All Michigan business entity information, including entity name, type, number, and formation date, is available through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (Michigan LARA) business search portal. This free database provides access to the key details you need for onboarding, compliance, or business transactions.

Michigan replaced its legacy Corporations Online Filing System (COFS) with the MiBusiness Registry Portal on June 23, 2025. The new portal consolidates entity search, formation filings, annual reports, and certificate requests into a single platform. All references and instructions in this guide reflect the current system.

Summary table: finding your Michigan entity information

Each data point below maps to a specific location in Michigan's business database, with the format you'll typically encounter.

How to search for Michigan business entities

Access the Michigan business entity search to look up any registered business. The MiBusiness Registry Portal, which launched in June 2025, replaced the legacy Corporations Online Filing System and now serves as the single platform for entity lookups, filings, and certificate requests. As of 2026, the portal interface accepts short alphanumeric search terms and offers an Advanced toggle for more targeted queries. This flexibility is useful when cross-referencing entities across states requiring annual reports.

The system supports partial matches, so searching "Great Lakes" will typically return "Great Lakes Technology LLC," but using your complete legal name as registered provides the most precise results. In the current portal interface, clicking an entity name in the results opens a slide-out drawer containing entity details and available actions. Public searches require no login; filing actions and certificate ordering require a MiLogin for Business account.

What you'll see in search results

• Legal entity name (exact spelling and punctuation)

• Entity type (LLC, Corporation, LP, LLP, Nonprofit Corporation, PC, PLLC, etc.)

• Corporate ID number (a numeric LARA identifier)

The date of incorporation/organization, current status, and resident agent information appear when you open the slide-out drawer for a specific entity. Note that Michigan uses the term "resident agent" rather than "registered agent," a distinction that matters when cross-referencing compliance records across states. If you need a registered agent for your Michigan entity, the practical role mirrors what other states call a registered agent, even though the statutory label differs.

How to find your corporate ID number in Michigan

Your Michigan Corporate ID Number, which Treasury refers to as the "(LARA) corporate identification number," is a unique numeric identifier assigned by LARA when your entity was formed or registered.

Where to locate your Michigan corporate ID number

1. MiBusiness Registry Portal (fastest method)

• Located: Displayed in search results and within the entity detail drawer

• Labeled as: "Corporate ID Number" or "LARA Corporate Identification Number"

• Format: A numeric ID assigned by LARA. Michigan Treasury FAQs reference the "(LARA) corporate identification number" but do not publish a specific digit-length specification

2. Articles of formation/organization/incorporation

• Usually at the top of the document

• Stamped or printed by Michigan LARA

• Required on Michigan Treasury Form 518 (Business Tax Registration) for corporations, limited partnerships, and LLCs; check the current version of the form for the exact field placement

3. Annual reports and annual statements

• Appears on official LARA documents

• Used as your account identifier for the state's portal

• Referenced in state filing confirmations and notices

Michigan corporate ID number format

• Format: A numeric LARA identifier; in practice the portal displays IDs of varying lengths across legacy and current entities

• Example: 123456 or 123456789

• Pattern note: Neither LARA nor Treasury publishes a digit-length specification or an explanation for the variation we observe in portal output. Applies to Michigan corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and foreign entities authorized to transact business in Michigan. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships register with county clerk offices and do not receive a LARA corporate identification number.

How to find your entity type in Michigan

Michigan recognizes multiple business entity types, administered by the Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau (CSCL) within LARA. Entity types are listed exactly as shown in your business search results and formation documents.

Where to find your Michigan entity type

1. MiBusiness Registry Portal (most accessible)

• Displayed: In search results under the entity name

• Listed as: "Entity Type" or "Business Type"

• Common types include: LLC, Corporation, LP, LLP, PC, PLLC, Nonprofit Corporation

If you are starting a new company, the Michigan LLC formation process is the most common path for new businesses filing with LARA.

2. Articles of formation/organization/incorporation

• At the top of your formation document

• States the specific entity type being formed

• Uses formal legal language matching Michigan statutes (e.g., the Michigan LLC Act, MCL 450.4101 to 450.5200, or the Michigan Business Corporation Act, MCL 450.1101 to 450.2098)

3. Annual reports and filings

• Listed in the entity information section on state filings

• Cannot be changed without a formal amendment through LARA

How to find your formation date in Michigan

Your formation date (when LARA officially filed and approved your business entity) appears in Michigan business search results. Michigan labels this field "date of incorporation/organization," using "incorporation" for corporations and "organization" for LLCs and partnerships.

Where your Michigan formation date appears

1. MiBusiness Registry Portal (easiest access)

• Listed as: "Date of incorporation/organization"

• Location: Displayed in the entity detail drawer

• Format: Standard MM/DD/YYYY format

2. Articles of formation/organization/incorporation

• Top of the document with LARA filing stamp

• May show "Filed on [date]" or "Date Filed: [date]"

• Sometimes includes both the received date and filed date

3. Annual report confirmations

• References original filing date

• Used to calculate annual report due dates and compliance schedules; see Michigan annual report requirements for full details on deadlines by entity type

Formation date vs. effective date

Michigan allows businesses to specify a future effective date when filing, creating two different dates:

• Formation date (date of incorporation/organization): When the entity's articles of incorporation or organization became effective

• Effective date: When your entity officially began operations (if you specified a later date)

For LLCs, MCL § 450.4104(6) permits a delayed effective date of up to 90 days after the date of delivery. For most Michigan entities, the formation date and effective date are identical, as delayed effective dates are uncommon in practice.

Automate Michigan entity compliance with Discern

You've got what you need from Michigan's system: business name, entity type, Corporate ID Number, and formation date. Discern takes those details and handles annual reports, deadline tracking, registered agent coordination, and compliance management across all your jurisdictions. The platform automates filings, sends real-time notifications, and keeps your entities in good standing without manual tracking.

For firms managing multiple entities across states, Discern's single platform covers registered agent services, annual report filings, entity formations, and foreign registrations in 51+ jurisdictions. Whether you manage a four-entity fund structure or a portfolio spanning 200+ state registrations, Discern eliminates the administrative overhead of multi-state compliance.

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