How to check a business is legitimate
Before you sign a contract or send a deposit, confirm that the business exists as a legal entity, holds the licence its work requires and is registered for tax where it says it is. Official registers in each market let you check.
- Markets
- US · UK · UAE & GCC
- Official sources
- 16
- Reviewed
- October 2026
- Get the full legal name, registration or licence number and registered address in writing, then look them up on the official register yourself.
- In the UK, Companies House search shows a company's officers and filings, and HMRC's VAT check confirms who a VAT number belongs to.
- US companies are formed under state law, so search the Secretary of State or equivalent office in the state where the business was formed.
- A UAE business is licensed by its emirate or free zone: Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, Abu Dhabi's registration authority, DIFC or ADGM.
- A live registration proves the business exists, not that its work is good, so pair register checks with licences, quotes and references.
Start with the legal identity, not the brand
The name on a website, van or social media page is often a trading name, not the legal entity you would sign a contract with. Ask for the full registered name, the company or licence number, the registered address and, where tax is charged, the VAT number or Tax Registration Number (TRN). A genuine business can supply these quickly, and they should match its quote, contract and invoice. Look them up yourself on the official register instead of following a link the business sends, because a copied register page or a lookalike web address is easy to produce.
- Full legal name exactly as registered, including any suffix such as Ltd, LLC or Inc
- Company, file or licence number, and the authority that issued it
- Registered address, which may differ from the address the business trades from
- VAT number or TRN, if the price includes tax
- Name and role of the person who will sign the contract
United Kingdom: Companies House and VAT checks
Companies House keeps the register of UK companies, and its Find and update company information service is open to anyone. GOV.UK lists the details available free: the registered address and date of incorporation, current and resigned officers, previous company names, images of filed documents, mortgage charges and insolvency information. Check that the people you are dealing with appear as officers where they say they do, and that the filing history fits the trading history the business claims.
Identity checks on the register are tightening. Since 18 November 2025, new directors must verify their identity before a company can be incorporated or they can be appointed, and existing directors confirm verification with their next confirmation statement during a 12-month transition, under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. If a quote adds VAT, use HMRC's Check a UK VAT number service: it confirms whether the number is valid and shows the name and address it is registered to, though it cannot search by business name.
For regulated financial work such as investments, lending, insurance or debt advice, search the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Financial Services Register. It records firms and individuals that are or have been authorised, and it points to the FCA Warning List of firms reported for operating without authorisation or running scams, including clone firms that copy a genuine firm's name and details.
United States: state business entity searches
There is no single national company register in the United States. Corporations and limited liability companies are formed under state law, so the formation record sits with the Secretary of State or a similar office in the state where the business was created. A business formed in one state may also hold a registration in the state where it works. Ask which state the business was formed in, then search that state's database by exact legal name or file number.
Three official examples show what to expect. California's Secretary of State runs bizfile Online for corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships. The New York Department of State's Corporation and Business Entity Search Database covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships and assumed name filings. Delaware's Division of Corporations offers a free entity search returning the file number, formation date and registered agent, but warns that the result is not an indication of current status; further information is available for a fee.
Formation records do not show whether someone may legally do the work. Trade licensing is separate and usually state or local. In California, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) lets anyone check a contractor's licence online, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises confirming a contractor's licence with your state or county government and asking for proof of insurance before any work begins.
UAE mainland: Dubai and Abu Dhabi licence checks
A UAE business operates under a licence issued by the authority of the emirate or free zone where it is set up, and that licence names the activities it may carry out. The UAE government portal gathers the official lookups on one page: the National Economic Register at federal level, the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) licence and business name searches for Dubai, the Invest in Dubai business name check, and an economic licence enquiry for Abu Dhabi on the TAMM government services platform.
In January 2025 the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) launched the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) to oversee business registration and licensing on the mainland and in the emirate's non-financial free zones, including the commercial registry. Whichever emirate you search, confirm that the licence is current, that the trade name matches your contract and invoice, and that the licensed activities cover the work you are buying. A licence for one activity does not authorise unrelated work.
UAE free zones and tax registration checks
The financial free zones keep their own registers. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Registrar of Companies maintains public registers and publishes company information through the DIFC Public Register. Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) offers public registers covering registered entities, firms regulated by its Financial Services Regulatory Authority and authorised individuals. A business that says it is based in one of these zones should appear on that zone's register under the same name it uses on your contract.
UAE VAT is charged at 5%, and a business that adds it to your bill should be registered with the Federal Tax Authority (FTA). The FTA's TRN verification tool lets you enter a Tax Registration Number and check it. Compare the result with the name on the trade licence and the invoice. A business that charges VAT but cannot give a TRN that verifies, or gives one that points to a different business, should be asked to explain before you pay anything.
Licence registers for regulated work
Company registration and trade licensing answer different questions. Many trades and professions also need a personal or firm licence from a regulator, board or recognised scheme: electrical and gas work, legal services, financial advice, accountancy and building contracting are common examples. Search the relevant register yourself, check that the name, number and address match, and look for conditions, suspensions or expiry dates. When we assess a business for Top8Reviews, a licence we can match on an official register counts for more than a membership logo on a website.
What a clean record does not prove
A live entry shows that a business exists and has met its filing or licensing duties. It does not show that the work is good, that the business can pay its debts today or that the person contacting you really works for it. Contact the business using details from the register rather than from an unsolicited message, and treat register checks as the first filter before you compare written quotes, insurance and references.
- The name on the invoice or bank account differs from the registered entity
- A registration number, licence or TRN offered only as a screenshot
- Licensed activities that do not include the work you are buying
- Pressure to pay a deposit before you have had time to check
- Bank details changed by email or message after the price was agreed
Questions
Is a Companies House search free?
Yes, for the core details. GOV.UK says some company information is free, including the registered address, incorporation date, current and resigned officers, previous names, filed document images, mortgage charges and insolvency information. Search by company name or number on the Find and update company information service, and open the filing history to see accounts and confirmation statements.
Can I check a UK VAT number by business name?
No. HMRC's Check a UK VAT number service needs the exact number, which most businesses print on invoices, receipts or their website. It tells you whether the number is valid and shows the name and address of the business it is registered to. It cannot check a business that has applied for VAT registration and is still waiting for HMRC's decision.
How do I check a US company if I do not know its state?
Ask the business which state it was formed in; a genuine firm will know straight away. Its contract, invoice or website footer may also give the entity type and state. Search that state's Secretary of State or business entity database, and if the business works in your state but was formed elsewhere, search your own state's database for a registration there too.
How do I verify a trade licence in Dubai or Abu Dhabi?
Use the official services listed on the UAE government portal's Verify business licences page: the Department of Economy and Tourism licence search for Dubai and the economic licence enquiry on TAMM for Abu Dhabi. The federal National Economic Register shows listed economic licences across the country. Companies in DIFC or ADGM appear on their own free zone public registers.
Does a valid licence mean the business does good work?
No. A licence or registration confirms that a business exists and may trade in a given activity. It does not measure workmanship, service or financial health. Use registers to rule out businesses that are not what they claim, then compare written quotes against the same scope, check insurance and speak to recent customers who bought similar work.
Sources
Official sources behind this guide, checked in October 2026.
- Search the register - Find and update company informationCompanies HouseUK
- Get information about a companyGOV.UKUK
- Companies House confirms identity verification rollout from 18 November 2025Companies HouseUK
- Check a UK VAT numberHM Revenue & CustomsUK
- Financial Services RegisterFinancial Conduct AuthorityUK
- bizfile Online business searchCalifornia Secretary of StateUS
- Corporation and Business Entity Search DatabaseNew York Department of StateUS
- Entity SearchDelaware Division of CorporationsUS
- Check A LicenseContractors State License BoardUS
- How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamFederal Trade CommissionUS
- Verify business licencesThe Official Platform of the UAE GovernmentUAE & GCC
- ADDED launches Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority to develop and regulate business sectorAbu Dhabi Registration AuthorityUAE & GCC
- Access Company Information on DIFC Public RegisterDubai International Financial CentreUAE & GCC
- The Official Public Register of Abu Dhabi Global MarketAbu Dhabi Global MarketUAE & GCC
- Status CheckFederal Tax AuthorityUAE & GCC
- Register for VATThe Official Platform of the UAE GovernmentUAE & GCC