Where to search for company registration and what is publicly available? Comparison of registration transparency across jurisdictions. (2026)
When setting up an overseas company, 'where the official company registry is located and whether the public can access it' is key to due diligence and compliance. This page neutrally compiles the official registry authorities and 'public online search' status for the 28 jurisdictions on this site: onshore financial centers (e.g., the UK, Estonia) generally have public search, while offshore tax-exempt jurisdictions (e.g., BVI, Seychelles, Nevis) generally have no public search and require a registered agent. Data is subject to the latest official rules; this site does not rank and does not constitute tax/legal advice.
28 Jurisdiction · 12 jurisdictions with public search · 8 jurisdictions without public search
✅ Free online public search Free public search (4)
| Jurisdiction | Official registry | Official search |
|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇪 Estonia | e-äriregister (Estonian Electronic Business Register) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Companies House | Official search ↗ DD↗ |
| 🇺🇸 United States, Florida (LLC) | Florida Sunbiz (Division of Corporations) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland (GmbH/AG) | Zefix (Swiss Central Business Name Index) | Official search ↗ |
🔎 Online public search (paid) Paid public search (8)
| Jurisdiction | Official registry | Official search |
|---|---|---|
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | ACRA BizFile+ (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) | Official search ↗ DD↗ |
| 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Company Registry ICRIS / Online Search Centre | Official search ↗ |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | Companies Registration Office (CRO) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands (BV) | KVK Handelsregister (Netherlands Chamber of Commerce Business Register) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg (SARL) | RCS Luxembourg (LBR Business and Companies Register) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇲🇹 Malta | Malta Business Registry (MBR) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus | Department of Registrar of Companies (DRCOR, Cyprus Companies Registry) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇬🇮 Gibraltar | Companies House Gibraltar | Official search ↗ |
⚠️ Limited online search (name/status only) Limited search (name/status only) (8)
| Jurisdiction | Official registry | Official search |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States, Delaware | Delaware Division of Corporations — Entity Search | Official search ↗ |
| 🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Cayman Islands General Registry | Official search ↗ |
| 🇦🇪 UAE, Dubai | Various Free Zone Authorities / Dubai Economic Development (DED) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇺🇸 United States, Wyoming (LLC) | Wyoming Secretary of State — Business Search | Official search ↗ |
| 🇺🇸 United States, Nevada (LLC) | Nevada Secretary of State — Business Entity Search | Official search ↗ |
| 🇵🇦 Panama | Registro Público de Panamá (Panama Public Registry) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius (GBC) | Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇲🇾 Labuan (Malaysia) | Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA) | Official search ↗ |
🔒 No public online search (must go through agent or written application) No public search (confidential jurisdiction) (8)
| Jurisdiction | Official registry | Official search |
|---|---|---|
| 🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands (BVI) | BVI Registry of Corporate Affairs (VIRRGIN System) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇸🇨 Seychelles (IBC) | Financial Services Authority (FSA Seychelles) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇧🇿 Belize (IBC) | Belize Companies & Corporate Affairs Registry (BCCAR) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | RMI Registrar of Corporations (IRI) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇼🇸 Samoa | Samoa International Finance Authority (SIFA) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇰🇳 Nevis (LLC) | Nevis Financial Services (Registrar of Companies) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇧🇸 Bahamas (IBC) | The Registrar General's Department (Bahamas Registrar General) | Official search ↗ |
| 🇦🇪 Ras Al Khaimah (RAK ICC, UAE) | RAK International Corporate Centre (RAK ICC) | Official search ↗ |
Methodology description.
The table above verifies each jurisdiction's official company registry authority and indicates whether the public can search the register online. 'Public search' means the general public can search company registrations online; 'Limited search' means only name/status can be searched, without shareholder or beneficial ownership information; 'No public search' means access requires a registered agent or a written application. Beneficial ownership (UBO) disclosure rules vary by jurisdiction and are frequently amended; please refer to the latest official rules. This site provides neutral data compilation, does not rank, and does not constitute tax/legal advice.3
Last updated： · Information compiled from public information of official registries in each jurisdiction, for reference only; subject to the latest official regulations.