Business Name Checker
Check business name availability in any US state. Validate your LLC, corporation, or DBA name against your state's naming rules instantly, then search the official state registry — free, for all 50 states and DC.
Pick your state to validate the name format and jump to the official state registry.
1.Search the state registry 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
Check a Business Name by State
Business names are registered state by state — a name taken in one state can be free in another. Each state guide below covers that state's naming rules, name reservation fees, restricted words, and the official registry search.
How Business Name Availability Works
Search the State Registry
Every state keeps its own database of LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Your name must be distinguishable from what is already on file in that state.
Clear Trademarks & Domain
State approval is not brand protection. Check the USPTO trademark database and grab the matching .com domain and social handles before you commit.
Reserve or File
Most states let you reserve a name for $10-$75 while you prepare paperwork. Filing your formation documents is what finally locks the name in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a business name is available?
Search the business registry of the state where you plan to register — every state's Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) runs a free or low-cost public search of registered LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Pick your state above to validate your name against that state's rules and jump straight to its official search. Then check federal trademarks at USPTO.gov and confirm the domain is available.
Is a business name unique nationwide once I register it?
No. Registering an LLC or corporation only protects the name inside that one state. A business with the same name can legally exist in the other 49 states. For nationwide protection you need a federal trademark from the USPTO, which covers your name within your industry across the United States.
What is the difference between a state name search and a trademark search?
A state name search tells you whether the Secretary of State will accept your formation filing — it only checks entities registered in that state. A trademark search (USPTO database) tells you whether using the name could infringe someone's brand rights anywhere in the country. A name can pass the state check and still expose you to a trademark claim, so do both.
Can I reserve a business name before forming my LLC?
In most states, yes. Name reservations typically cost $10 to $100 and hold the name for 30 days to 12 months depending on the state — for example, California charges $10 for 60 days, Texas $40 for 120 days, and Delaware $75 for 120 days. Even Florida, which for years offered no LLC name reservation, now accepts one by signed letter ($25 for 120 days). Details and quirks vary a lot, so check your state's page.
What happens if I file formation documents with a name that is taken?
The state rejects the filing and you lose processing time — and in some states part of the fee. Filing offices compare your name against registered entities, reserved names, and often trade names using a distinguishability standard, so even a close variant of an existing name can bounce. Running the official state search first costs nothing and avoids the delay.
Do I need a DBA if I already registered an LLC?
Only if you operate under a name different from your LLC's exact legal name. A DBA (also called an assumed, fictitious, or trade name) is registered with the state or county depending on where you are. Note that a DBA usually gives you no exclusive rights — most states do not check DBA filings for uniqueness.
Related Tools
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Business Entity Search Directory
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LLC Annual Tax & Fee Calculators
Estimate LLC filing fees, annual reports, and franchise taxes for your state before you form.
Start Your LLC with Jupid
Once your name clears, Jupid files your LLC for free — you pay only the state filing fee.
Why Business Name Availability Is a State-by-State Question
There is no national business name register in the United States. When you form an LLC or corporation, you file with one state's Secretary of State (or its equivalent — Arizona uses the Corporation Commission, Maryland the Department of Assessments and Taxation, Virginia the State Corporation Commission), and that state only checks your name against its own records. "Acme Consulting LLC" can exist simultaneously in Ohio, Georgia, and Colorado as three unrelated companies.
Each state applies a distinguishability standard: your proposed name must differ from every registered entity, reserved name, and (in most states) trade name already on file. Adding punctuation, spacing, or swapping "LLC" for "Inc." is never enough — you need at least one genuinely different word. A handful of states still use the older "deceptively similar" test, which is stricter and gives the examiner more discretion.
The practical consequence: check availability in every state where you will register, including states where you'll foreign-qualify later. If your name is taken in an expansion state, you will need to operate there under a fictitious name.
Name Reservation Fees Across the States
Most states let you hold a name before filing. Fees and durations vary widely — a few anchors from the official filing offices:
| State | Reservation Fee | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| California | $10 | 60 days |
| Texas | $40 | 120 days |
| New York | $20 | 60 days |
| Delaware | $75 | 120 days |
| Florida | $25 (by signed letter only) | 120 days |
Reservation is optional everywhere it exists — if you are ready to file, skip it and put the money toward the formation fee. It earns its keep when you need weeks to gather member signatures, wait on a licensing approval, or coordinate a multi-state launch. See your state's checker page above for the exact form, fee, and renewal rules.
Beyond the State Registry: Trademarks, Domains, and DBAs
Clearing the state registry is step one of four. A federal trademark search at the USPTO protects you from building a brand you will be forced to abandon — state filing offices do not check trademarks, and trademark owners can compel a rename even after your LLC is approved. The domain and social handle check is about consistency: a business whose legal name, website, and Instagram all match is easier to find and looks more credible.
Finally, decide whether you need a DBA(doing-business-as, also called an assumed, fictitious, or trade name). If your LLC will operate under its exact legal name, you do not. If you want to run "Sunrise Coffee" under "Sunrise Holdings LLC," you register the DBA with the state or county — the level, the fee, and even the document name differ by state, which is exactly what the per-state guides above cover.
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