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, UCC liens, 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, a Starter plan at $14.99/month (about 250 searches), and a Pro plan at $25/month with unlimited searches plus API access, UCC, and DBA.

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 June 28, 2026

Mohave County DBA search — how to look up a fictitious business name (AZ)

A DBA (doing business as) or fictitious business name filed in Mohave County, Arizona is not a registered business entity · it’s a registration of a trade name. If you’re underwriting a credit application and the borrower’s only business record is an Arizona DBA filing, you’re looking at a sole proprietorship or partnership operating under an assumed name, not an LLC, S-corp, or corporation. That distinction changes your underwriting risk profile and where you dig next.

DBA filings are trade-name registrations, not entity formation

Arizona law treats a DBA differently than entity formation. When someone files a fictitious business name in Mohave County, they’re registering the right to do business under that trade name. The actual legal entity · a sole proprietor, general partnership, or existing business · is behind it. This matters for your credit file because a DBA has no separate legal existence. If the borrower is a sole proprietor filing a DBA, the debt follows the individual, not the business name. If it’s a partnership, both partners are jointly liable unless there’s a formal partnership agreement you’ve reviewed.

What a Mohave County DBA filing contains

When you pull a fictitious business name record from Mohave County, you’ll find the filing date, the trade name, the owner’s name (sometimes called the “person conducting the business”), the business type (sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, LLC), and an expiration date. Arizona requires DBA renewals every five years. If the record shows an expiration date in the past and no renewal, the DBA has lapsed · the registrant is no longer operating legally under that name in the county.

Check the business address on the filing. A mailbox, a home address shared with five other businesses, or a defunct strip-mall address raises questions. Cross-reference it with the phone number, if listed. A real business typically has a consistent, traceable location.

DBA does not mean registered with the Secretary of State

This is the biggest mistake in commercial underwriting. A Mohave County DBA filing is a county-level record kept by the county recorder. It has nothing to do with Arizona Secretary of State business entity filings. A borrower can file a DBA in Mohave County and have zero registered entities at the state level. Conversely, an LLC registered with Arizona SOS can operate under a DBA name in Mohave County or any other Arizona county without filing a separate DBA.

For credit purposes, your first question is: does this borrower have a registered business entity at the Arizona Secretary of State? If not, you’re lending to an individual or unregistered partnership. If yes, you need BOTH the SOS record AND any DBA filings, because the DBA tells you the trade name they’re using and the county where they’ve registered it.

How to find a Mohave County DBA record

The Mohave County Recorder’s Office maintains fictitious business name records. You can search their records through the county’s online system, which is typically free and searchable by the DBA name, owner name, or file number. Most county recorders allow download of the original filing or a certified copy for a small fee.

Search by the exact DBA name first. If nothing appears, try partial matches or variations · “ABC Plumbing” vs. “ABC Plumbing LLC” vs. “A.B.C. Plumbing.” Many filings are entered inconsistently.

When you find the record, note the file date and expiration date. Request a certified copy if you’re including it in a credit underwriting file. The county can confirm whether the DBA is active or expired and provide a document suitable for a lending file.

A DBA is not collateral or legal standing

Never rely on a DBA as your primary business-entity verification. It does not grant limited liability, does not shield an owner from personal liability, and does not establish a separate legal entity. If you’re underwriting an equipment loan or a line of credit, a DBA on its own is insufficient evidence of business formation or creditworthiness. You need to identify the entity behind it · the individual, partnership, or corporation that is the actual obligor.

If the borrower claims to be a Mohave County LLC or Arizona corporation, pull the Arizona Secretary of State record. If they’re claiming a DBA is their business, ask: what is the legal entity status of the owner · sole proprietor, LLC, or something else? Get the answer in writing before approval.

Bottom line

A Mohave County DBA search tells you a trade name is registered and who registered it, but it does not verify a business entity or creditworthiness. Use it as a cross-reference tool · to confirm a borrower is operating under the name they claim, and to spot expired or lapsed filings. For the actual entity verification (SOS registration, UCC filings, USDOT status if applicable), you need to look beyond the county DBA record. Doing both, and understanding the difference, keeps your underwriting sound and your credit file defensible.