How to search and claim an LLC name in Indiana
- Search Indiana's official entity records at no cost, leaving “LLC” off the name.
- Make sure the name ends with one of Indiana's accepted endings, such as “Limited Liability Company” or “L.L.C.”
- Hold the name with a $10 reservation for 120 days (renewable) if you need time before filing.
- File the Articles of Organization with the Indiana Secretary of State (Business Services Division) for $75 online ($100 on paper).
What an Indiana LLC name must include
Indiana accepts these endings for a limited liability company:
- Limited Liability Company
- L.L.C.
- LLC
Banking terms are the restriction Indiana spells out: a name with “bank” or any derivative goes to the Department of Financial Institutions, and the filing waits for its approval (IC 23-0.5-3-5). Indiana's LLC endings are “limited liability company”, “L.L.C.” and “LLC” (IC 23-0.5-3-2(d)).
How Indiana decides two names are the same
The Secretary of State compares your LLC's name with every Indiana filing entity and registered foreign entity, every reserved name and every assumed name filed with it, setting aside entity words like LLC, Inc., Co. or Ltd. County-recorded assumed names aren't part of the comparison. A name released by an administrative dissolution stays held for 120 days (IC 23-0.5-3-1).
Where the rules are written. IC 23-0.5-3-1 (permitted names), 23-0.5-3-2(d) (LLC designator), 23-0.5-3-3 (reservation), 23-0.5-3-4 (assumed names), 23-0.5-3-5 (bank); fees IC 23-0.5-9.
Searching for an LLC name in Indiana
The public business search is free, and you can print certified copies from it. It doesn't cover assumed names that individuals or partnerships filed with county recorders.
Open the official Indiana 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: Indiana LLC name reservation
Reserving an LLC name costs $10 online for 120 days, renewable in 120-day blocks for $10 each; transferring a reservation also costs $10, and cancelling it is free (IC 23-0.5-3-3).
File an Indiana name reservation
Forming the LLC in Indiana
The statute puts Articles of Organization at $75 when filed electronically and $100 on paper (IC 23-0.5-9-19); INBiz, the state's online filing system, may add a convenience charge.
File the Articles of Organization online
This filing fee isn't on a current official fee page that we could find, so ask the Indiana Secretary of State (Business Services Division) to confirm it.
Indiana LLCs file a business entity report every two years, by the end of the month in which they were formed. The statutory fee is $20 electronic or $50 on paper, though the INBiz page shows $32, presumably including its portal fee. There's no franchise tax and no newspaper notice. A Certificate of Existence is $15 online or $30 on paper (IC 23-0.5-9-43).
When the LLC trades under another name
An LLC registers an assumed business name with the Secretary of State, not the county: $20 per name electronically or $30 on paper (IC 23-0.5-9-40).
Sources
- Business, in.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Hub official comments and introductory note (PDF), in.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Business forms, in.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- 115005053207 how do i file an assumed business name dba, faqs.in.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Business entityreport, inbiz.in.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 Indiana have the same name?
No. Indiana accepts a new LLC name only if it can be told apart from every name on its record. Adding or changing an ending such as “LLC” doesn't make a name different.
How long can I hold an LLC name in Indiana?
120 days (renewable), for $10.
Does a new Indiana LLC have to publish a notice?
No. Indiana has no newspaper publication requirement for LLCs.
How much is the Indiana LLC filing fee?
$75 online ($100 on paper), paid when you file the Articles of Organization.