The Hawaii business entity search is free. It runs through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Business Registration Division (BREG) at the Hawaii Business Express portal. Use it to verify a company, check a name, or look up filings.
Hawaii moved its portal. Effective July 6, 2026, BREG replaced the old ehawaii.gov system with a new one, per the DCCA Business Registration Division notice. Old `hbe.ehawaii.gov` bookmarks now redirect to `hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov`, so update your links.
Is There a Hawaii Secretary of State Business Search?
No. Hawaii has no Secretary of State. The Business Registration Division (BREG), a division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), performs that function. Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) §26-9 establishes the DCCA and its divisions. If a “Hawaii Secretary of State business search” is what you want, the DCCA is the office you need.
The private site secretaryofstate.com is not a government office, and it says so itself. Use the official DCCA tools instead. The statutory authority for BREG sits in HRS §26-9, which names the DCCA director as the officer who sets business-registration fees and maintains the records.
Where Is the Official Hawaii Business Search Portal?
Two official sites matter. The DCCA Business Check hub is where you research and verify businesses for free. Hawaii Business Express at `hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov` is where you search records, file, and buy documents. The legacy `hbe.ehawaii.gov` address redirects there and tells users to update their bookmarks.
The old system went offline at 5:00 p.m. HST on July 2, 2026, before the new launch, per DCCA. Here is the current official toolset.
| Official DCCA tool | What it does | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Business Search & Documents | Look up entities and buy official copies | hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/search-and-buy |
| File an Annual Report | Submit annual reports for active entities | hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/manage |
| Certificate of Good Standing | Buy official proof of registration and compliance | hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/search-and-buy |
| Business Check | Verify businesses and review complaint history | cca.hawaii.gov/business-check |
| Verify a Professional | Confirm a professional license’s active status | cca.hawaii.gov/business-check |
| Business Data List Builder | Build custom lists of registered-entity data | hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/entity-list-builder |
Source: DCCA Business Check and Business Registration Division, 2026.
How Do I Do a Hawaii Business Entity Search?
Open the Hawaii Business Express portal, pick a search type, enter a name, and open the record. Basic searching is free. The portal at `hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/search-and-buy` returns matching entities in a results table, and each row links to a full record with status, agent, and filing history.
Step 1: Open the DCCA business search
Go to `hbe.dcca.hawaii.gov/search-and-buy`. This is the official Business Search & Documents tool. Old `ehawaii.gov` links redirect here.
Step 2: Choose your search method
The portal supports three ways to search, each mapped to how buyers look:
- Entity name (Hawaii business search by name): full or partial name, with a dropdown to match names that “begin with” or “contain” your phrase.
- Document number (Hawaii business document number lookup): the exact registration or file number.
- Officer or registered agent name (Hawaii business search by owner or registered agent name): find every entity tied to one person or agent.
Step 3: Read the results table
Results list four columns: Name, Record Type, File Number, and Status. Sort the first column with the dropdown at the top. Page through large result sets with the navigation menu.
Step 4: Open the full entity record
Click a business name to open its record. You see entity type, current status, file number, registered agent name and address, filing history, and the filed documents you can purchase.
Search Tips for Hawaii Names
Hawaiian-language words, ʻokina and other diacritical marks, and alternate spellings can hide a business from an exact search. Try spelling variations and switch to “contains” mode. Similar or translated names are common, so confirm identity by file number or registered agent. Recent filings can lag in the database, so confirm critical facts against the filed documents in the record.
What Does a Hawaii Business Record Show?
Every record shows entity type, status, file number, registered agent name and address, filing history, and filed documents. Searching and viewing the record is free. Official and certified copies and a Certificate of Good Standing are purchased through the portal, at the fees the DCCA publishes.
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Business search and viewing a record | Free | DCCA Business Check |
| Uncertified document copy | $0.25 per page | DCCA Form Fee Schedule |
| State Archives surcharge (permanent records) | $1.00 | DCCA Form Fee Schedule |
| Certified copy (certification) | $10.00 | DCCA Form Fee Schedule |
| Certificate of Good Standing (standard) | $5.00 | DCCA Form Fee Schedule |
| Certificate of Good Standing (expedited) | $10.00 | DCCA Form Fee Schedule |
| Name reservation (Form X-1) | $10.00 | DCCA Form X-1 |
| Dishonored check charge | $25.00 | DCCA BREG registration |
See the DCCA Form Fee Schedule for the full list. As of July 2026, DCCA notes expedited handling is temporarily unavailable during the portal transition.
How Do I Check If a Hawaii Business Is Active or Dissolved?
Open the entity record and read the Status field. Active means the entity is registered and, when annual reports are current, in good standing. Active status alone does not prove compliance, so order a Certificate of Good Standing for formal proof. Administrative termination usually follows missed annual reports.
| Status | What it means | Typical cause | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Registered and authorized to operate | Filings current | HRS ch. 414; BREG |
| Delinquent (Status 2) | Registered but behind on an annual report | Missed report deadline | DCCA BREG |
| Adm. Terminated | Registration ended by the state | Failure to file annual reports or fees | HRS ch. 414; BREG |
| Dissolved | Existence ended voluntarily by the entity | Owner-initiated dissolution | HRS ch. 414; BREG |
| Terminated | Registration formally ended | Voluntary or state action | HRS ch. 414; BREG |
| Withdrawn | Foreign entity stopped operating in Hawaii | Owner withdrawal | HRS ch. 414; BREG |
DCCA extended the annual report deadline for entities holding a Status 2 Delinquency Notice from July 3, 2026 to July 10, 2026 at midnight HST, because of the portal migration.
What Business Entity Types Appear in Hawaii Search Results?
The registry covers corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, nonprofits, cooperatives, and their foreign equivalents, plus trade names, trademarks, and service marks. BREG confirms it registers corporations, general and limited partnerships, LLPs, LLLPs, LLCs, and cooperatives. Sole proprietorships do not register as entities; only their trade names may appear. For a primer, read what a legal entity is.
| Record type | What it is | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic / Foreign Corporation | Corporation formed in Hawaii, or elsewhere and registered here | “Foreign” means out-of-state or out-of-country |
| Professional Corporation | Corporation for licensed professionals | Doctors, lawyers, and similar |
| Domestic / Foreign Nonprofit Corporation | Charitable, educational, or religious body | No profit distribution to members |
| Corporation Sole | Single-office structure holding religious property | Rare, religious use |
| Sustainable Business Corporation | Hawaii’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benefit-corporation analog | Created under HRS ch. 420D |
| Domestic / Foreign LLC | Limited liability company | Pass-through, flexible management |
| Domestic / Foreign LLP | Limited liability partnership | Common for professional firms |
| LLLP | Limited liability limited partnership | Partnership with added liability shield |
| Limited Partnership (LP) | General plus limited partners | Limited partners’ liability is capped |
| General Partnership (GP) | Partnership where all partners share liability | No liability shield |
| Cooperative | Member-owned entity | Registered through BREG |
| Trade name / Trademark / Service mark | Brand and name filings, not entities | Filed through BREG |
The Sustainable Business Corporation Act, HRS chapter 420D, lets a corporation commit to socially and environmentally sustainable operation. Corporation Sole is a single-office structure used to hold religious property.
How Do I Check If a Business Name Is Available in Hawaii?
Search the name on the Hawaii Business Express portal. No active identical or non-distinguishable match generally means the name is available to register. Two things still apply before you rely on that result.
First, an entity-search result does not confirm trademark availability. Clear trademarks separately, because a name free in the entity registry can still infringe a mark. Second, if the name is free but you are not ready to file, reserve it. Hawaii reserves an approved business-entity name for 120 days on Form X-1, for a $10.00 nonrefundable fee, per DCCA. Note that Form X-1 is not used for domestic LLCs.
How Do I Verify a Hawaii Company Before Signing a Contract?
Confirm the record shows Active status, order a Certificate of Good Standing, and check complaint history through DCCA Business Check. The Certificate of Good Standing costs $5.00 standard, per the DCCA fee schedule. Business Check reviews businesses and licensed professionals at no cost.
Check the registered agent. Every Hawaii entity must maintain a registered agent, the official contact for legal service of process, and the agent name and address appear free in the record. For regulated trades like contractors or real estate, use Verify a Professional to confirm a license is active. Cross-check the filing history and registration date to gauge how established the company is.
How Commenda Helps After Your Hawaii Business Search
The search tells you where a company stands. Commenda keeps your own entity in good standing. Commenda entity management tracks annual reports, provides registered agent service, and centralizes every entity’s file numbers and compliance deadlines. When your name clears, Commenda incorporation forms the Hawaii entity for you.
Once you register, reserve the name if you are not ready to file, appoint a registered agent, and calendar the annual report. The Commenda compliance calendar auto-generates each filing your entity owes, and the company name checker tests availability before you commit. Book a demo for a walkthrough of keeping your Hawaii entity in good standing automatically.
