How to Vet a Company Before You Do Business With It

Business due diligence is a check of a company's public record before you pay, ship, extend credit or sign. You get a short written report, with a source for every line, on whether the business is real, active and in good standing. It's for owners vetting suppliers, buyers, carriers, partners and investment pitches.

Bottom line

If you're about to send a deposit, extend net terms or hand over a load to a company you don't know, get it checked first.
If you need a check on a person, a tenant, an employee or a borrower, this isn't the service for you (see "Who this is not for").
If something in the report worries you, take it to your attorney or accountant before you sign.

Know who you're doing business with before you sign.

Get a quote

What business due diligence is, and what it is not

A business due diligence check looks at one company: whether it exists, whether it's active, and what the public record shows about it. A new supplier, buyer or carrier can look fine on a website and still be a shell, a lapsed company or a name with a stack of lawsuits behind it. You decide what to do with the report. We just make sure you aren't deciding blind.

It is not:

A background check on a person. We look at companies, not people.
A consumer report. It can't be used for employment, housing or tenancy, credit or insurance decisions.
A private investigation. No surveillance, pretext calls, skip tracing or non-public records.

What's in your report

Whether the company is registered and active, and when it was formed
Related or look-alike companies that could be confused with it
Whether its assets have been pledged to a lender
Court cases where the company is a party
Securities filings, when someone is pitching you an investment
Licenses and regulatory standing that fit its industry
Whether the business name appears on U.S. sanctions lists
Public complaints, reviews and news coverage
Signs of a copycat website or a reused pitch
A clear note on anything that couldn't be confirmed, including who owns the company when that isn't public
A source for every line, so you can confirm it yourself

What you can use it for

Vetting a new supplier before you send a deposit or place a large first order
Checking a wholesale buyer who wants net terms on a big order
Confirming a freight carrier or broker has active authority before you hand over a load
Looking into a contractor or installer before a job, so you know the license and any open cases
Sizing up a potential partner or reseller before you share pricing or customer lists
Checking a company that wants to buy your equipment, inventory or business
Reviewing an investment pitch before you put money in

How to get a company checked

1. Gather what you know

The company name, website, state and what the deal is. A few minutes of your time.

2. Send it to us for a quote

Email us the details. You get a quote back for that company and deal.

3. Read the report and decide

You get a short written report with a source for every line. You decide whether to go ahead, ask more questions or walk away.

Your options compared

Option	Effort for you	What you get	Covers individuals?	Best for
Check it yourself	High: you find and read each record	Whatever you find, unorganized	Up to you	One quick look at a familiar company
Background-check or investigator firm	Low	Varies; often focused on people	Often, under FCRA rules	Checks on people, tenants or employees
ISU business due diligence (recommended for company vetting)	Low: send the name and the deal	Short written report, a source for every line	No. Companies only	Vetting a supplier, buyer, carrier, partner or pitch before you sign

How we compared: effort for you, what you end up holding, whether it covers people, and which decision it fits.

Who this is not for

Segment	Why it isn't a fit	Better option
Landlords screening tenants, employers screening hires, lenders or insurers deciding on a person	That's FCRA consumer-report territory. Our reports can't be used for it.	An FCRA-compliant consumer reporting agency
Anyone wanting a check on an individual	We look at companies, not people.	A licensed background-check provider
Anyone needing surveillance or non-public records	We don't do private investigation.	A licensed private investigator
Anyone wanting a legal or financial opinion	The report isn't advice.	Your attorney or accountant

What it won't do

No checks on individuals. We look at companies, not people.
No consumer reports. Our reports can't be used to decide on anyone's employment, housing or tenancy, credit or insurance. That's FCRA territory and we stay out of it.
No private investigation. No surveillance, pretext calls, skip tracing or digging into non-public records.
No guarantees. Public records can be late, incomplete or wrong, and a clean report doesn't promise a deal will go well.
No legal or financial advice. If something in the report worries you, take it to your attorney or accountant.

FAQ

What does a business due diligence report tell me?

Whether the company is registered and active, and what the public record shows about it, such as court cases, liens, licenses and complaints. Every line has a source you can check yourself. Anything that couldn't be confirmed is marked as such.

Can you check the owner or a person at the company?

No. We check companies, not people. If you need a check on an individual, use a licensed background-check provider.

Can I use the report to screen a tenant, employee, borrower or insurance applicant?

No. Our reports are not consumer reports and can't be used for employment, housing or tenancy, credit or insurance decisions. That's FCRA territory and we stay out of it.

Will the report tell me who owns the company?

Only if the public record shows it. Ownership often isn't public, and when it can't be confirmed, the report says so.

Does a clean report mean the deal is safe?

No. Public records can be late, incomplete or wrong, and a clean report doesn't promise a deal will go well. Use it as one input, and take concerns to your attorney or accountant.

What do I need to send to get started?

The company name, website, state and what the deal is. We reply with a quote.

How much does it cost?

We quote each request. Tell us about the company and the deal, and we'll reply with a quote.

What changed on this page

October 25, 2026: Page published.

Related services