In the past, the California Secretary of State used different numbering schemes to assign entity numbers to different types of entities.
Effective February 25, 2025, the California Secretary of State has changed the entity-number format that it will use to identify new corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and limited partnerships (LPs). This has no effect on existing entities; only entities that are formed after the effective date will have the new entity-number format.
From now on, all new corporations, LLCs, and LPs will have a 12-character entity number. The entity number will begin with the letter “B” followed by the 4 digits for the year of formation followed by seven digits: BYYYYnnnnnnn.
All previously existing corporations, LLCs, and LPs will retain their existing entity numbers. Likewise, entity numbers for general partnerships and limited liability partnerships will not change.
Entities that file an instrument to convert from one form of entity to another (for example, from corporation to LLC or from LLC to corporation) will also retain their original entity number.
