In this material, you will find links to publicly accessible online company registers in various jurisdictions. They help you locate up-to-date, basic information about business entities. This data can be crucial if you are acquiring a company or dealing with foreign partners.
| Jurisdiction | Online Service for Basic Company Information |
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Search for Belize Companies Registration number and current status are available. |
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Checking Certificates from the BVI Registrar of Companies A certificate authenticity verification service, provided by the BVI Registrar of Companies. |
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Search the UK Companies Register (Companies House) View current status, incorporation date, legal form, filing history, and details of directors and persons with significant control. |
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Search the Hong Kong Companies Register Registration and agreement with terms are required for access. |
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Delaware (USA) |
Search for Delaware Companies Registration number, legal form, incorporation date, and registered agent with contact details are available. |
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Search Services for Dubai Companies Basic licensing information is available: legal form, licence number and validity, address, and contact details. |
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Search the Irish Companies Registration Office Company name, registration number, registration date, current status, and registered address are shown. |
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Checking Certificates from the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies A service for verifying the authenticity of certificates issued by the Registrar of Companies. |
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Search the Cyprus Companies Register Registration number, legal form, registration date, current status, dates of annual returns, and names of directors and secretaries, |
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Search for Latvian Companies Legal form, registration number, registered address, VAT data, share capital, and business activities are visible. |
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Malta |
Search Companies in the Malta Business Register Registration number, registration date, registered address, and current status are available. |
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(Abu Dhabi, UAE) |
Search the ADGM Free Zone Companies Register Incorporation date, legal form, licence validity, address, business activities, shareholders, directors, secretary, |
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(Dubai, UAE) |
Search DIFC Free Zone Companies Incorporation date, licence validity, address, capital, activities, directors, shareholders, secretary, and auditor are available. |
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(Dubai, UAE) |
Search DMCC Free Zone Companies Licence number, date, validity, address, registration date, registration number, and current status are available. |
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Search the Panama Public Registry Company name and current directors are visible. Additional information requires registration and payment. |
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Russia |
Search the Russian Companies Register Registration number, registration date, address, director, share capital, founders (participants), taxpayer number, |
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Search the Seychelles Local Companies Register Registration number and industry are shared. Information is only provided for local entities (not IBCs). |
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Search the Singapore Companies Register Company number, current status, main business activity, and address are available. |
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Switzerland |
Search for Swiss Companies Company number, legal form, registration date, current status, VAT information, and more are provided. |
If you are considering establishing a business abroad, our company offers registration services in a range of jurisdictions.
When is it Important to Have Data about a Company?
You may require information on a foreign legal entity when handling international deals, including buying shares or stakes in a company. One of the main principles of legal safety for business, especially cross-border transactions, is due diligence. If a party neglects to learn about an overseas partner or a target company, especially if even basic details are missing, it can face various risks.
So, before finalising a deal or starting a partnership with a foreign firm, you should at least check:
- Does the company actually exist?
- Where and when was it registered?
- What is its current status?
- Who are its directors and shareholders (members)?
- Is it filing financial and tax reports?
- Is it under bankruptcy or voluntary/compulsory liquidation?
Of course, those are just the basics. Proper deal preparation needs deeper information and professional support. Note that free and public online services do not always guarantee fully up-to-date data. Their information is based on documents filed on certain dates and may not reflect the company’s current circumstances.
Transparency vs. Data Protection
Recent years show that public registry search services are growing, and the amount of available data is expanding. For instance, the UK Companies House website reveals a company’s registered address, current status, director details, and beneficial owner information (people with significant control), plus document-filing history and scanned copies.
At the same time, there are opposing trends. Protecting personal data and personal security of those listed in registers has become a concern. For example, Hong Kong now redacts parts of identification numbers and replaces residential addresses with correspondence addresses.
Online registry services aim to balance openness and privacy. They use measures such as concealing sensitive details, requiring user authentication, and charging fees for access to more comprehensive data.