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 August 04, 2026

Washington County DBA search — how to look up a fictitious business name (MD)

A fictitious business name (DBA, assumed name, or trade name) is not a legal entity · it is a filing that ties a name to an owner. If you are underwriting a credit deal in Maryland and the applicant is operating under a name other than their registered business name, you need to pull the DBA record from Washington County to verify who actually owns the operation and when the name was filed. Pulling a Maryland Secretary of State record for an LLC or Corporation will not show you trade names. The DBA record is where the owner lives.

Why a DBA is not enough for underwriting

A sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, or corporation can all file a DBA to operate under a different name. The DBA itself creates no legal entity · it is a registration with the county. If a applicant hands you a business card that says “ABC Logistics” but the legal entity is “ABC Logistics LLC,” you need the DBA record to confirm that the LLC owns ABC Logistics. Conversely, if you see only a DBA filing and no Secretary of State entity underneath it, you are looking at either a sole proprietor (in which case the owner’s name on the DBA is the actual person) or an incomplete application. For credit purposes, you cannot lend to a DBA. You lend to the legal entity. The DBA record is proof that the entity is using that name.

How to search for a Washington County DBA

Washington County maintains records of all assumed names and fictitious business names filed in the county. The county clerk’s office is the keeper of these records. You can search by the business name, the owner’s name, or the filing date. Most searches are fast and return a list of matching filings. If you are looking up a current name in active use, the record should appear immediately. If the name has been abandoned or expired, the search may return an inactive or lapsed status. Write down the file number and the date of filing · these details matter for a credit file because they show how long the DBA has been in use and whether the registration is current.

What is on a DBA filing

A Washington County DBA record shows the fictitious business name, the legal owner (or owners, if it is a partnership or multi-member entity), the owner’s address, the date the name was filed, and the expiration or renewal date. Some filings include a brief description of the business activity (e.g., “truck repair,” “general contracting”). The owner’s name on the DBA is the critical field for underwriting · this is who you need to verify against the Secretary of State, the OFAC list, and any UCC filings. If the owner is an LLC or corporation, you must cross-check the name on the DBA against the state business registry to confirm that entity exists and is in good standing. If the owner is a sole proprietor, the name on the DBA is a person’s name, and you verify that person’s background using the credit file and commercial databases.

Expiration and renewal status matter

Washington County DBAs have an expiration date. Most filings are valid for a set term (often five years, but check the state law for current rules). If a DBA is expired and has not been renewed, it is no longer active. An applicant operating under an expired DBA is operating without a current registration, which is a compliance red flag. Even if the business is otherwise legitimate, the lapsed filing suggests either carelessness or that the business is winding down. Pull the filing date and expiration date from the record, then confirm whether the DBA has been renewed. A current, unexpired DBA with a recent renewal date is a positive signal. A record with no renewal after expiration is a warning.

DBA vs. the Secretary of State

Do not confuse a DBA search with a Secretary of State entity search. Maryland’s Secretary of State registry shows registered entities (LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, nonprofits). Washington County’s DBA records are filed with the county, not the state. A business can have a Secretary of State registration and no DBA, or a DBA and no state registration (if it is a sole proprietor or general partnership), or both. For underwriting, you pull the Secretary of State record to confirm the entity’s legal status and officers. You pull the DBA record to tie a trade name to that entity or to a person. Both records are required for a complete picture.

Bottom line

If an applicant is using a DBA in Washington County, search the county clerk’s records for the filing. Confirm the owner’s name, the filing date, and the expiration status. Cross-check the owner against the Maryland Secretary of State, the UCC record, and the OFAC list. A current DBA with a verifiable, good-standing entity behind it is standard. A lapsed DBA, a DBA with no entity underneath it, or an owner with OFAC hits or UCC judgments is a reason to pause the deal. The DBA record is a single piece of the verification puzzle, but it is not negotiable · if the applicant is trading under a name other than their registered entity name, that name has to be filed, current, and traceable.