How to Find Out Who Owns a Business

If you need to find out who owns a business, a variety of free resources are available which may provide the information you want. In this article, we’ll walk you through different ways to look up business owners.

Reasons why you need to look up business owners

There are several reasons why you might need to find out who owns a business:

Search for available business names

Before you put effort into branding a business around a name, it’s a good idea to make sure some other business hasn’t taken it already. Luckily, most states give you the ability to perform an available business name search through their secretary of state websites (more on that later).

Some states also allow you to reserve a business name online, so you can put a hold on it while you work on completing the rest of the registration process.

 Learn more about how to incorporate a business.

Find out who you’re doing business with

In industries with national security exposure like banking and exporting, “know your business” (KYB) and “know your customer” (KYC) research is a legal requirement. Knowing who owns a business is a crucial part of complying with anti-money laundering regulations and avoiding dealings with businesses in countries under financial, military or other sanctions.

Learn more about your clients or customers

Some businesses have complicated corporate structures that cloud the identities of the actual owners. Finding out who they are may help you better understand the motivations and priorities of your customers and clients so you can serve them better.

8 methods for how to find out who owns a business

Here are eight ways to find out who owns a business.

1. Check the company website

When you want to find out who owns a business, your first stop should be the company website. Often these websites have “about” or “leadership” sections describing who owns and manages the business. Usually the CEO is at least a part owner of the company. Owners may also go by different business owner titles, including:

• President
• Principal
• Founder
• Director

2. Check a WHOIS domain lookup

WHOIS domain lookup is a public database of domain registration information for web pages. If you know a company’s web address, you can use the WHOIS database to look up their domain registration information. The Registrant Name or Administrator Name may be that of an owner, unless they have used a third party private registration service.

3. Submit a public information request

You can also submit a written public information request to find out who owns a business. Each state government has public record access statutes which may include ownership information on file for companies registered with that state. A good starting place for research is the website for the state’s Office of the Attorney General, which should describe what information is publicly available and how to access it.

Depending on the state and the information you’re requesting, you may need to make your request by mail or electronically, and the expected turnaround time for receiving the information can range from a few days to quite a bit longer. You’ll likely be asked to pay a research, copying or delivery fee, or the information might only be available for in-person viewing and copying at the records office.

4. Consult alternative public records

There are additional public records databases that you can check to find out who owns a business. Although this is not an exhaustive list, they can include:

• Business licenses: Some industries require businesses to have special licenses (e.g., liquor or hazardous waste). The licensing information may include owners’ names.
• Real estate records: If a business has a brick-and-mortar location, you can find the property owner information from the county recorder’s office. The property owner may be one of the business owners.
• Court documents: If the business has been involved in any legal matters, the business owner’s information will likely be in court filings. These can often be found online in federal, state or county databases, which you can search by company name.

5. Check with the Chamber of Commerce

Each region has its own Chamber of Commerce, an organization run by local business owners to network and market their services in the community. Their membership directories can be freely searched, although not every company in a locality will be listed since membership is optional and carries a fee. The listing will show the name of the individual who is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, which, for small businesses, is often the owner, but may be a branch manager or similar executive.

If you’re unsure where to find your local Chamber of Commerce, you can start by looking at the national registry for more information.

6. Read Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports

Some businesses are listed on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) site, which can be searched for free. If the business has applied for BBB accreditation, its listing may include detailed information including the name and contact information of its owners, so it’s worth checking.

7. Look up news mentions

News media often report on local businesses’ activities such as executive changes, mergers and store openings. Often the owners will be named or quoted in the article or posting.

8. Search state secretary of state databases

Each state’s secretary of state office maintains a database of registered business entities within its jurisdiction. These databases are freely searchable and provide information about each company.

While many companies have a listed owner, some may have a registered agent instead. A registered agent is an official point of contact for the business – if you can’t find the owner directly, you may be able to contact the registered agent for more information.

Secretary of state business search by state

In many states, using a secretary of state business search tool is likely going to be one of the easiest ways to find out who owns a business. Find your state below.