How to search and claim an LLC name in California
- Search California's official entity records at no cost, leaving “LLC” off the name.
- Make sure the name ends with one of California's accepted endings, such as “Limited Liability Company” or “LLC”.
- Hold the name with a $10 reservation for 60 days if you need time before filing.
- File the Articles of Organization with the California Secretary of State for $70.
- Note the recurring report so the LLC stays in good standing: $20 every two years.
What a California LLC name must include
California accepts these endings for a limited liability company:
- Limited Liability Company
- LLC
- L.L.C.
Keep financial and corporate words out of a California LLC name: bank, trust, trustee, incorporated, inc., corporation, corp., insurer and insurance company are all barred, along with any wording that suggests the LLC issues insurance policies (Corp. Code § 17701.08(e)). Olympic terms such as Olympic, Olympiad and Paralympic may require permission from the U.S. Olympic Committee. Inside the ending, “Ltd.” and “Co.” are accepted for “Limited” and “Company”.
How California decides two names are the same
California checks an LLC's name only against other LLCs, and since 2021 the name has to be distinguishable in the records and unlikely to mislead the public. Small changes don't help: adding or dropping LLC, changing capitals, punctuation, symbols or spacing, or writing & for and leaves the name the same, which is why the regulations treat D.R.E.A.M. Incorporated and Dream Corporation as one name (2 CCR § 21004). A space that turns one word into different words with their own meaning, like Got Ham versus Gotham, can make the difference.
Where the rules are written. Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.08 (LLC); §§ 201, 202 (corporations); Cal. Code Regs. tit. 2, § 21000 et seq. (business entity names).
Searching for an LLC name in California
bizfile Online's business search is free and is the place to start, but treat it as preliminary: the Secretary of State says it isn't a formal ruling on availability, it only compares names of the same entity type, and it skips trademarks and fictitious business names.
Open the official California entity search
Leave the ending off when you search, so every version of the name shows up, then compare each result word by word. If one matches apart from spacing, punctuation or a plural, change a real word in your name.
Holding the name: California LLC name reservation
To hold a name, file a reservation for $10; it lasts 60 days. A name can be reserved again only after a gap of at least one day, so back-to-back reservations aren't possible. bizfile Online is the fastest way to file; paper requests go by mail or drop-off, where a $10 special handling fee applies.
This fee couldn't be matched to a current official fee page, so ask the California Secretary of State to confirm it before paying.
File a California name reservation
Forming the LLC in California
File Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the Secretary of State to create the LLC. The filing fee is $70, and bizfile Online accepts it electronically.
File the Articles of Organization online
Two obligations follow. The Statement of Information, $20, is due within 90 days of formation and then every two years. And the Franchise Tax Board collects an $800 annual LLC tax from every LLC organized or doing business in California, first due by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing; the first-year exemption only applied to tax years beginning 2021 to 2023, and an extra LLC fee applies above $250,000 of total income. No newspaper publication is required to form an LLC. A Certificate of Status costs $5 and is available online within minutes.
When the LLC trades under another name
An LLC trading under another name files a fictitious business name statement with the county clerk where its principal place of business is. The statement then has to appear weekly for four successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, starting within 45 days of filing, and an affidavit of publication goes back to the clerk afterward.
Sources
- Name reservations, sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Name guidelines restrictions 2022 (PDF), bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Name reservation request form (PDF), bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Be fee schedule 062018 (PDF), bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Limited liability companies california domestic, sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Limited liability companies statement information, sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Information requests, sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Faqs, sos.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- ftb.ca.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Publication, lavote.gov, checked 2026-10-07
These are the official pages behind every fact above. If one of them now says something different, it's right and this page is out of date.
Common questions
Can two LLCs in California have the same name?
No. California accepts a new LLC name only if it can be told apart from every name on its record. California compares an LLC's name with the names of other LLCs.
How long can I hold an LLC name in California?
60 days, for $10.
Does a new California LLC have to publish a notice?
No. California has no newspaper publication requirement for LLCs.
How much is the California LLC filing fee?
$70, paid when you file the Articles of Organization.