South Carolina Business Entity Search
Find a registered business through South Carolina Secretary of State, Business Filings Division. Use the official link below, then check the search options and name rules for South Carolina.
Official website: businessfilings.sc.gov · Opens in a new tab
South Carolina search options and record coverage
Business Entities Online searches entities by name and public filing information and allows a separate registered-agent search. Public results include registered agent and registered office information, status and filing history, while officer/director names are not maintained by the Secretary of State and generally come from the Department of Revenue.
Checking a business name in South Carolina
South Carolina distinguishes names under the applicable Title 33 entity statute. Punctuation, capitalization, spacing, articles, and generic designators ordinarily do not cure confusing similarity; a name may also be rejected for prohibited or misleading terms. Registry acceptance does not grant trademark rights.
South Carolina name reservations
South Carolina name reservation is available under Title 33 and through the Business Entities filing workflow, but the reviewed official pages did not state one universal 2026 fee/duration in the accessible extract. A reservation only preserves filing priority and does not clear trademarks or local permits.
DBA, trade names, and fictitious names
South Carolina does not use the Secretary of State registry as a universal statewide DBA filing office for every business type. Trade-name/fictitious-name requirements can depend on entity and county; begin with https://sos.sc.gov/online-filings/business-entities and verify any county or Department of Revenue registration.
What do you need after the search?
- Official proof of standing — find certificate fees and ordering instructions.
- A missed report or inactive registration — check deadlines and reinstatement rules.
- A new business registration — compare South Carolina formation and filing fees.