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 17, 2026

Solano County DBA search — how to look up a fictitious business name (CA)

A DBA (doing business as) in Solano County, California is not a separate legal entity. It’s a registration that ties a fictitious name to a real owner · usually a sole proprietor, partnership, or existing LLC. For underwriters, that distinction matters: a DBA filing tells you who is behind the name, but it does not establish liability, ownership structure, or creditworthiness the way an LLC or corporation does. You need to see both the DBA record and the entity it points to.

What a DBA filing actually shows

When a business owner in Solano County registers a fictitious business name, the county clerk records the owner’s legal name, mailing address, and the trade name they want to operate under. The filing also includes the date of first use and the expiration date · typically four years from filing, though Solano County’s renewal cycle may vary. This is public record and searchable by the county.

The key fact: a DBA is a local filing, county-level only. It does not create a corporation or LLC. It is a name-registration mechanism. If someone files a DBA for “Acme Logistics” but their legal entity is an LLC called “Acme Logistics LLC,” registered with the California Secretary of State, the DBA points to that LLC. If they file a DBA as a sole proprietor with no business entity at all, they are operating as themselves · all personal liability, no legal separation.

How to search Solano County DBA records

The Solano County Clerk-Recorder maintains fictitious business name filings in a searchable database. You can access it through the county’s official records portal. Search by the DBA name, the owner’s legal name, or sometimes the file number if you have it.

Results will show the filing date, expiration date, and the owner information. Cross-check the owner’s name against any entity registration you find in the California Secretary of State database. If the DBA owner is listed as “Maria Santos, sole proprietor,” and there is no corresponding LLC or corporation under that name, Maria is operating as herself and is personally liable for any debt under that name.

If the DBA owner is listed as an LLC name · for example, “Acme Logistics LLC” · verify that LLC exists and is in good standing with the Secretary of State. An expired or suspended LLC behind an active DBA is a red flag.

Why a DBA is not a business entity for credit purposes

Many underwriters skip the DBA check and go straight to Secretary of State filings. That is a mistake in the opposite direction. Just because an LLC or corporation exists does not mean all the DBAs it operates under are on your radar. But more importantly for credit risk: a DBA by itself has no legal standing. You cannot extend credit to “Acme Logistics (DBA)” if Acme Logistics is not a registered business entity.

The DBA is the operating name. The entity is the thing you underwrite. If you are lending to a business that operates under a DBA, you must identify the underlying entity · the LLC, corporation, or sole proprietor · and verify that entity’s status, ownership, and financial standing. The DBA filing is a breadcrumb that helps you find the real legal structure.

Common underwriting pitfalls with DBAs

A business may file multiple DBAs under the same legal entity. “Acme Logistics LLC” might operate as both “Acme Local Delivery” and “Acme Freight Services.” If you pull only one DBA, you miss the full picture of what that entity does. Similarly, an expired DBA is a warning sign. If the business let the DBA lapse but is still using the name, it is operating without the filing · technically a violation in California and a signal of poor compliance hygiene.

Another trap: owner turnover. A DBA can be transferred or amended if ownership changes. An old DBA filing might list a former owner who is no longer with the business. Always verify the filing date is recent enough to match your deal timeline, and cross-check the listed owner against current corporate records or the entity’s operating agreement if available.

Getting the full picture

A complete business verification in Solano County requires three steps. First, search the DBA database and note the owner and expiration. Second, verify the underlying legal entity (LLC, corporation, or sole proprietor) with the California Secretary of State. Third, check UCC filings and lien records at the county level to see if the business or owner has existing debt or judgment history.

Most underwriters who operate in California know the Secretary of State lookup. Fewer are systematic about the county DBA and UCC searches, even though a DBA filing plus a Secretary of State record plus a UCC search is the backbone of a clean credit file check. Doing this by hand across multiple counties and states becomes a logistics nightmare · which is why many teams consolidate the work into a single verification report.

Bottom line

A DBA search in Solano County is not optional. It is the step that tells you who is really behind the trade name and whether that person or entity is legally registered to operate. Without it, you may approve credit to a name that has no legal standing, or miss an entity that is operating under multiple names and has undisclosed debt. The DBA is local, the entity is state-level, and the UCC is county-level. Verify all three.