Business verification in the United States
VBC certifies businesses registered in the United States. Verification starts from the official record: in United States the company register is maintained by the Secretary of State of the state of incorporation, and the entity is identified by its state entity or file number.
The United States has no single national company register: entities are formed at state level, so verification starts from the state of incorporation and its Secretary of State record. The EIN identifies the entity federally for tax.
Where a business is registered for tax, the Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS is reviewed alongside the registration record, since it provides an independent corroborating identifier.
Why US businesses certify
With no national company register, a US entity's standing depends on the state it was formed in, and a certificate of good standing goes stale quickly. That fragmentation is precisely why an independent, dated verification record is useful to a foreign counterparty.
What VBC verifies for a US business
Depending on the certification level, the review may cover legal identity and registration records, the registered business address, working contact details, website ownership and digital presence, supporting documentation and evidence of current business activity.
Documents a US business commonly supplies at Enhanced level:
- Articles of incorporation or organisation filed with the state
- Certificate of good standing, recently issued
- EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) or equivalent
- Proof of principal place of business
Levels, fees and process
Three levels apply everywhere VBC operates — Basic at $100 a year, Enhanced at $250, Trusted at $500 — and the eight-stage process is the same in every country. Only the paperwork differs, because each national registry issues its own records. See what each fee covers and the eight stages in detail.
Public verification
Every VBC certificate issued to a US business carries a unique certificate ID and appears on the public register. Customers, suppliers and partners can check its current status themselves, without an account and without contacting the business first.
Verify a certificate or browse the directory.
Questions from US businesses
Can a business registered in the United States get VBC certified?
Yes. VBC certifies businesses registered in the United States. Verification is based on records from the Secretary of State of the state of incorporation, together with the address, contact and digital-presence evidence required at the certification level chosen.
What documents does a US business need for VBC certification?
At Enhanced level a US business normally supplies: articles of incorporation or organisation filed with the state; certificate of good standing, recently issued; eIN confirmation letter (CP 575) or equivalent; proof of principal place of business. The Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS is normally reviewed alongside it. Exact requirements depend on the level and are confirmed during review.
What is the state entity or file number used for in verification?
The state entity or file number identifies the legal entity on the register maintained by the Secretary of State of the state of incorporation. VBC uses it to confirm that the business named on the certificate is the same entity that appears on the official record.
How is a VBC certificate for a US business verified?
Anyone can check it at https://vbcertified.online/verify using the certificate ID, or by scanning the QR code on the certificate. The record shows the current status, which may be valid, expired, suspended or revoked. No account is needed and the business does not have to be contacted first.
Is VBC certification a business licence in the United States?
No. VBC is a private verification and certification service, not a government licence, regulatory approval or ISO certification. A business in the United States remains responsible for every licence, registration and regulatory obligation that applies to it.
How much does VBC certification cost for a US business?
The same three levels apply everywhere: Basic at $100 a year, Enhanced at $250 and Trusted at $500. Each level is a superset of the one below it and the level appears on the certificate.