A limited liability company, or LLC, is a type of business organization permitted under the laws of all U.S. jurisdictions, according to "Form Your Own Limited Liability Company" by Anthony Mancuso. One of the key issues surrounding the establishment and management of a LLC is who owns the business.
Identification
The owners of a LLC are called members. A member occupies a similar status to a LLC as a shareholder does to a corporation. A member is granted a percentage ownership in the LLC enterprise.
Types
Different types of owners of a LLC exist. Commonly, a LLC is owned by individuals. A LLC can also be owned by corporations, partnerships, other LLCs or any other legal entity recognized under the laws of the 50 states.
Articles of Organization
A LLC is created by filing articles of organization with the secretary of state in the jurisdiction where the business initially is headquartered. The articles of organization define who or what legal entity can participate in ownership of the business.
Misconceptions
A recurring misconception associated with ownership of a LLC is that this type of business venture can sell stock on the open market. A LLC is not legally authorized to sell ownership interests in the enterprise to the general public.
Addition of Members
Provided the articles of organization do not prohibit the addition of new members or owners, the existing membership of a LLC can vote to add a new owner or owners, according to "Limited Liability Companies For Dummies" by Jennifer Reuting.
Total Members
Legally speaking, no state laws establish a maximum number of owners or members a LLC possesses. An LLC must maintain at least one member or owner at all times.
LLCs can be searched using a combination, or stack, individual searches, such as a business search plus a people search. It can be challenging to find the owner of an LLC. It can take some detective work.
In this post I’m going to show you how to find LLC owners by stacking searches together in order to find a good phone number for the registered agent of the business. The registered agent is the contact person listed with the business’s local Sec. of State. This person is often an officer or the owner of the LLC. If they are not, they can potentially put you in touch with the LLC owner.
To find the organizing members of an LLC, the LLC owners, instead of finding the registered agent, you will have to look up the LLC’s articles of organization with the office of the Sec. of State in the state the business was formed. In most states this can be done through the local Sec. of State website. More on that later in the post.
LLC Business Search Stack
To find the owner of an LLC you’re going to stack two searches, a business search and a people search. Stacking searches means you’re going to use the results of one search to provide the information you input into the next search.
In BelleLink you’ll stack these two searches.
- Premium Property Search: using the business name and property address
- Premium People Search: using the name of the registered agent
LLC Owner Search Example
Here’s an example of how we do an LLC search using BellesLink.
Search 1 – Premium Business Search
If you’re a real estate investor searching for a property owner who is an LLC, search on the business name and address of the property. In this example the business name is Smith Properties LLC and the property address is 37 North Marion Street, Denver, CO. This information is fictitious and for our example only.
Search 2 – Premium People Search
The business search result will include the name of the registered agent. This person is often an officer of the company. If the registered agent’s name is linked you will get the option to do a people search from the action menu. When the name is linked it means our database has a record for that individual.
The people search results will include the phone, email, and address information you need to make contact with the registered agent and property owner.
Tip: Look for the property address in the address history and property record sections of the registered agent’s people search results. It a green flag that you’ve found the right person.
No Database Record for the Registered Agent
If the registered agents name is not linked in the business search result it means we do not have a database record of that person at the address used in the business search. In this case, the property address.
The address history of the business record will show an additional address. Use this business address and the registered agent’s name to a people search.
If you see the property address in the in the address history and property record sections of the people search results that’s a good sign you’ve found the right person.
Finding LLC Owners Through the Sec. of State Website
If you were unable to find a phone number for the registered agent, or the registered agent was a dead end, you may still be able to find the LLC owner by searching the business’s local Sec. of State website. Here’s a list of all the Sec of State websites with links to their search tools.
Searching for the business entity on the Sec. of State website will give you less information than a BellesLink search. Instead you’ll want to search for the LLC’s article of organization if it’s available. The articles of organization will list the names of all the organizing members of the LLC. These names can be used in a people search. Access to this information varies by state.
LLC Owner Search
Use the names you find in the articles of organization, along with the business address or property address as the inputs for a Premium People Search. The search results will include phone numbers, addresses, and emails for that person.
Again, look for the property address in the in the address history and property record sections of the people search results. This is a good indicator you’ve found the right person to contact.
Stack LLC Searches
The search stacking method works great with BellesLink because our linked data gives you immediate access to the next search through the fly-out action menu. This works with any hyperlinked name, address, or phone number in a BellesLink search result. You can also stack searches, even when the data isn’t linked, by manually inputting information into the next search.
A Little Detective Work is All it Takes
When you’re looking for a current phone number to make contact with a property owner, people are much easier to search than businesses. To find LLC owners it takes a little bit of detective work. But it can be worth the effort.
How do I find out who owns a business for free?
4 Ways to Look Up LLC Owners.Search State Databases. LLCs submit articles of organization and other public filings with the state's Secretary of State office or a comparable state agency. ... .Submit a Public Information Request. ... .Check the Company Website. ... .Dig into Alternative Public Records..Who owns an LLC in NY?
About. Limited liability companies (LLCs) must file Articles of Organization with the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS). Businesses should consult an attorney to learn about legal structures. Limited liability companies are owned by members, not shareholders.How do I find out who owns an LLC in Florida?
In order to search business entities in Florida, you must go to the SunBiz Secretary of State's Website. Once on the page, you have the option to lookup an entity (Corporation, LLC, Limited Partnership) by; Name, Officer, Registered Agent, Tax (EIN) Number, or Document Number.