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 06, 2026

King County DBA search — how to look up a fictitious business name (WA)

A DBA (doing business as) or fictitious business name is not a legal entity. It’s a trade name registered by a person or business that wants to operate under a name different from their legal name. In King County, Washington, DBAs are filed at the county level, not the state level. This matters for credit underwriting: a DBA filing tells you who is behind the name, when it expires, and whether the registration is current. But it does not replace due diligence on the actual legal entity—the sole proprietor, LLC, or corporation that holds the registration. Confusing the two is a common underwriting trap.

Why DBAs matter in credit decisioning

When you pull a credit application and the business name doesn’t match state records, your first move is to search for a DBA. A contractor operating as “Pacific Northwest Logistics” might be registered at the Washington Secretary of State as “PNWL LLC.” The DBA bridges that gap. For underwriters, a DBA search reveals who is legally responsible for the business, when that registration lapses (usually two to four years after filing in most counties), and whether the owner has renewed it. An expired DBA is a red flag: it suggests the business either shut down, stopped caring about compliance, or is operating illegally under a lapsed name. None of these are good signs for a loan or lease decision.

King County includes Seattle and dozens of surrounding cities and townships. DBAs filed in King County are recorded by the county clerk/recorder’s office, not by the state. This is different from LLCs and corporations, which file at the Washington Secretary of State. You need to know which repository to check.

How to search King County DBAs

King County’s records are searchable online through the county clerk/recorder’s public portal. Navigate to the recorder’s office website and look for the business name search or assumed name search tool. Enter the business name or the individual’s name, and the system will return matching records. Results include the name under which the business is operating, the legal name of the person or entity filing it, the file date, and the expiration date.

The search is free and open to the public. You do not need a username or password. Results appear immediately. If you search “Pacific Northwest Logistics” and find a match, click on the filing to open the full record. The record will show the owner’s legal name, mailing address, and which entity (sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, or corporation) filed the DBA.

If no result appears, either the business is operating under its legal registered name (no DBA needed) or the registration has expired and is no longer in the active system. County records typically maintain historical data, so you may still find expired filings if you expand your search date range. A filing that expired two years ago is useful intelligence: it shows the business was once compliant but is no longer.

What a DBA filing actually tells you

A DBA filing is not a full business record. It contains the assumed name, the filer’s legal name and address, the date filed, and an expiration or renewal date. It does not contain details like the business’s income, tax ID, or ownership structure beyond the name of the person or entity registering the name.

Here’s the underwriting implication: a DBA filing is proof of intent to operate under that name, not proof of legal standing. If you are underwriting a credit facility for a business operating as “ABC Supply,” and you find a King County DBA for ABC Supply filed by John Smith (a sole proprietor), you have confirmed John Smith is behind the name. But you have not verified whether John Smith is creditworthy, whether he has a tax ID, or whether the business actually exists. A DBA can coexist with an LLC or corporation; for example, an LLC called “ABC Supply Holdings LLC” can file a DBA to operate as “ABC Supply.” In that case, you need to verify the LLC at the Secretary of State, not stop at the DBA.

DBA vs. registered entity: the credit decision difference

This is where underwriters most often slip. A sole proprietor registering a DBA is not forming a legal entity. A DBA is a registration of a trade name. The person filing the DBA is personally liable for all debts and liabilities. If you are financing a business and discover it is operating as a sole proprietor under a DBA, your recourse is against the individual, not a separate legal entity. If the business is an LLC that filed a DBA, your recourse is against the LLC (and its members, depending on the operating agreement and state law).

The practical difference: if a DBA expires and is not renewed, the business may continue to operate illegally or may simply fold. If an LLC or corporation fails to renew its registration with the state, it is dissolved and no longer legally authorized to conduct business. Renewal lapses at the state level are more serious than DBA lapses, though both are bad signs.

When you pull a business record, always check both: the state’s registry (for the legal entity) and the county’s DBA records (for the trade name). If both point to the same owner and the state registration is current, you have a clear picture. If the DBA is expired and the state entity is current, you have a business that changed its operations or abandoned a former brand. If the DBA is current but no state entity exists, you are dealing with a sole proprietor.

King County DBA search checklist

Start with the owner’s name or the business name. Search both variations. Note the file and expiration dates. If the DBA is expired, search the name anyway; the filing still exists in historical records and may explain prior operations. Cross-reference the owner’s name against the Washington Secretary of State database to confirm whether a corresponding LLC or corporation exists. If you find both a DBA and an entity, verify they name the same owner or principals.

King County’s records go back decades. If a business has operated under multiple DBAs over time, you may find more than one result. Each filing is a snapshot of a moment in time; the most recent active filing is the one that matters for your credit decision, but prior filings tell you the business’s history under that name.

Bottom line

A King County DBA search is a free, fast check that answers one specific question: who is operating under this trade name, and is the registration current? It is not a substitute for a state business entity search, a UCC filing search, or a credit report. But it is a necessary step if the business name on the application does not match state records. Skipping this step leaves a gap in your verification: you may fund a credit facility to an entity with an expired trade name registration or miss a sole proprietor operating under a name with no underlying LLC. In King County, the county clerk/recorder’s database is your source; cross-reference it against state records, and you have covered both registration layers. Rely on only one, and you are guessing.