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published:Dec 14, 2025
read_time:10 min

How to Find Any Company's CIK Number (3 Fast Methods)

The CIK is how the SEC identifies every public company. Here's how to look it up in seconds using EDGAR, bulk data, or a dedicated search tool.

CIK number lookupfind company CIKSEC CIK searchCentral Index KeyEDGAR company search

Every public company in the SEC's database has a CIK (Central Index Key). It's a 10-digit number that uniquely identifies the filer across every document they've ever submitted to the Commission. If you want to pull up a company's annual report, track insider trades, analyze institutional holdings, or build anything with SEC data, the CIK is usually your starting point.

The challenge is that company names are inconsistent. Apple Inc, Apple Computer Inc, and APPLE INC are all the same company in different filings. Ticker symbols change when companies rebrand, merge, or switch exchanges. CIKs don't change. Once assigned, they're permanent. That's what makes them valuable as a stable identifier for financial research.

This guide covers three ways to find any company's CIK, from the official SEC method to bulk data access to dedicated search tools. We'll also dig into why CIKs matter, how they differ from other identifiers, and answers to common questions.

What Exactly Is a CIK?

The Central Index Key is the SEC's internal identification system for filers. Every entity that submits documents through EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) receives a unique CIK upon registration.

CIKs are always numeric and stored as 10 digits with leading zeros. You'll see them written both ways: 320193 and 0000320193 refer to the same filer (Apple Inc). The SEC's systems accept either format.

The CIK system has been in place since EDGAR became mandatory in 1996. The SEC developed EDGAR starting in 1993 and phased companies in over three years, with all public domestic companies required to file electronically by May 6, 1996. Before EDGAR, cross-referencing paper filings was tedious. The centralized numbering scheme solved that problem by giving every filer (companies, mutual funds, individuals, foreign entities) a single permanent ID.

One important distinction: CIKs identify the filer, not the security. A single company might have multiple classes of stock, bonds, and other securities. The CIK ties all of those filings together under one roof.

Why CIKs Matter for Research

If you're doing any serious work with SEC data, CIKs become essential quickly.

Programmatic access. The SEC's EDGAR system is designed around CIKs. Want to fetch all of Tesla's filings via API? You'll construct URLs using their CIK (0001318605).

Data consistency. Company names vary across filings. Abbreviations, punctuation, and legal entity suffixes (Inc, Corp, LLC) aren't standardized. Searching by name can miss filings or return false matches. CIKs eliminate that ambiguity.

Historical tracking. Companies change names, tickers, and even legal structures over time. Philip Morris became Altria. Google became Alphabet. Facebook became Meta. Through all those changes, the CIK stays constant, making it possible to pull a complete filing history without gaps.

Cross-referencing filings. When analyzing insider transactions or institutional holdings, you often need to connect individual filers to the companies they're associated with. Both the insider and the company have separate CIKs, and the SEC's data links them together.

Method 1: SEC EDGAR Company Search

The most straightforward approach is using the SEC's official company search tool directly on EDGAR.

Steps:

  1. Navigate to SEC EDGAR Company Search
  2. Enter the company name, ticker symbol, or CIK in the search field
  3. Click "Find Companies"
  4. Results display in a table with the CIK in the leftmost column

Example: Search "Microsoft" and you'll see CIK 0000789019 alongside MICROSOFT CORP in the results.

The search supports partial matches, so entering "Micro" returns Microsoft, Micron, and other companies starting with those letters. You can filter by SIC code (industry classification) or state of incorporation if you need to narrow results.

Once you click through to a company's filing page, the URL itself contains the CIK. For Microsoft, that URL is https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000789019. Bookmarking these pages gives you quick access to a company's complete filing history.

The SEC also maintains a full-text search that lets you search within filing content, not just company names. This is useful when you know something specific about a company but not their exact legal name.

Pros:

  • Official, authoritative source
  • Always current (updates as filings are submitted)
  • Works for any filer type: corporations, funds, individuals, foreign entities
  • No technical skills required

Cons:

  • Interface feels dated compared to modern search tools
  • No bulk lookup capability
  • Requires multiple clicks to get to actual filings
  • Search can be slow during high-traffic periods (earnings season, major market events)

Method 2: SEC's Bulk Data Files

For researchers, developers, or anyone who needs multiple CIKs, the SEC publishes machine-readable data files that map companies to their identifiers.

The primary resource is company_tickers.json, a JSON file containing every company with an active ticker symbol, their CIK, and company name. The SEC updates this file regularly and it's freely accessible without authentication.

Sample structure:

{
  "0": {
    "cik_str": 320193,
    "ticker": "AAPL",
    "title": "Apple Inc."
  },
  "1": {
    "cik_str": 789019,
    "ticker": "MSFT",
    "title": "MICROSOFT CORP"
  }
}

For additional metadata, the SEC also publishes company_tickers_exchange.json which includes exchange listings (NYSE, NASDAQ, etc.) alongside the basic fields.

The SEC also provides submission data in bulk format. The file at https://data.sec.gov/submissions/CIK##########.json (where the hashes are replaced with a zero-padded CIK) returns detailed information about a specific filer, including all their recent submissions, SIC codes, addresses, and more.

Example API call:

To get Apple's submission data programmatically:

https://data.sec.gov/submissions/CIK0000320193.json

This returns a JSON object with the company's filing history, business address, and metadata. The SEC limits automated requests to 10 per second.

Pros:

  • Machine-readable format (JSON)
  • Bulk access to thousands of companies at once
  • Free, no API key required
  • Regularly updated by the SEC
  • Programmatic access for building applications

Cons:

  • Requires technical knowledge to parse JSON
  • Only includes companies with current ticker symbols (not all filers)
  • No search functionality (you get raw data to filter yourself)
  • Rate limits apply for high-volume requests (10 requests per second)

Method 3: Use a Dedicated Search Tool

If you look up companies frequently or want filing context alongside the CIK, a purpose-built search tool streamlines the process.

On EarningsFeed, searching by company name, ticker, or partial match returns results instantly. Each company page displays the CIK prominently and provides direct access to their SEC filings organized by type.

Example: The Apple Inc. company page shows CIK 0000320193 in the header, with tabs for 10-K annual reports, 10-Q quarterly reports, 8-K current reports, Form 4 insider transactions, and other filing types.

The URL structure embeds the CIK directly: /companies/320193-aapl-apple-inc. This makes it easy to construct links programmatically or share specific company pages.

Beyond basic lookup, dedicated tools often provide features the SEC's interface lacks:

  • Autocomplete search that suggests companies as you type
  • Recent filings displayed on each company page
  • Watchlists to track multiple companies
  • Filing alerts when new documents are submitted
  • Mobile-friendly interfaces

Pros:

  • Fast search with modern UX
  • Shows filings alongside CIK for immediate context
  • Additional features beyond basic lookup
  • Works on mobile devices

Cons:

  • Third-party source (though underlying data comes from SEC)
  • May not include every obscure filer that SEC EDGAR has

CIK vs Other Identifiers

The CIK isn't the only identifier used in financial data. Understanding how it relates to others helps when working across different data sources.

Identifier Issued By Scope Changes?
CIK SEC SEC filers only Never
Ticker Stock exchanges Listed securities Yes (rebrands, new listings)
CUSIP CUSIP Global Services Securities (stocks, bonds) Rarely
ISIN National numbering agencies International securities Rarely
LEI GLEIF Legal entities globally Never

Ticker symbols are the most familiar but least stable. When Facebook rebranded to Meta, the ticker changed from FB to META. The CIK (0001326801) stayed the same.

CUSIP numbers identify specific securities rather than companies. Apple's common stock has a different CUSIP than Apple's corporate bonds. A single company can have dozens of CUSIPs across different security types.

ISINs (International Securities Identification Numbers) are the global equivalent of CUSIPs. They're structured as a two-letter country code plus a national identifier plus a check digit.

LEIs (Legal Entity Identifiers) are a newer standard managed by the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation. They're designed for regulatory reporting and risk management across jurisdictions. Many SEC filers now include LEIs in their submissions.

For most U.S. equity research, CIK is the practical choice because it maps directly to SEC filings.

Common Questions

What if a company has multiple CIKs?

This occasionally happens after corporate restructurings, mergers, or spinoffs. When AT&T spun off WarnerMedia to merge with Discovery (forming Warner Bros. Discovery), both AT&T and the new entity ended up with separate CIKs. When researching a company with a complex corporate history, check that recent filings match the entity you're analyzing.

Do individuals have CIKs?

Yes. Anyone who files with the SEC receives a CIK. Corporate officers filing Form 4 insider trading reports, institutional investment managers filing 13F holdings reports, and large shareholders filing 13D/13G beneficial ownership reports all have CIKs. You can search for individuals and institutions the same way you search for companies.

Can CIKs be reused?

No. Once assigned, a CIK is permanently tied to that filer. Even if a company goes bankrupt, delists, or ceases operations, their CIK isn't reassigned to a new entity. Historical filings remain accessible under the original CIK indefinitely.

How do I find a CIK for a foreign company?

Foreign private issuers that trade on U.S. exchanges or raise capital in U.S. markets must register with the SEC and receive CIKs. Search for them the same way as domestic companies. Companies that only trade on foreign exchanges and have no U.S. presence won't have CIKs.

What's the relationship between CIK and accession number?

The accession number identifies a specific filing, while the CIK identifies the filer. A typical accession number looks like 0001140361-25-044561, where the first 10 digits identify the submitter (often a filing agent rather than the company), followed by the year (25 = 2025) and a sequence number. When a company files directly (like Apple's 10-K: 0000320193-25-000079), the first segment matches their CIK. To retrieve a filing, you need the company's CIK to find them, then the accession number to get the specific document.

Are CIKs case-sensitive?

No. CIKs are purely numeric. Leading zeros are optional in most contexts. Whether you use 320193, 0000320193, or any zero-padded variant, SEC systems treat them identically.

Practical Tips for CIK Lookups

A few shortcuts that save time when working with CIKs regularly:

Bookmark company pages. Whether on SEC EDGAR or a tool like EarningsFeed, bookmark the companies you research frequently. The CIK is embedded in the URL.

Use the submissions API. For programmatic access, the SEC's submissions endpoint (data.sec.gov/submissions/CIK##########.json) returns comprehensive data about any filer. It's faster than scraping EDGAR pages.

Check the ticker JSON first. If you have a current ticker symbol, the company_tickers.json file mentioned above is the fastest way to resolve it to a CIK programmatically.

Watch for subsidiaries. Large corporations often have multiple legal entities filing separately. Berkshire Hathaway has filings under the parent company CIK and separate CIKs for insurance subsidiaries. Make sure you're looking at the right entity.

The Bottom Line

The CIK is the SEC's permanent identifier for every filer in their system. Three ways to find it:

  1. SEC EDGAR Company Search for straightforward one-off lookups with official data
  2. SEC bulk JSON files for programmatic access or looking up multiple companies
  3. EarningsFeed for fast search with immediate filing context

Once you have the CIK, you can access the complete filing history for any public company, fund, or individual filer. For deeper analysis of specific filing types, see our guides on Form 4 insider trading, 13F institutional holdings, and how to read a 10-K.