Checking Out a Business?
How do I obtain information about a corporation, including, for example, its registered agent and its officers and directors?
The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is responsible for handling corporate filings for corporations and other entities (e.g., limited liability companies, limited partnerships, business trusts) that wish to transact business in Virginia. For example, the SCC requires every corporation to register information such as the name and address of its Registered Agent, its principal business address and the names of the officers and directors of the corporation. This information is available to the public online from the SCC Clerk's Information System.
SCC Clerk's Information System
Clerk of the State Corporation Commission
Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 371-9733
How do I check for complaints filed with the Attorney General's Office against a particular business?
You may check our consumer complaint database by clicking on the link below:
How do I find out if a company is legitimate or is being investigated?
The attorney general's office serves as the clearinghouse for the receipt, evaluation, investigation and referral of consumer complaints. In this capacity, the office maintains a complaint database that can be searched online.
Search the Consumer Complaint Database
The attorney general's office does not:
Maintain lists of "legitimate" or "illegitimate" businesses
Disclose whether a specific company is under investigation by our office
Have general information on file relative to all companies doing business in Virginia
There also currently is one local consumer affairs office that handles complaints relating to businesses in its jurisdiction:
Fairfax County Consumer Protection Division
The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Maintains records of complaints lodged against BBB member and non-member companies and can tell you how those complaints, if any, have been handled by the company.
How do I find out if a company is legitimate or is being investigated if the business is outside Virginia?
You may contact the attorney general's office in the state in which the business is located for any available complaint information. The National Association of Attorneys General website has contact information for all attorneys general:
National Association of Attorneys General
You also may contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that serves the locality in which the business is located. BBBs maintain records of complaints lodged against BBB member and non-member companies and can tell you how those complaints, if any, have been handled by the company.