How to find tenants in a commercial building
In this article
Short answer: search the building's address and suite numbers online, check the lobby directory, and compare what you find against each company's own locations page. Then confirm with the property manager or the company. There's no public list of commercial tenants, so you have to piece it together.
Lots of companies show up at an address they left years ago, or only use it for mail. The work is separating who's actually there from who just appears online.
Step 1: Search every version of the address
Note the main address, side entrances, the building's name and any known suites. A corner building can go by two addresses.
Try these searches:
- The exact address in quotes, plus the city.
- The address with "suite", "floor" or "office".
- The building's name plus "tenants", "directory" or "leasing".
- A company's name plus the address, to check a specific one.
Open the pages rather than trusting the snippet. Search results can hang on to a location long after a move.
Step 2: Check each company's own site
A company listing the address on its current locations page is your strongest public evidence. Here's how the other sources compare:
| Source | What it shows | What it doesn't show |
|---|---|---|
| Company locations page | They publicly list the address | Lease terms |
| Building directory or property team | A named occupant | The legal tenant or lease end date |
| Relocation announcement | A planned move | Whether it actually happened |
| Public company filing | An office as of a stated date | Whether they're still there |
| Building permit | Work at the property | A finished move |
| Business registration | A legal link to the address | That anyone works there |
Step 3: Rule out mailing addresses
Label each address: headquarters, local office, registered agent or coworking mailbox. Only real operating locations belong on your tenant list.
Public filings can be useful here. Rocket Companies' 2024 annual report, for example, lists its main offices at 1050 Woodward Avenue in Detroit as of the end of 2024. That's solid evidence for that date, though not proof of where they are today.
Step 4: Use permits to spot changes
A new fit-out permit can be an early sign that someone's moving in. Note the applicant and date, then ask whether the move happened.
New York City's BIS and DOB NOW show jobs, permits and complaints. Many cities have something similar. A certificate of occupancy tells you the approved use, not who's in the space.
Step 5: Confirm with one question
Call the company or the property manager and ask:
"Is your team still at this address, and who handles your office space?"
Ask about lease expiration separately, because a yes on occupancy doesn't tell you when the lease ends. If you visit, a lobby directory is fair game, but respect any access rules.
What your tenant list should look like
Here's a made-up example. Keep a status for each company so anyone can see what's confirmed:
| Company | Evidence | Status | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northline Studio | Website lists suite 400, office confirmed | Confirmed | Find who handles real estate |
| Harbor Advisory | Announcement from three years ago | Old lead | Check current location |
| Elm Services LLC | Shared mailing address on registry | Address only | Find out if anyone works there |
Leave lease expiration and square footage blank when you don't know them. A wrong date is worse than a blank.
A tenant being there doesn't mean they need to move. Before you call, look for a real reason: they're hiring locally, they announced an expansion, or their lease is coming up.
Working the landlord side instead? Here's how to find the owner. If a tenant has a new use in mind, check the zoning first.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a public list of commercial tenants?
No. Leases usually aren't recorded in full, so tenant lists come from directories, company websites, permits and paid databases.
How do I find out when a commercial lease expires?
Ask. Public companies sometimes disclose lease terms in filings, and paid databases and lease comp exchanges may have them. Otherwise, the tenant or landlord is your best source.
Is it okay to call a tenant directly?
Yes, for an ordinary business inquiry. Be upfront about who you are and why you're calling.
Do paid tools have tenant data?
Some do, including CoStar. West Kite flags tenant changes at an address as a prospecting signal. Check any tool's data against a few buildings you know.
