Learn · Explainer

Finding filings on SEC EDGAR

How to look up any company's filings for free: company search, full-text search, CIK numbers and accession numbers.

The short answer

EDGAR is the SEC's free public database of company filings. Every 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, proxy statement, Form 4 and 13F is there, usually within minutes of being filed. Each filer has a permanent CIK number and each filing an accession number. Apple's CIK is 320193, and its latest 10-K has accession number 0000320193-26-000026.

Three ways in

Company search. Type a name or ticker into the box on sec.gov's search page. The company page lists every filing, newest first, with filters by form type.
Full-text search. EDGAR full-text search finds words and phrases inside filings from 2001 on, across all companies, with filters for form type, date and company. It's the fastest way to find, say, every 8-K that mentions a particular supplier.
Ticker Sage pages. Every figure on a company page links to the exact filing it came from, and the Recent filings section links to the latest 10-K, 10-Qs and 8-Ks.

CIK numbers

The Central Index Key is a number the SEC gives every filer: companies, funds, and the individuals who file Forms 3, 4 and 5. It stays the same when a company changes its name or ticker, so it's the reliable way to follow one company's history. Apple's is 320193, often written with leading zeros as 0000320193. Apple's 10-K filings by CIK.

Accession numbers

Each filing gets an accession number in three parts. In Apple's latest 10-K, 0000320193-26-000026:

0000320193 is the CIK of whoever submitted the filing. Here that's Apple itself; many companies use a filing agent, whose CIK appears instead.
26 is the year it was submitted (2026).
000026 is a running count of that submitter's filings that year.

The number, without its dashes, is part of every document's web address, which is why links to Apple's filings start with /Archives/edgar/data/320193/ followed by the accession number. Apple's latest 10-Q is 0000320193-26-000020.

Source: Apple 10-K for fiscal 2026, filed Nov 3, 2026

What a filing page shows

Each filing has an index page listing its documents: the main form, the exhibits (press releases, contracts, certifications) and the XBRL data files. The main document is usually the one with the form name in its description. For 10-Ks and 10-Qs, the interactive "Financial Report" view rebuilds the statements from the XBRL data.

When filings appear

Under Rule 13 of Regulation S-T, most filings sent after 5:30 p.m. Eastern get the next business day's filing date. Forms 3, 4 and 5 and Schedules 13D and 13G keep the same day's date if they're sent by 10 p.m. That's why an 8-K's filing date can be a day after the evening press release it carries.

10-K vs. 10-Q vs. 8-K covers the main forms, and Form 4 insider filings the insider reports.

Common questions

Is EDGAR free?

Yes. Searching and reading filings on SEC EDGAR is free and doesn't need an account.

What is a CIK number?

The Central Index Key, a permanent number the SEC gives each filer. Apple's is 320193. It stays the same through name and ticker changes.

What is an accession number?

The unique ID of one filing, in the form 0000000000-YY-NNNNNN: the submitter's CIK, the year and a sequence number. Apple's latest 10-K is 0000320193-26-000026.

How far back does EDGAR go?

Electronic filings start in the mid-1990s for most companies, and full-text search covers filings from 2001 on. Older paper filings aren't on EDGAR.

Can I search inside filings?

Yes. EDGAR full-text search finds words and phrases across filings from 2001 on, with filters for company, form and date.

Disclosures

Editor holdings: The editor holds no position in any company named on this page. As of Nov 11, 2026.
Compensation: Nobody paid for this page. No affiliate links on this page.
Sources: Each company's own SEC filings, linked next to each number.
Last updated: Nov 9, 2026

General education, the same for every reader. Not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and it doesn't consider your situation.

More in Learn and Tools · Methodology & Disclosures explains where every number comes from.