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 30, 2026

Queens County DBA search — how to look up a fictitious business name (NY)

When an owner operates a business under a name that differs from their legal business entity, that assumed name is recorded at the county level. In Queens County, New York, those filings live in the County Clerk’s office. But a DBA search is not the same as verifying the entity itself, and treating them the same way in underwriting is how deals blow up.

What a DBA actually is

A DBA (doing business as), also called a fictitious business name or assumed name, is a filing that says: “I own a legal entity, and I’m doing business under a different name.” It is not itself a business entity. An LLC, corporation, or sole proprietorship is the entity. The DBA is a wrapper · a public record that the owner is trading under an alternate name.

For underwriting, this matters because a DBA gives you a person or entity name to chase, but it does not replace checking the underlying entity itself. If you see a Queens County DBA on file for “TechFlow Solutions” owned by John Doe, you still need to verify John Doe’s legal business status with the New York Secretary of State, check his USDOT if he hauls, pull UCC filings in case he’s collateralized. The DBA is the lead; the entity is the proof.

How to search Queens County DBA records

The County Clerk’s office in Queens maintains assumed-name filings. You can access the public records by visiting the clerk’s office or searching the county’s business-records portal online. A DBA search typically requires you to enter the assumed name or the owner’s legal name. Results will show you the filing date, expiration date (if applicable), and the legal owner behind the DBA.

Most searches return a filing that shows the registered owner (individual or entity), the date the DBA was filed, and renewal status. Some filings are indefinite; others expire and must be renewed. If you find an expired DBA with no renewal, that assumed name is no longer active, and the owner should not be trading under it.

One key friction: Queens County records are not centralized in a single statewide portal the way New York Secretary of State records are. You may need to contact the clerk’s office directly or use the county’s specific lookup tool. Do not assume an online search tool covers all historical filings · some older records may require a records request.

What a DBA filing reveals (and what it doesn’t)

A Queens County DBA filing shows:

· Who owns the DBA: The legal name of the person or entity that filed it. · The assumed name: The trade name the owner is using. · Filing and expiration dates: When the DBA was registered and when it expires (or whether it’s indefinite). · Address: Often the address associated with the DBA.

What it does NOT show:

· The entity’s legal status: A DBA filing does not prove the underlying LLC, corporation, or sole proprietorship is in good standing with the state. · Ownership structure: It does not tell you if the entity has members, managers, or officers · for that, you need the state entity record. · Financial health: It is not a credit report or UCC search. It does not reveal if the owner has liens, judgments, or collateral pledges. · Regulatory compliance: If the business requires a state license, DBA status does not confirm licensure.

In a credit decision, the DBA is your pointer to investigate further. It is not your final answer.

Why underwriters should verify the entity, not just the DBA

A common underwriting shortcut is to find a DBA and assume the business is legit. This is a mistake. The DBA tells you the owner’s name; the state entity record tells you if the entity is active, current on filings, and in good standing.

Here is a real scenario: You find a Queens County DBA for “BuildRight Concrete” owned by Jane Smith. The DBA is active. Then you search the New York Secretary of State for Jane Smith’s LLC and discover the entity was dissolved six months ago. The DBA filing was never canceled. Jane is trading under an assumed name tied to a defunct entity, which is a red flag · no liability coverage, no legal standing to sign contracts, and potential personal liability. If you had stopped at the DBA, you would have missed this entirely.

Another scenario: The DBA shows Jane Smith as the owner, but when you pull the Secretary of State record, you see Jane is a member of the LLC but not the manager. The manager is someone else. Now you know there is a chain of decision-making · and you need to verify the manager, not just Jane.

The DBA is a county-level filing. The entity is a state-level filing. Both must align, and both must be current, for the business to be in good standing.

Cross-checking Queens County DBAs with state records

After you find a DBA in Queens County, pull the corresponding business entity record from the New York Secretary of State. Match the owner’s name, the entity name, the entity type (LLC, S-corp, C-corp, etc.), and the filing dates. If the entity is on file and active, the DBA is likely good. If the entity is dissolved, suspended, or shows a different owner, the DBA is a liability.

Also check the entity’s UCC filings. If the owner has pledged collateral or carries liens, those appear in UCC records, not in the DBA. An unencumbered DBA attached to a heavily leveraged entity is a different risk than one attached to a clean entity.

For equipment finance or working capital deals, also run a USDOT/FMCSA check if the business involves transport. A DBA owned by a motor carrier requires validation that the carrier is active on the SAFER database and not under investigation or suspension.

Bottom line

A Queens County DBA search is the first step · it tells you who claims to own a name and when that claim was filed. But it is not underwriting an entity. You need the Secretary of State record, UCC search, and any relevant state licenses or USDOT status to close the loop. Treating a DBA as proof of legitimacy has sunk deals. Treat it as a lead that requires verification.