You just need a few details about your company for your BOI report. It sounds so simple:

• Company Identification Number: you could have any of these
  • EIN: Employer Identification Number – a unique number assigned by the IRS to businesses for tax purposes. - This is most common and preferred by FinCEN
  • TIN: Taxpayer Identification Number – a generic term for numbers used to identify taxpayers (can be an EIN, SSN, or ITIN).
  • SSN: Social Security Number – a personal identification number issued to individuals by the Social Security Administration.
  • FTIN: Foreign Taxpayer Identification Number – a tax ID number used for foreign individuals or entities filing in the U.S.
• Where your company first filed its paperwork
  • Country
  • State / Tribal Jurisdiction (if applicable)
• Date you formed your company: Really you're just looking for before 2024 or 2024 onward

If you have this information on hand, great! That's about all the company details you need. If you don't have this on hand or aren't sure where to find your documents, read on.

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What are my company formation documents? 

Formation documents are the official legal papers filed with the state to create a business entity, such as an LLC or corporation. These vary by state, but below are some examples:

• Articles of Incorporation: For corporations, this document establishes the entity's existence and outlines basic details like the company's name, purpose, and registered agent. It is often filed with the state's Secretary of State.
• Articles of Organization: For limited liability companies (LLCs), this document is used to officially form the LLC. It generally includes information similar to the Articles of Incorporation but tailored for LLCs.
• LLC Articles: For limited liability companies (LLCs), this document is used to officially form the LLC. It generally includes information similar to the Articles of Incorporation but tailored for LLCs.
• Certificate of Formation: This is another term often used for either corporations or LLCs, depending on the state. It serves the same purpose as Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization.
• Certificate of Organization: This is another term often used for either corporations or LLCs, depending on the state. It serves the same purpose as Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization.
• Certificate of Limited Partnership (LP): For limited partnerships, this document registers the partnership with the state and specifies general and limited partners.
• Operating Agreement: While not always filed with the state, many states require an LLC to create this internal document to outline how the LLC will be managed.

You can check your state’s business filing office for the specific document names they use. Most commonly, this will be the Secretary of State or a similar governmental office.

Companies formed January 1, 2024 or later will also need to provide Company Applicant information. 

How do I know when my company was formed?

There should be a date in your company formation documents that say when your original paperwork was filed. The main dates you need to know are

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• Was your company formed before January 1, 2024? If so, your filing is a little bit simpler, and you will not need Company Applicant information and is due by 12/31/2024.
• Was your company formed on or after January 1, 2024? If so, you will need to include Company Applicant information, and your report is due within 90 days of being formed.

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What if I can’t find my company formation documents?

You can usually find your LLC paperwork with the Secretary of State's office in the state where your LLC is registered. Here's how to access this information for each U.S. state:

Secretary of State Websites

Each state has its own Secretary of State website where you can search for business entities and access LLC paperwork. Here's a comprehensive list of links to the business entity search pages for all 50 states:

• Alabama: https://www.sos.alabama.gov/
• Alaska: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/
• Arizona: https://azsos.gov/
• Arkansas: https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/
• California: https://www.sos.ca.gov/
• Colorado: https://www.sos.state.co.us/
• Connecticut: https://portal.ct.gov/sots
• Delaware: https://sos.delaware.gov/
• Florida: https://dos.myflorida.com/
• Georgia: https://sos.ga.gov/
• Idaho – https://sos.idaho.gov/
• Illinois – https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/
• Indiana – https://www.in.gov/sos/
• Iowa – https://www.iowa.gov/
• Kansas – https://sos.kansas.gov/
• Kentucky – https://www.sos.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Louisiana – https://www.sos.la.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Maine – https://www.maine.gov/sos/
• Maryland – https://sos.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Massachusetts – https://www.sec.state.ma.us/
• Michigan – https://www.michigan.gov/sos/
• Minnesota – https://www.sos.state.mn.us/
• Mississippi – https://www.sos.ms.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Missouri – https://www.sos.mo.gov/
• Montana – https://sosmt.gov/
• Nebraska – https://sos.nebraska.gov/
• Nevada – https://www.nvsos.gov/sos
• New Hampshire – https://sos.nh.gov/
• New Jersey – https://www.state.nj.us/state/
• New Mexico – https://www.sos.state.nm.us/
• New York https://www.dos.ny.gov/index.html
• North Carolina – https://www.sosnc.gov/
• North Dakota – http://sos.nd.gov/
• Ohio – https://www.sos.state.oh.us/
• Oklahoma – https://www.sos.ok.gov/
• Oregon – https://sos.oregon.gov/Pages/index.aspx
• Pennsylvania – https://www.dos.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Rhode Island – https://www.sos.ri.gov/
• South Carolina – https://sos.sc.gov/
• South Dakota – https://sdsos.gov/
• Tennessee – https://sos.tn.gov/
• Texas – https://www.sos.state.tx.us/
• Utah – https://www.utah.gov/government/secretary-of-state.html
• Vermont – https://sos.vermont.gov/
• Virginia – https://www.scc.virginia.gov/
• Washington – https://www.sos.wa.gov/
• West Virginia – https://apps.sos.wv.gov/
• Wisconsin – https://sos.wi.gov/
• Wyoming – http://soswy.state.wy.us/

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To find your LLC paperwork:

1. Visit your state's Secretary of State website
2. Look for a section labeled "Business Services" or "Business Entity Search"
3. Enter your LLC's name or filing number in the search field
4. Review the search results and click on your LLC's name
5. You should be able to view and often download your LLC's filings and documents

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Additional tips

• Most states offer online access to business entity information, including LLC paperwork
• Some states may require you to create an account or pay a fee to access certain documents
• If you can't find your LLC paperwork online, you can usually contact the Secretary of State's office directly for assistance

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Remember that the specific process and available information may vary slightly across states. If you encounter any problems, check the FAQ section on your state's Secretary of State website or contact their office directly for guidance.