Entity Number
Last updated .
Entity Number. The identifier a state assigns to a registration. Called a file number, entity ID, charter number, SOS ID or registry number depending on the state.
Why it matters
It is more reliable than the name for identifying a record, because names repeat across states, change over time, and differ by punctuation. If you are tracking a specific business, track the number.
What to know
- Not the same as an EIN, which is federal, issued by the IRS, and used for tax.
- Formats differ entirely by state and carry no meaning across state lines.
- Some states reuse or renumber after long periods.
- Most state portals let you search by it directly, which is the fastest way to an exact record.
Where each state’s number lives
The label and format differ by state. Each row links to the search where that state exposes its own identifier.
| Jurisdiction | Business filings phone | Office hours | Official search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | (334) 242-5324 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | arc-sos.state.al.us |
| Alaska | (907) 269-8160 | 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. | commerce.alaska.gov |
| Arizona | (602) 542-3026 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | ecorp.azcc.gov |
| Arkansas | (501) 682-3409 | 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | sos.arkansas.gov |
| California | (916) 657-5448 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov |
| Colorado | (303) 894-2200 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | coloradosos.gov |
| Connecticut | (860) 509-6002 | 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | service.ct.gov |
| Delaware | (302) 739-3073 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | icis.corp.delaware.gov |
| District of Columbia | — | — | corponline.dcra.dc.gov |
| Florida | (850) 245-6052 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | search.sunbiz.org |
| Georgia | (404) 656-2817 | 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. | ecorp.sos.ga.gov |
| Hawaii | (844) 808-3222 | 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | hbe.ehawaii.gov |
| Idaho | (208) 334-2301 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | sosbiz.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | (800) 252-8980 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | apps.ilsos.gov |
| Indiana | (317) 234-9768 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | bsd.sos.in.gov |
| Iowa | (515) 281-5204 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | sos.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | (785) 296-4564 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | kansas.gov |
| Kentucky | (502) 564-3490 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | sos.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | (225) 925-4704 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | coraweb.sos.la.gov |
| Maine | (207) 624-7752 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | apps1.web.maine.gov |
| Maryland | (410) 767-1330 | 8:30 A.M to 4:30 P.M. | egov.maryland.gov |
| Massachusetts | (617) 727-9640 | 8:45 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | corp.sec.state.ma.us |
| Michigan | (517) 241-6470 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | mibusinessregistry.lara.state.mi.us |
| Minnesota | (651) 296-2803 | 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us |
| Mississippi | (601) 359-1633 | 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. | corp.sos.ms.gov |
| Missouri | (573) 751-4153 | 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | bsd.sos.mo.gov |
| Montana | (406) 444-3665 | 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. | biz.sosmt.gov |
| Nebraska | (402) 471-4079 | 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. | nebraska.gov |
| Nevada | (775) 684-5708 | 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. | esos.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | (603) 271-3246 | 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | quickstart.sos.nh.gov |
| New Jersey | (609) 292-9292 | 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. | njportal.com |
| New Mexico | (505) 827-3600 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | enterprise.sos.nm.gov |
| New York | (518) 473-2492 | 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | apps.dos.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | (919) 814-5400 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | sosnc.gov |
| North Dakota | (701) 328-2900 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | firststop.sos.nd.gov |
| Ohio | (614) 466-3910 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | businesssearch.ohiosos.gov |
| Oklahoma | (405) 522-2520 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | sos.ok.gov |
| Oregon | (503) 986-2200 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | sos.oregon.gov |
| Pennsylvania | (717) 787-1057 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | file.dos.pa.gov |
| Rhode Island | (401) 222-3040 | 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | business.sos.ri.gov |
| South Carolina | (803) 734-2158 | 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | businessfilings.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | (605) 773-4845 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | sosenterprise.sd.gov |
| Tennessee | (615) 741-2286 | 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | tncab.tnsos.gov |
| Texas | (512) 463-5555 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | comptroller.texas.gov |
| Utah | (801) 530-4849 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | businessregistration.utah.gov |
| Vermont | (802) 828-2386 | 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | bizfilings.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | (804) 371-9733 | 8:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | cis.scc.virginia.gov |
| Washington | (360) 725-0377 | 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | ccfs.sos.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | (304) 558-8000 | 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | apps.sos.wv.gov |
| Wisconsin | (608) 261-7577 | 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | apps.dfi.wi.gov |
| Wyoming | (307) 777-7311 | 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | wyobiz.wyo.gov |
Common questions
Is an entity number the same as an EIN?
No. The entity number is issued by a state when you register. The EIN is issued by the IRS for federal tax and is free. A business has one EIN and a separate entity number in every state where it is registered.
Where do I find my entity number?
On the state’s register, on the approved formation document, and on correspondence from the filing office. Searching the name on the state page for your jurisdiction is the quickest route.
Why does the same company have different numbers in each state?
Because each state assigns its own on registration. There is no national register and no shared identifier. This is also why tracking a business by number only works within one state.
Can two companies share an entity number?
Not within a state. Across states, numbers are assigned independently, so the same number will belong to completely unrelated businesses in different jurisdictions. Always pair a number with the state it came from.
Where you will see it
This term appears on business entity search results and in correspondence from the Secretary of State. If you met it on a search result and are not sure how it applies to a specific business, the record itself usually says more than the summary line does.
You can check a name against all 50 states and the District of Columbia from the search on our home page. Every result links back to the state office that holds the record.
Sources reviewed
The sources below were retrieved and confirmed in August 2026. Filing requirements and fees change with legislative sessions and agency rulemaking; check the state’s own page before acting on anything here. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
- Official business entity search portals for all 51 jurisdictions, each retrieved and confirmed to resolve. The full list appears in the table above.
Related
The other filings and terms that appear on the same record: