Alabama Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in Alabama. Validate Alabama naming rules instantly and search the Secretary of State's Business Entity Records free — then secure the name with the reservation Alabama requires before you can file anything.
Validate the name format, then search the official Alabama Secretary of State — Business Entity Records records.
1.Search the state registry (Alabama Secretary of State — Business Entity Records) for existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names
2.Check federal trademarks at USPTO.gov — state approval does not protect you from trademark claims
3.Verify the .com domain is available for your name
4.Grab matching social media handles (Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook)
5.Lock the name in by filing your formation documents — or reserve it first (details below)
Fee
$25 by mail or $28 online
Holds the name for
typically one year (confirm with the Alabama Secretary of State)
How to file
Online through the Secretary of State's website (certificate issued immediately) or the typed Name Reservation Request Form for Domestic Entities by mail
Unlike every other state, this filing is not optional: Alabama requires a Certificate of Name Reservation before you can file formation documents (§ 10A-1-4.02(f)).
How Business Name Availability Works in Alabama
Alabama stands alone among the 50 states: a name reservation is mandatory, not optional. Under Code of Alabama § 10A-1-4.02(f), you must obtain a Certificate of Name Reservation from the Secretary of State before filing your Certificate of Formation. Start with the Secretary of State's free Business Entity Records search to see whether your name is taken, then reserve it — $28 online with the certificate issued immediately, or $25 by mail using the typed Name Reservation Request Form for Domestic Entities.
Alabama's distinguishability rule has an unusual twist. Under § 10A-1-5.03, names are compared with entity designators excluded — the state strips "LLC," "Inc.," and similar endings before checking whether two names differ. That means "Cahaba Consulting LLC" and "Cahaba Consulting Inc." are the same name in Alabama's eyes, and switching entity types can never rescue a taken name. You need a genuinely different word, not different punctuation or a different suffix.
Budget-wise, Alabama's $236 LLC formation cost already includes the online name-reservation fee, and there is no annual report fee — though every Alabama LLC files an annual Business Privilege Tax return. As everywhere, name clearance from the Secretary of State confers no trademark rights, so pair your Alabama search with a USPTO check before investing in the brand.
Alabama Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company"
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Incorporated" or "Corporation"
- • Must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records with entity designators excluded from the comparison — swapping "LLC" for "Inc." can never make a name distinguishable (Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.03)
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by Code of Alabama § 10A-1-5.06 (LLCs) and § 10A-1-5.04 (corporations)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — requires an approval letter from the Alabama State Banking Department
- • "Trust" — implies trust-company powers — Alabama State Banking Department approval needed
- • "Insurance" — requires clearance from the Alabama Department of Insurance
- • "Engineer" — requires an approval letter from the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
- • "Credit Union" — requires approval from the Alabama Credit Union Administration
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in Alabama
Use the tool above to open the Alabama Secretary of State — Business Entity Records search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Alabama is the only state where a name reservation is mandatory before forming an entity — and, unusually, reserving online ($28) costs more than reserving by mail ($25).
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the Alabama registry does not protect you from a federal trademark claim.
Check that the matching .com domain is available before you commit — renaming an LLC later means an amendment filing and new bank paperwork.
Confirm your name is free on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn so your branding stays consistent everywhere.
Alabama lets you reserve a name for typically one year (confirm with the Alabama Secretary of State) for $25 by mail or $28 online — Online through the Secretary of State's website (certificate issued immediately) or the typed Name Reservation Request Form for Domestic Entities by mail.
What Registering a Name Costs in Alabama
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $236 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $0 | — |
| Name reservation | $25 by mail or $28 online | Holds the name typically one year (confirm with the Alabama Secretary of State) |
| Trade Name registration | An optional state-level filing with the Secretary of State's Trademarks Section, around $30 with roughly a five-year term (verify the current fee and term before filing). Registration is not required to use a trade name in Alabama. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the Alabama LLC tax and fee calculator for the full annual cost picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a name reservation required to form an LLC in Alabama?
Yes — Alabama is the only state where a name reservation is mandatory. Code of Alabama § 10A-1-4.02(f) requires you to obtain a Certificate of Name Reservation before filing your formation documents, and the certificate is submitted along with your Certificate of Formation. File online for $28 and the certificate is issued immediately, or mail the typed Name Reservation Request Form for Domestic Entities with $25. Alabama's $236 LLC formation cost already includes the online reservation fee.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Alabama?
The Certificate of Name Reservation costs $25 by mail using the typed Name Reservation Request Form for Domestic Entities, or $28 online — one of the few filings anywhere where the online version costs more than paper. The online certificate is issued immediately, which is why most founders pay the extra $3. The reservation is generally described as lasting about one year, but confirm the current term with the Alabama Secretary of State before relying on it.
What suffix does an Alabama LLC name need?
Under Code of Alabama § 10A-1-5.06, an Alabama LLC name must contain the words "Limited Liability Company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC." Corporations follow § 10A-1-5.04 instead, which requires "corporation" or "incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of those words. Using a corporate designator on an LLC (or vice versa) will get the filing rejected, so match the suffix to the entity type you are actually forming.
Can I use a taken Alabama name by forming a different entity type?
No. Alabama's distinguishability rule (§ 10A-1-5.03) compares names with entity designators excluded, which is unusual — most states at least consider the full name. If "Magnolia Works LLC" exists, then "Magnolia Works Inc." is treated as the identical name and will be rejected. To clear the conflict you need a real difference in the name itself: a different key word, not different punctuation, spacing, or suffix.
How do I check if a business name is taken in Alabama for free?
Use the Alabama Secretary of State's free Business Entity Records search, which covers LLCs, corporations, reserved names, and registered trade names. Search the base name without any suffix, since Alabama ignores designators when comparing names. A clean result is a good sign but not a guarantee — the examiner makes the final determination when your reservation is processed, which is why the instant online reservation ($28) is the definitive way to confirm availability.
Does Alabama have an annual report fee for LLCs?
No — Alabama has no annual report fee for LLCs, which is unusual. Instead, every Alabama LLC files an annual Business Privilege Tax return with the Alabama Department of Revenue. The up-front cost structure is also distinctive: the $236 LLC formation cost includes the mandatory online name reservation, so you are not paying for the reservation as a separate budget item on top of the filing fee.
Related Tools
AL LLC Tax & Fee Calculator
Estimate your AlabamaLLC's filing fee, annual report costs, and recurring state charges before you form.
Alabama Quarterly Tax Calculator
Calculate the estimated quarterly taxes you'll owe as a Alabama business owner or freelancer.
Business Name Generator
Name taken? Generate unique, memorable alternatives for your Alabama business with AI.
Business Entity Search Directory
Official Secretary of State search portals for all 50 states — look up any registered company.
Checking a Name in Another State?
Searching Alabama Business Names Through the Secretary of State
The Alabama Secretary of State's Business Entity Records search is free and covers domestic and foreign entities, reserved names, and registered trade names. Because Alabama compares names with designators stripped out, search the base name — "Yellowhammer Digital," not "Yellowhammer Digital LLC" — and treat any hit as a conflict regardless of what suffix it carries.
Remember that a clean search is only a snapshot. Reservations filed the same week may not appear yet, and the examiner makes the final call when your reservation or formation document is processed. That is one reason the online reservation is worth the extra $3: the certificate is issued immediately, so you know the name is yours before you spend anything else.
Alabama's records also include state-registered trade names (Alabama's DBA equivalent) filed with the Trademarks Section. A trade name registration does not block your entity name the way another LLC would, but a match is a strong signal that someone in Alabama is already building a brand on the name.
The Mandatory Alabama Name Reservation
In every other state a name reservation is a convenience. In Alabama it is a prerequisite: § 10A-1-4.02(f) requires you to obtain a Certificate of Name Reservation before filing your formation documents, and the certificate accompanies your Certificate of Formation when you file. Skip it and your formation filing is rejected.
You have two routes. File online for $28 and the certificate is issued immediately, or mail the typed Name Reservation Request Form for Domestic Entities with a $25 check and wait for processing. Alabama is a rare state where the online option costs more than paper — but for most founders the instant certificate is worth the difference. The reservation is generally described as lasting about a year, but confirm the current term with the Secretary of State before relying on it.
The good news: Alabama's $236 LLC formation cost already includes the online reservation, so the mandatory step is not an extra budget line. Once you form, there is no annual report fee — your recurring state obligation is the Business Privilege Tax return instead.
Alabama Naming Rules and Trade Names
Under Code of Alabama § 10A-1-5.06, an LLC name must contain "Limited Liability Company" or the abbreviation L.L.C. or LLC. Corporations must include "corporation" or "incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of those words under § 10A-1-5.04. Professional entities carry their own designators.
Restricted words require paperwork before the state will accept the name. "Bank" and "Trust" need an approval letter from the Alabama State Banking Department, "Insurance" routes through the Alabama Department of Insurance, and "Engineer" or "Engineering" requires a letter from the Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Build the extra lead time into your formation schedule if your name touches a regulated industry.
If your Alabama entity will operate under a different brand, the state offers an optional Trade Name registration through the Secretary of State's Trademarks Section — around $30 for roughly a five-year term (verify current figures before filing). Registration is not mandatory to use a trade name in Alabama, but it puts your claim on the public record and shows up in other founders' searches.
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