of the Secretary of State:

The Office of the Secretary of State is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm EST.