VerifySOS is a 50-state business-verification tool for credit and underwriting in trucking and commercial finance. One search merges Secretary of State registration, FMCSA/USDOT authority, OFAC sanctions, ownership, and county DBA filings into a single PDF packet.

How do I look up a business across all 50 states?

Enter the company name and its 2-letter state code (or a USDOT number) on verifysos.com. It searches the Secretary of State and FMCSA SAFER side by side, screens OFAC, and generates a verification packet PDF.

How much does VerifySOS cost?

There is a free tier and a Pro plan at $14.99/month with unlimited searches.

Does VerifySOS show business ownership and officers?

Yes. Where a state publishes officers, members, or managers in its free public records, VerifySOS pulls them into the packet, separate from the registered agent, which is not the owner.

← All posts July 04, 2026

Kent County DBA search — how to look up a fictitious business name (MI)

A DBA (doing business as) or fictitious business name in Kent County, Michigan is not a legal entity—it’s a filing that ties a trade name to a real person or registered business. Many underwriters mistake a DBA search result for proof of a company’s legal existence. It is not. A DBA tells you who is operating under an assumed name and when that name was registered. For credit decisions, you need both the DBA record and the underlying legal structure: a sole proprietorship, an LLC, or a corporation. Kent County handles these filings, and knowing what a DBA search actually shows is the first step to reading it correctly.

What a Kent County fictitious business name is

When someone operates under a trade name that is not their legal name, Michigan law requires them to file a fictitious business name with the county clerk. If you own “Jane Smith Consulting LLC” and file a DBA for “Swift Solutions,” the DBA connects the trade name to your LLC. If you are a sole proprietor named Jane Smith and file a DBA for “Smith Accounting,” the DBA is tied to you as an individual.

The DBA filing does not create a new legal entity. It does not register your business with the state. It does not give you liability protection. It is a notice to the public of who is behind the assumed name. For underwriting purposes, this distinction is critical: a DBA by itself is not enough to approve a credit line. You must verify the underlying entity (the LLC, corporation, or sole proprietor) separately.

How to search for a Kent County DBA

The Kent County Clerk’s office maintains records of assumed-name filings. You can search these records through the county’s public database. Access the Kent County Clerk’s office website, locate the fictitious-business-name or assumed-name search tool, and enter the trade name you are looking for. Some searches allow you to filter by name, filing date, or expiration date.

The search returns the filing record, which includes the assumed name, the date it was filed, the expiration date, and the person or entity behind the name. If the filer is an LLC or corporation, you may see its registered name; if the filer is an individual, you will see a personal name. That is the first piece of verification: matching the assumed name to its registered owner.

Do not assume the result is complete or current. Kent County records are maintained locally, and filing dates, expirations, and status changes can lag. If a result looks stale or incomplete, confirm the status directly with the clerk’s office or cross-reference it against the underlying entity’s Secretary of State record.

What the DBA filing actually shows you

A Kent County DBA record typically includes:

The assumed name (the trade name being used)
The legal name of the person or entity filing (the owner)
The filing date
The expiration date (usually three or five years from filing, depending on the type and year of filing)
The business address

This tells you that someone, on a specific date, claimed the right to use that assumed name. It does not tell you if the business is active, solvent, insured, or in good standing with the state. It does not tell you the business’s credit history, tax status, or whether the person behind it is creditworthy.

An expired DBA is a red flag. If the filing has lapsed and not been renewed, the person or entity is no longer authorized to use that assumed name. If you are underwriting a credit request from someone operating under an expired assumed name, you should ask why the filing was not renewed and whether the business is still active under a different name or entity structure.

Why DBA verification is not entity verification

A common mistake in small-business credit is treating a DBA search as proof that a business is registered and legitimate. It is not. A DBA filing is a local notice, not a state incorporation. If the DBA is tied to a sole proprietorship, there is no state entity record at all; the “business” is just the individual. If the DBA is tied to an LLC or corporation, you must look up that entity at the Michigan Secretary of State to verify its formation, good standing, ownership structure, and filing history.

For example: You find a Kent County DBA for “Premier Fleet Services” filed by “Premier Fleet Services LLC.” The DBA tells you that an LLC by that name is using that trade name. But you still need to pull the LLC record from the Secretary of State to confirm the LLC exists, is in good standing, identify its manager(s) or member(s), and check for liens, dissolutions, or disciplinary actions. The DBA alone is not enough.

Building a complete business profile for underwriting

To properly verify a Kent County business operating under a DBA, collect both records. First, search the Kent County fictitious-business-name database to confirm the assumed name, the filer, the filing date, and the expiration date. Second, identify the legal entity or person behind the DBA. If it is an LLC or corporation, pull that entity’s record from the Michigan Secretary of State website to verify formation, status, and ownership. If it is a sole proprietor, ask for personal identification and confirm the individual’s name matches the DBA filing.

Then move into the credit file: pull a UCC search at the Secretary of State and in Kent County to check for liens or security interests against the business or the individual. If the business involves trucks or fleet operations, check the USDOT SAFER database for the FMCSA record and safety profile. If there are multiple locations or property interests, check county records for judgment liens or tax liens.

The DBA is one input, not the whole picture. It is the starting point for saying, “This person or entity filed notice of this trade name on this date.” Everything after that is verification.

Bottom line

A Kent County fictitious-business-name search is a necessary first step but not a complete one. It shows you who is behind the assumed name and when the filing is set to expire. It does not prove the business is registered, solvent, or creditworthy. For commercial credit decisions, confirm the DBA status, verify the underlying legal entity, and pull UCC, USDOT, and judgment-lien records before underwriting. Treat the DBA as a clue, not as proof.