The Vermont Secretary of State registers the businesses that form in the state or come in from elsewhere. Inside the office, the Business Services Division does that work: new LLCs and corporations, changes to existing records and the public register. It operates from Montpelier, the state capital.
Most people meet the division through bizfilings, the new online business filing system launched by the Secretary of State. You search records there and submit filings there. This page explains how to use it and where to find each official figure. We only quote numbers on this page once we have confirmed them on the state's own pages, and for Vermont that check is still open.
How to search Vermont business records
Go to the business search in bizfilings and enter the name of the company you want. Start with one or two distinctive words rather than the full legal name, since small differences in punctuation or endings can hide a match.
| Official business search | bizfilings.vermont.gov/online/BusinessInquire (sos.vermont.gov, checked ) |
|---|
Open the record that matches. Look at the status, the date the business registered and the registered agent on file. If you are checking a company before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, keep a copy of what the record showed on that day. For a document that a bank or another state will accept, order a certificate from the division rather than printing the search screen.
Filing fees in Vermont
The Secretary of State publishes its business fees on a fees and statutes page. Fees can change, so read the current amount there on the day you file. That applies to formation, to registering a company from another state and to any certificates you order.
If you are comparing costs before you choose where to form, our overview of LLC filing fees by state puts the figures side by side. Check the Vermont line against the state's page before you rely on it.
Yearly reports for Vermont companies
Check in bizfilings whether your type of entity owes a periodic report to the Secretary of State, when it falls due and what it costs. Look this up as soon as your company is registered, so the first deadline does not catch you out.
Our step by step guide to filing an annual report covers the general process: log in, confirm the addresses and people on file, pay, and save the receipt. If you miss a deadline, contact Business Services quickly, because a lapse can affect the company's standing.
Proof of good standing in Vermont
Banks, lenders and other states often want written proof that your company is current. In Vermont you ask the Secretary of State for it. Make sure your yearly filings are up to date first, since the certificate reflects the record as it stands.
Our page on the certificate of good standing explains what these certificates prove and why they are requested.
Contact Vermont Business Services
| Office | Vermont Secretary of State (sos.vermont.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Business Services Division (sos.vermont.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633 (sos.vermont.gov, checked ) |
| Contact page | sos.vermont.gov/secretarys-desk/contact (sos.vermont.gov, checked ) |
The Secretary of State takes questions through the contact page on its website. When you write, give the exact business name, the record number and the filing you are asking about. That saves a round of back and forth.
If you plan to visit Montpelier in person, check the office's current opening times on its site before you travel.
Sources
- sos.vermont.gov/business-services: office name, division, street address, contact page, business search. Checked .