Kentucky Business Entity Search

Each search goes straight to the Kentucky Secretary of State, and no answer is kept for more than a day.

Type a business name, or its first words, and choose Search. Results show each match's status, type and formation date.

Kentucky at a glance

LLC filing fee $40 Source, checked 2026-10-26
Corporation filing fee $40 Source, checked 2026-10-26
Annual Report $15, every year, starting the year after formation Source, checked 2026-10-26
Name reservation $15, held 120 days Source, checked 2026-10-26
Certificate of Existence (domestic) or Certificate of Authorization (foreign) $10 Source, checked 2026-10-26

Kentucky business records

Each profile shows two separate fields, Status (Active or Inactive) and Standing (Good or Bad), so a company can be active but in bad standing. Corporations also pay an organization tax on authorized shares on top of the $40 filing fee, with a $10 minimum for 1,000 shares or fewer.

Filings in Kentucky go to the Kentucky Secretary of State, Business Filings Division, which keeps the official record. The search on this page asks the Kentucky Secretary of State each time you run it.

Coverage: Kentucky business entities with status and type.

Statuses you may see in Kentucky

Status	What it means
Active	The entity exists on the Secretary of State's records and has not been dissolved or revoked.
Inactive	The entity is no longer active, for example after dissolution, withdrawal, or administrative dissolution or revocation.
Good standing	Shown in a separate Standing field: the entity is current with its annual report and other filings.
Bad standing	Shown in a separate Standing field: the entity has missed a required filing such as the June 30 annual report.

Source, checked 2026-10-26. Words other states use are in the business entity status guide.

Questions

Is this the official Kentucky business search?

No. Open State Index is independent and has no tie to the Kentucky Secretary of State or any other government body. It passes your search to the Kentucky Secretary of State and links to the official search (Business Entity Search); confirm anything official with the state.

How current are the results?

As current as the Kentucky Secretary of State: each search is sent when you run it, and an answer is kept for at most 24 hours before it is asked again.

How do I check if a business name is available in Kentucky?

Use the Name Availability Search on the Secretary of State's business search site, or ask the Business Filings Division in writing or by phone. A name must be distinguishable from names already on record.

Does Kentucky charge a franchise tax or a similar yearly tax?

Corporations, LLCs and other limited liability entities owe the LLET to the Kentucky Department of Revenue, with a $175 minimum for businesses whose total gross receipts or gross profits are $3 million or less.

More about a Kentucky business

Every fee and rule above links to the official page it came from. How we check our facts · Report an error