How to find the owner of a business: every legitimate method, and what each one shows

To find the owner of a business, check the business's own website first (About page, team page, footer), then the public records: your state's business entity search, the county's DBA or assumed-name filings, and the licensing board for the trade. BBB profiles, LinkedIn, local news and Google review replies often name the owner too. If none of those work, call and ask. Confirm any name in two independent sources before you use it, because records go stale and filing agents often appear in place of owners.

This guide covers every legitimate method, what each one actually reveals, and where it misleads. If you already have a name and want the address, read how to find a business owner's email.

Which method should I try first?#

Start with whatever the business published itself, then move to public records, then to people. The table below is in rough order of effort.

How do I find the owner on the business's website?#

Read the About page, the team page, the footer and the blog author names. Owner-run businesses like to tell their story ("Family owned since 1987. Mike and Lisa Ramirez."), and that sentence is often the most reliable name you'll get, because the business chose to publish it.

Also check:

• Press or "In the news" pages, which link to articles that name the founder.
• The privacy policy or terms, which name the legal entity (useful for the state search below).
• The site's contact page, where a named address like mike@ hints at who's in charge.

On Google Maps, open the business's reviews and look at the replies. Owners often sign them ("Thanks, Dave"). It's a first name, but it pairs well with a full name from another source.

How do I look up a business in state records?#

Search the state's business entity database, usually run by the Secretary of State. It gives you the legal entity name, its status, the formation date and the registered agent. Whether it names the owners depends on the state and the entity type.

A few examples of the range:

• New York publishes its active corporations as open data, including a "CEO Name" field for corporations [1].
• Colorado's business entity dataset lists the principal address and the registered agent, not the owners [2].
• Texas charges $1 per search on SOSDirect, its online lookup [3].

Two things trip people up. First, the registered agent is often a commercial agent service, an accountant or a lawyer. If dozens of companies share the agent's address, it isn't the owner. Second, a business's trading name ("Ramirez Heating & Air") may differ from its legal name ("RHA Services LLC"), so search both. The legal name is often in the website's terms or privacy policy.

For LLCs specifically, what's public varies a lot from state to state. Our guide on how to find who owns an LLC, by state lists the official search and what each state shows for 15 states.

Is there a federal list of business owners?#

No public one. FinCEN collected beneficial ownership information under the Corporate Transparency Act, but that register was never public. FinCEN's final rule, effective August 14, 2026, exempts US companies from reporting, and FinCEN said it would delete beneficial ownership information already reported about US persons [4][5].

How do I find the owner behind a DBA or trade name?#

Search the "doing business as" records. When someone trades under a name that isn't their own legal name, most states require a DBA filing, also called an assumed name or fictitious business name, and it names the owner.

• California: fictitious business name statements are filed with the county. In Los Angeles County, the statement must list every owner, and publication in a local newspaper must begin within 30 days of filing [6]. The county has an online search [7].
• Texas: a sole proprietor "must file an assumed name certificate with the county clerk in each county in which business premises are maintained." Corporations and LLCs file theirs with the Secretary of State [8].

DBA records are the best source for sole proprietors, who don't appear in the state's entity database at all.

Can a professional license lookup tell me who owns a business?#

Often, for licensed trades. Contractors, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, cosmetologists, real estate agents and many health professions are licensed by the state, and the board's lookup names the license holder.

• California's Contractors State License Board lets you search by license number, business name or personnel name [9].
• Texas's Department of Licensing and Regulation lets you search by person or business name [10].

In a one-truck business, the license holder is the owner. In a bigger company, the name may be a "qualifier" or "responsible managing employee" who holds the license for the business. Use it to confirm a name, not as the only source.

Do property records show the owner of a business?#

They show the owner of the property, which is a different question. County assessor and recorder records are public, and they name the owner of each parcel with a mailing address. Maricopa County's assessor, for example, lets you search by owner name or address and shows the owner and mailing address on the parcel [11].

This helps in two cases:

1. The business owns its building. Many auto shops, contractors' yards and family restaurants do. The parcel owner is often an LLC, which you then look up with the state.
2. You sell to landlords. For commercial real estate, cleaning or property services, the landlord is the customer.

For a business that rents, property records name the landlord. Don't confuse the two.

What about BBB, LinkedIn and local news?#

These name people with titles, and they're good second sources.

• BBB. Many profiles show a "Business Management" section and "Principal Contacts" with names and titles like Owner or Member. BBB's own disclaimer says it "does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties" [12].
• LinkedIn. Search the business name plus "owner" or "founder" and check the profile's current employer. Read profiles by hand: LinkedIn's terms prohibit scraping its services [13].
• Local news and chambers. Openings, ribbon cuttings, awards and "40 under 40" lists name owners with context. Search "business name" owner or "business name" opened.
• Facebook Pages. The About section sometimes names the owner. For some Pages, Meta's Page Transparency section shows the organization that manages it [14].

Should I just call and ask?#

Yes, when the records don't settle it. A short, honest call works: "Hi, I'm trying to reach whoever handles your marketing. Who would that be?" The person who answers usually tells you, and often gives you the best way to reach them.

Calling also confirms the name you found is current. If the About page says Mike and the person on the phone says "Mike sold the shop last year", you've saved yourself a wasted email.

A worked example#

Here's the process on a made-up business, Bright Smile Dental in Tempe, Arizona:

1. Website. The About page says "Dr. Priya Shah opened Bright Smile in 2018." That's a candidate.
2. License lookup. The state dental board lists Priya Shah, DDS, as a licensed dentist. The name is real, but that doesn't prove ownership.
3. State filing. The privacy policy names "Bright Smile Dental PLLC". The state record shows a registered agent service and lists Priya Shah as a member.
4. Two sources agree (website and state filing). Use the name.

If step 3 had shown only an agent, a BBB profile or a local news story about the opening would be the next place to look.

Is it ethical to look up who owns a business?#

Yes, when you use it for a relevant business reason and stay on the business side of the line. These records are public so that people can know who they're dealing with.

Keep to a few rules:

• Use business contact details. A registered agent's office, a home address from a filing or a personal Facebook profile is not an invitation to market to someone. Contact them through the business.
• Don't misrepresent yourself on the phone or in email to get a name.
• Stop when asked. Keep a do-not-contact list and honor it.
• Know the rules for the channel. In the US, CAN-SPAM covers commercial email, including business-to-business email, and requires an opt-out and your postal address [15]. Calls and texts have separate rules. Outside the US, a named owner is personal data under laws like UK GDPR. Our cold email laws guide covers the main ones. This isn't legal advice.

FAQ#

How can I find out who owns a business for free?#

Start with the business's own website (About, Team, footer), then search your state's business entity database, the county DBA or assumed-name records, and any professional license lookup for the trade. BBB profiles, LinkedIn and local news often name the owner too. All of these are free or nearly free. Confirm the name in two independent sources.

Does the Secretary of State show who owns an LLC?#

It depends on the state. Some states list managers or members in annual reports or statements of information; many show only a registered agent and an organizer, who may be a filing service or a lawyer. Our state-by-state guide lists what each state shows.

Is there a federal database of business owners?#

No public one. The beneficial ownership register FinCEN set up under the Corporate Transparency Act was never public, and FinCEN's final rule, effective August 14, 2026, exempts US companies from reporting. FinCEN said it would delete beneficial ownership information already reported about US persons.

Do property records show who owns a business?#

They show who owns the building, which is not always the business. County assessor records name the property owner and a mailing address. A restaurant that rents its space won't appear; its landlord will. When the owner-occupier is the business, the record is often an LLC, which you then look up with the state.

How do I find the owner of a sole proprietorship?#

Look for a DBA (assumed name or fictitious business name) filing. In many states sole proprietors file these with the county, and the filing names the owner. In Texas, a sole proprietor files an assumed name certificate with the county clerk in each county where it has business premises.

Is it legal to look up who owns a business?#

Yes. Business filings, DBA records, license lookups and property records are public records. What you do next is what's regulated: emailing, calling and texting each have their own rules. Use business contact details, not home addresses or personal accounts, and get legal advice if you're unsure.

Sources#

1. New York State Department of State, Active Corporations: Beginning 1800 (open data, includes "CEO Name").
2. Colorado Department of State, Business Entities in Colorado.
3. Texas Secretary of State, SOSDirect ($1 per search).
4. FinCEN, Beneficial Ownership Information (US companies exempt; final rule effective August 14, 2026).
5. FinCEN, FinCEN permanently ends beneficial ownership reporting requirements for millions of US businesses (August 2026).
6. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious business name filing requirements.
7. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious business name search.
8. Texas Secretary of State, Assumed business name FAQs.
9. Contractors State License Board, Check a license.
10. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, License search.
11. Maricopa County Assessor, Searching help.
12. BBB, example profile: Accuracy CPA PLLC, Gilbert, AZ ("Business Management", "Principal Contacts", and BBB's disclaimer).
13. LinkedIn, User Agreement, section 8.2.
14. Meta, Update on election integrity efforts (Page Transparency and "Organizations That Manage This Page").
15. Federal Trade Commission, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business.