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How to Find the Owner of an LLC
Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on December 7, 2021
If you’re considering doing business with a limited liability company (LLC), or have already done so, you may be interested in finding out who owns the LLC. This may occur if you’re a vendor or supplier to an LLC, if the LLC owes you money, or if you have an issue with a product you purchased from the LLC. This article examines how you can find the owner or owners of an LLC.
If you’re wondering if you can be found after you form an LLC, you can likely keep your connection to the LLC as private as you want it to be. But you should check with your state to see what information they disclose. Most states do not require owners to disclose their LLC ownership, so it may be difficult to track down the LLC member or members. You have a few options to try.
An LLC is a business entity that offers liability protection for owners, as well as pass-through taxation, much like a sole proprietorship.
Finding an LLC Owner
Check the State’s Business Registry
You may be able to find the information by searching business entities on your secretary of state’s website. Usually, what you will find is the LLC name and the name of the registered agent, who may or not be the owner, but you might also find owner-signed documents such as the Articles of Organization.
In some states, the LLC formation documents require the name of the initial managers of the LLC, who are often also the owners. These documents are public, so you should be able to view them.
Check the Company’s Website
Visit the LLC’s website to see if the owners are listed on the “About” or “Team” pages. Often the owners are managers or officers of the LLC, so you may be able to find their names and contact information. The website may also have press releases that include the owner or owner’s names. It’s highly likely that you will find the names somewhere on the site.
Call the Company
You can go straight to the horse’s mouth and just ask the company directly. Generally, unless the owner or owners wish to keep their information private, someone at the company will likely disclose the owner’s information to you. If you just ask for the owner, you may even get right through!
Business Data Companies
A site like LinkedIn may have the owners’ names on their company page, or the owners may have their status listed on their profile. Most business owners regularly use LinkedIn. There are also data reporting firms that may have the information such as Dun & Bradstreet.
Industry Associations
It’s possible the LLC is a member of an association in their industry, and the association may have the owner’s information on their website. You could call the association to see if they will give you the information. This option is probably the last resort and the least likely place to find the owner’s name.
Google It
With some Google searching you may be able to find the information somewhere in the vast online universe. It doesn’t hurt to give it a shot! It is highly likely that the owner’s name in association with the company is in an article, press release, or social media post.
In Closing
Finding the owner of an LLC is doable — it just takes a bit of digging. Keep in mind, if you’re trying to find the owner of an LLC because you want to pursue legal action, you can take action against the LLC itself – the owners will have to get involved eventually!
How to Find the Owner of an LLC
- Finding an LLC Owner
- In Closing
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