Wyoming Business Entity Search (2026)

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 20, 2026

The Wyoming Secretary of State runs a free business entity search at sos.wyo.gov/Search.aspx. Use it to check whether a name is available before you file, to confirm an entity's status and registered agent, and to find the anniversary month that sets your annual report deadline - the report carries a $60 minimum license tax.

Quick Answer

Where
Wyoming Secretary of State business entity search
Cost
Free to search
Common uses
Name availability, entity status, registered agent, filing history
Annual report due
On or before the first day of your anniversary month
First report
Not due until the first anniversary
License tax
$60, or $.0002 per dollar of Wyoming assets, whichever is greater
$60 applies when
Assets located and employed in Wyoming are $300,000 or less

What the Search Shows

The Wyoming Secretary of State's business entity search is the public index of every entity on file in the state: LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, and statutory trusts, both Wyoming-formed and foreign entities registered to do business there. A record typically shows the entity's exact legal name, its type, its status, its formation or registration date, its registered agent and registered office, and its filing history. The search is free and requires no account.

The two questions people bring to it are "is this name available?" and "is this company in good standing?" Both are answered here, and both matter before money changes hands - whether you are about to file a new Wyoming LLC or about to sign a contract with an existing one.

Checking Name Availability

Wyoming will reject a filing whose name is not distinguishable from a name already on record. Search your intended name, then search obvious variants: singular and plural, with and without "the," with different entity designators, and with common misspellings. A near-match on the register is a warning sign even when the state might technically accept your filing, because two similar names create bank and mail confusion for years afterwards.

Availability on the state register is not trademark clearance. The Secretary of State can accept a name that infringes someone else's mark, and a trademark owner - not the state - is who will object. Before committing to a brand, read the trademark hub. If you want to trade under a second name, see Wyoming DBA filing and what a DBA is.

Reading Entity Status

Status is the field that matters in due diligence. An active entity is current on its filings. An entity shown as delinquent, inactive, or administratively dissolved has missed something - almost always the annual report. If you are about to contract with, lend to, or buy a Wyoming company, check status first and ask for an explanation of anything other than active. A company that has been administratively dissolved may still be operating, but its authority and its liability shield are on uncertain ground until it reinstates.

Finding the Registered Agent

The record names the registered agent and registered office. That is the address where service of process is delivered, which makes the search the practical starting point for anyone who needs to sue or formally notify a Wyoming entity. It is also how you check your own record: if the agent listed is a service you stopped paying, your state notices are going nowhere. See Wyoming registered agent requirements and the national registered agent overview.

Finding Your Annual Report Deadline

Wyoming ties the annual report to the entity's own anniversary rather than to a statewide date. Annual report due dates are based on the anniversary month of formation: an entity that registered on January 15 has an annual report due date of January 1 each year. You are required to file on or before the first day of the month of your initial filing date, and your first annual report is not due until your first anniversary. The search record shows the formation or registration date, which is how you confirm the month. See the Wyoming annual report guide.

The $60 Annual Report License Tax

The annual report carries a license tax of $60 or two-tenths of one mill on the dollar ($.0002), whichever is greater, calculated on the company's assets located and employed in the state of Wyoming. An entity with $300,000 or less in Wyoming assets pays the $60 minimum. Because the tax is based only on in-state assets, many Wyoming holding entities with no Wyoming property pay the minimum. Wyoming publishes a worksheet and rules explaining how to compute the asset figure; use them rather than guessing, and keep the worksheet with your records.

Using the Search for Due Diligence

Before you sign with a Wyoming counterparty, pull the record and check four things: the exact legal name to put in the contract, the entity type, the status, and the registered agent for notices. Mismatches between a trade name on an invoice and the legal name on the register are common and worth resolving before signing. If the counterparty is a foreign entity operating in Wyoming, confirm it is actually registered - an unregistered foreign entity transacting business faces procedural disadvantages in state court.

What the Search Does Not Show

Wyoming's public record is thinner than many states'. It reliably shows the entity, its agent, and its filing history, but it is not a source for ownership, financial condition, litigation, tax standing, or licensing. Do not infer that an active status means a company is solvent, insured, or licensed for the work you are hiring it to do. For licensing, see Wyoming business licenses and the national business license guide.

After the Search: Forming and Maintaining

Once your name clears, the sequence is straightforward: file the formation document with the Secretary of State, appoint a Wyoming registered agent, adopt a Wyoming operating agreement, get a free EIN from the IRS, and open a business bank account. Then file the annual report each year on or before the first day of your anniversary month. Costs are set out in Wyoming LLC cost, tax treatment in Wyoming LLC tax filing and the business tax hub, and structure choices in S-corp vs LLC. When the company ends, dissolve formally rather than letting the report lapse - see the dissolution guide and how to dissolve an LLC in Wyoming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Wyoming business entity search free?

Yes. The Wyoming Secretary of State provides a free public business entity search on its website. No account or subscription is required. The record generally shows the entity's legal name, type, status, formation or registration date, registered agent and registered office, and filing history.

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

Search the name in the Secretary of State's entity search, then search close variants: singular and plural forms, versions with and without "the," different entity designators, and likely misspellings. Wyoming rejects filings whose names are not distinguishable from an existing record, so a near match is a warning.

When is a Wyoming annual report due?

Due dates are based on the anniversary month of formation. An entity registered on January 15 has an annual report due January 1 each year. You must file on or before the first day of the month of your initial filing date, and the first annual report is not due until the first anniversary.

How much is the Wyoming annual report license tax?

The license tax is $60 or two-tenths of one mill on the dollar ($.0002), whichever is greater, based on the company's assets located and employed in Wyoming. An entity with $300,000 or less in Wyoming assets pays the $60 minimum. The Secretary of State publishes a worksheet for computing the asset figure.

Can I see who owns a Wyoming LLC in the search?

Generally no. Wyoming's public entity record shows the entity, its registered agent, and its filing history, but it is not an ownership register. The search also does not show financial condition, litigation, tax standing, or licensing, so it should not be treated as a substitute for diligence.

What does it mean if a Wyoming entity is not active?

A status other than active usually means a missed annual report, which can lead to administrative dissolution. The company may still be operating, but its authority and liability shield are uncertain until it reinstates. Ask for an explanation before contracting with, lending to, or buying such an entity.

Related

Sources

  1. Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Entity Search.
  2. Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Division.
  3. Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Entity FAQs (anniversary-month due date; first report at first anniversary; $60 or $.0002 license tax; $300,000 asset threshold).
  4. Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Division Filing Fee Schedule (PDF).
  5. Wyoming Secretary of State - Annual Report License Tax Worksheet Rules (PDF).
  6. Wyoming Secretary of State - Annual Report Worksheet (PDF).
  7. Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Permitting and Additional Information.
  8. IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC).
  9. IRS - Single Member Limited Liability Companies.
  10. IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
  11. IRS - Self-Employment Tax.
  12. IRS - Estimated Taxes.

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not legal advice, is not a law firm, and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current amounts with the Wyoming Secretary of State before acting.