LLC name search by state

One register per state

An LLC exists in the state where it files its articles of organization, and its name is checked only against that state's register. Forming in Delaware or Wyoming for their laws doesn't change that: the name must be free in the state you file in, and in each state where you later register to do business.

What each state page tells you

Every page starts with the steps for that state, in order, with its own fees filled in. Below them:

• The filing office, by its real name: a Secretary of State, a corporation commission, a department of state or a division within another department.
• The official search, linked directly, with its cost. Most are free; a few charge.
• LLC endings the state accepts and where they must appear.
• Restricted words, and which agency approves each.
• The distinguishability rule the office applies when names look alike.
• Name reservation: the fee, how long the hold lasts and how to file it.
• What forming the LLC costs: the filing fee and the yearly report, fee or tax that follows.

Searching a state's register

Search the core of your LLC name: the words without "LLC", "the" or punctuation. Then search variations, because state searches differ. Many match only names that begin with the words you enter. Some return only active companies unless you ask for others. Look at every result whose core matches yours, including inactive ones, since a recently dissolved LLC's name can still be unavailable in some states.

Free and paid searches

Most states let anyone search their business register online at no charge. A few charge per search or require an account, and some offer a free alternative through another agency, such as a tax office's public lookup of registered businesses. Each state page says which applies and links the free option where one exists.

Names that look free but aren't

A search can come back empty and the name still be blocked. Reserved names often don't show up in the main search, and some states keep a dissolved company's name unavailable for a period after it closes. If your state's search has an option for inactive or reserved names, use it, and read the status of anything close to your core name.

Forming in one state, working in another

If your LLC is formed in one state and works in a second, it registers there as a foreign LLC, and the second state checks the name against its own register. When the name is taken there, most states let the LLC register under an alternate name for use in that state. Search both states before you commit to the name.

Costs differ widely

Filing articles of organization costs very different amounts from state to state, and some states add a yearly report fee or a franchise tax on top. A few require you to publish a notice of the LLC's formation in local newspapers. Each state page lists these costs with their official sources, so the total is clear before you choose where to file.

Professional LLCs

Doctors, lawyers, accountants and other licensed professionals often must form a professional LLC, which has its own ending (such as "PLLC") and may need the licensing board's approval of the name. If that applies to you, check the state page and the board's rules before you search.

When the name is free

Move quickly: availability can change the moment someone else files. File your articles of organization, or reserve the name if you need time. The naming rules page explains every requirement in one place.