Connecticut LLC Search & Lookup

Connecticut LLC search runs through the same Business Records Search that holds every entity type in the state, filtered by the limited liability company you need. The page lists the legal name, the ALEI, the filing number, the formation date, the status, the agent and address, the principal office, the members or managers on file, and every document in the history. Nothing about the lookup costs money, and no login is needed.

This page is about the LLC record and the questions it answers. It covers how members and managers appear, what a forfeited status means, how a Connecticut LLC is formed and closed, and which fees apply at each stage. It is written for owners checking their own registration and for buyers checking an LLC before signing. Fees appear in the table only.

How to search Connecticut LLC records

The search accepts a name, a business ALEI, or a filing number, and it returns every entity that matches, not only LLCs. Add the entity type after the query, or open the result and read the type field, because a corporation and an LLC can share a similar name. Results list the status beside each name, which lets you discard closed entities before opening a record.

Search by LLC name

Type the most distinctive word in the legal name and leave out the suffix on the first pass. Connecticut stores “LLC”, “L.L.C.”, and “Limited Liability Company” in the name field, but the search normalizes them unevenly, so a query with the suffix can miss a record that a query without it returns. Drop punctuation, a leading “The”, and ampersands, then compare the results by ALEI rather than by name alone.

A generic word returns a long list. Sort by status and formation date, and open the record whose principal office or agent matches the business in front of you. Two LLCs with similar names in different towns are usually unrelated, and one of them may be forfeited while the other is active.

Search by business ALEI

An ALEI query returns one entity rather than a list, which makes it the most precise option. The number is printed on the certificate of organization and repeated on each annual report confirmation. Paste it straight from the document, with no spaces or dashes, because a single wrong character sends you to a blank page that resembles a closed company.

Search by registered agent

Connecticut builds the search around the entity, so an agent lookup means searching the agent’s own name as it appears on the record. Commercial agents appear on hundreds of filings, which makes an agent match a weak signal on its own. Use it to confirm that two companies share an address, not to prove that they share owners.

Search by filing number

The filing number identifies one document, such as the certificate of organization or a specific annual report. Use it when you already know which filing you need. The ALEI identifies the entity and stays the same across filings, so the two numbers serve different purposes and should both be recorded.

What a Connecticut LLC record shows

The LLC page is compact, and every line answers something specific. Work down the fields rather than jumping to the name, because a similar name is not the same company. A full ownership list is not required on every filing, so the record often names managers and an agent without naming each member.

Name and entity designator

The legal name is the name on the certificate of organization. Connecticut requires an LLC name to contain “Limited Liability Company”, “L.L.C.”, or “LLC”, and it must be distinguishable from every other name on the register. The entity type field separates an LLC from a corporation, a limited partnership, and a statutory trust, even when the names look alike.

ALEI and filing number

The ALEI is the state’s entity identifier and the filing number identifies a document. The ALEI remains with the LLC through a name change, an address change, and a conversion of agent, and it never transfers to another company. Quote the ALEI on any call about the entity, since no other company can share that number.

Status and formation date

Status tells you whether Connecticut still recognizes the LLC. Active means the entity exists and is current on its annual report. Forfeited means the state closed it administratively, usually after a missed report. Dissolved means the members filed to close it. Merged, converted, and withdrawn appear when the entity left through a transaction rather than a closure.

Formation is the day the office stamped the certificate of organization, and it is rarely the day the owners opened for business. Contract authority, tax periods, and any statement about longevity all hang on that date, so compare it with the filing history before accepting a claim about age.

Registered agent and principal office

Every Connecticut LLC must keep a registered agent with a street address in the state. The agent accepts service of process and official mail, and the appointment is part of the certificate of organization rather than a separate filing. The office address on file may sit a year behind the physical location. A stale agent is a frequent reason an LLC misses a lawsuit notice. The Connecticut registered agent page covers the consent and the change process.

Members and managers

Connecticut asks for the name and address of at least one member or manager, depending on how the LLC is governed. A member-managed LLC lists members; a manager-managed LLC may list only its managers. The record is not an ownership schedule, and it rarely shows percentage interests. Ask the company for its operating agreement when authority or ownership matters.

NAICS code

The North American Industry Classification System code describes the industry the LLC reported. It is useful as a first filter, since a code for retail trade or construction narrows the field fast. It is not a description of the actual services, and two LLCs in the same code can do very different work.

Filing history

The filing history lists the certificate of organization, annual reports, amendments, agent changes, and any dissolution. A gap in the history often describes a forfeiture and a later reinstatement. A thin history on an old LLC deserves a second look, since filings may be missing or recorded under a former name.

Member-managed and manager-managed LLCs

Connecticut does not require an operating agreement, but it recognizes both governance models, and the choice changes who appears on the record and who can bind the company. The operating agreement states the model, and the state record usually reflects it in the member or manager field.

In a member-managed LLC, every member has apparent authority to act for the business unless the operating agreement says otherwise. In a manager-managed LLC, members delegate day-to-day authority to one or more managers, and a third party dealing with the company should ask for evidence that the signer is a manager. The distinction matters most when a contract is signed by someone whose name does not appear on the state record.

How a Connecticut LLC is formed

Formation is a single state filing plus a set of decisions the state does not record. The certificate of organization creates the entity. The operating agreement, the tax elections, and the bank account are separate matters that the owners handle without filing them with the Secretary of the State.

Name rules

The name must contain the required LLC wording and must be distinguishable from names already on the register. Connecticut compares names after removing punctuation, suffixes, and generic words, so “Hartford Home Goods LLC” and “Hartford Home Goods L.L.C.” are treated as the same name. Run a name search before filing rather than after a rejection.

Certificate of organization

The certificate of organization is filed online through the business portal and must include the appointment of a registered agent. The state fee is listed in the table below. The certificate is effective when accepted, and the confirmation email carries the ALEI and the filing number that the LLC will use for every later filing.

Registered agent

The agent must be an individual resident of Connecticut or a business entity authorized to transact business in the state, and the agent must have a street address. A post office box does not satisfy the requirement. The agent signs a consent, and a change of agent is a separate filing with its own fee.

Operating agreement

An operating agreement sets ownership percentages, voting rules, profit distribution, transfer restrictions, and what happens when a member dies or leaves. Connecticut does not require it to be filed, but a bank, a landlord, and a buyer will usually ask for it. Keep a signed copy with the formation documents and update it when membership changes.

Annual report and forfeiture

Every Connecticut LLC files an annual report between January 1 and March 31. The report confirms the principal office, the registered agent, and the member or manager information, and it carries a state fee. Filing is online through the business portal, and the office sends reminders to the email address on the account.

Once forfeited, the LLC cannot contract, hold title, or sue, and the unpaid reports stay on the file until they are cleared. A bank or a landlord may also refuse to deal with the entity until the status returns to active, which is why the reinstatement paperwork matters as much as the fee. The Connecticut business status page covers each status value.

Reinstating a forfeited LLC

Reinstatement restores an LLC that the state closed for a missed filing. Connecticut offers a reinstatement application, and approval usually requires the missing annual reports, the fees that were due, and a current registered agent. The LLC returns to active status with the same ALEI, which keeps its contracts and its tax identity intact.

Reinstatement does not erase the gap. A record will show the forfeiture and the later reinstatement, and a careful buyer will ask what happened during the gap. If the LLC signed contracts while forfeited, the owners may face personal exposure for those obligations, which is one reason to file the annual report on time.

Closing a Connecticut LLC

An LLC closes by filing a certificate of dissolution with the Secretary of the State. Connecticut does not charge a state fee for the dissolution itself, but the LLC must settle its tax accounts and its final annual report. A dissolved LLC that keeps trading is exposed, and a bank may freeze the account once the status changes.

Dissolution is not the same as forfeiture. A voluntary dissolution is a decision by the members and leaves a clean record. A forfeiture is an administrative closure and leaves a gap that a later reinstatement has to describe. The two look similar in a search result and mean very different things to a buyer.

Foreign LLCs in Connecticut

An LLC formed in another state that transacts business in Connecticut must file a foreign registration statement and appoint a registered agent. The registration fee is listed in the table, and the LLC then files the same annual report as a domestic LLC. A foreign LLC that skips registration can be barred from enforcing contracts in Connecticut courts.

The record for a foreign LLC shows the home state and the date of registration, which lets you separate a local company from an out-of-state one. It also shows the registered agent in Connecticut, which is the person to serve if a dispute arises in the state.

What an LLC filing costs

The fees below come from the Secretary of the State schedule for domestic and foreign LLCs. A faster turnaround is available for an added charge that applies per request. The office publishes the current amounts, and they are revised occasionally, so verify before filing.

Single-member LLCs

Connecticut treats a single-member LLC like any other LLC at the state level. The certificate of organization names the member or manager, the LLC files the same annual report, and the record looks the same as a multi-member record. The difference appears on the federal side, where a single-member LLC is disregarded for income tax by default and reports on the owner’s return.

A single-member LLC still needs its own bank account and its own records. Commingling personal and business funds is the most frequent reason a court ignores the liability shield, and the state record will not show the problem until a dispute exposes it.

Connecticut LLC or corporation

An LLC is governed by an operating agreement and taxed as a pass-through by default. A corporation is governed by bylaws, issues shares, elects a board, and pays its own tax unless it elects pass-through treatment. The state record shows the type, and a buyer should read it before assuming how the company is run. The Connecticut corporation records page sets out the corporate rules.

The choice also changes the annual report fee and the amendment fee. An LLC pays a different amount than a stock corporation and a non-stock corporation, so a budget written for one type does not carry over to another. Check the fee table for the type you actually filed.

What the LLC search cannot tell you

The record confirms registration and status, and it stops there. It does not show ownership percentages, revenue, debts, lawsuits, or tax standing, and it does not confirm that the LLC is insured. It also does not show a trade name, which sits with the town clerk, or a professional license, which sits with the licensing agency.

The member or manager field is the most misunderstood part of the record. A name on that line proves that the person was reported to the state, not that the person owns the company or can sign for it. Ask for the operating agreement and a certificate of legal existence when authority matters.

Reading an LLC record for a vendor check

A vendor check usually needs the entity record, a certificate of legal existence, and a trade name search. Start with the status, then read the formation date, then confirm the registered agent. A company that has been active for years with an agent in the same town is a different risk from a company formed weeks ago with an agent that changes every year.

Save a dated copy of the record. If the LLC is forfeited, ask whether it has been reinstated and when. If the LLC is active but its annual report is overdue, the next search may show a different status. A dated copy protects you from a status change you did not cause.

Frequent LLC search mistakes

Most failed searches come from a few habits. Ignore any of the matching rules and the result list comes back empty, which readers often take as proof the LLC was never registered. The index holds legal names, not brands, and it reads the ALEI as one exact string.

• Searching the trade name. A DBA sits with the town clerk, not in the entity database.
• Including punctuation. Ampersands, periods, and commas confuse the match. Use plain words.
• Ignoring the type field. A corporation result can look like an LLC result until you read the type.
• Assuming a member is an owner. The field shows who was reported, not who holds the units.
• Retyping the ALEI. Copy it. One wrong digit returns an empty result.

What to do after you find the LLC

Record the ALEI, the status, the formation date, and the registered agent. Ask for a certificate of legal existence if a contract is involved, and search the town clerk for a trade name. If the LLC is active, keep the dated record with the contract. If it is forfeited, ask for the reinstatement date before you rely on the entity.

Connecticut LLC records are short, so the search itself takes minutes. The work that matters is deciding which field answers the question in front of you, and that answer is usually the status, the agent, or the filing history rather than the name.

Frequently asked questions

The questions below come from owners checking their own LLC and from buyers checking someone else’s. Every answer names the office that holds the record.

Is a Connecticut LLC search free?

Yes. The Business Records Search is free and needs no account. You pay only for filings, certificates, and copies. Start with the official portal rather than a third-party site that charges for the same record.

What is the difference between an LLC and a DBA in Connecticut?

An LLC is a legal entity created by a certificate of organization. A DBA is a trade name filed with the town clerk, and it does not create an entity. An LLC can hold several trade names, and each one is filed in the town where business is transacted.

Can one person own a Connecticut LLC?

Yes. Connecticut allows a single-member LLC, and the state record looks the same as a multi-member record. The federal tax treatment differs, but the filing and the annual report do not.

What happens if a Connecticut LLC misses its annual report?

The state forfeits the LLC. It loses its legal existence and cannot sign new contracts in its own name. Reinstatement is possible after the missing reports and fees are filed, and the record keeps both the forfeiture and the reinstatement.

Does Connecticut require an operating agreement?

No. The state does not require an operating agreement and does not collect one. Banks, landlords, and buyers usually ask for it, and it is the document that settles ownership and authority when the state record does not.