People search for "Secretary of State" in every state, but the office that answers is not always called that. The words on the state's website depend on how that state organised its government. Here is how the names fit together, so you know you are on the right page.
The four common setups
A Secretary of State with a business division. This is the most common. The elected or appointed Secretary of State runs an office, and one division of it handles companies. Texas calls it the Corporations Section, Georgia the Corporations Division, Illinois the Department of Business Services.
A Department of State. Some states call the whole agency a Department of State, headed by the Secretary of State. New York files companies with its Department of State, Division of Corporations. Florida's Department of State runs the Division of Corporations, best known by the name of its website, Sunbiz. Delaware's Division of Corporations sits in its Department of State. Pennsylvania's Department of State is led by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
A Secretary of the Commonwealth or of the State. Massachusetts uses the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Connecticut's office is the Secretary of the State, with "the" in the title.
Another agency entirely. Arizona and Virginia use corporation commissions. Maryland uses the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Michigan files companies through its Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey through a division of its Treasury, Utah through its Department of Commerce, Wisconsin through its Department of Financial Institutions, Hawaii through its Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and Alaska through its Department of Commerce. Washington, DC uses its Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection.
How to know you are on the real site
State websites end in .gov or a state's own domain, and they never charge more than the published state fee for a filing. Private services, including the one on this site, add their own price on top and must say so. Before you pay, check the address bar and look for the fee schedule.
Finding your office fast
The table on our home page lists every state with the name of its business office, its search and its phone number. Each state guide then explains that office in full.