Connecticut Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in Connecticut. Validate Connecticut naming rules instantly and search the state's business records free through business.ct.gov — then reserve the name for $60 at service.ct.gov if you need time.
Validate the name format, then search the official Connecticut Secretary of the State — Business Records Search records.
1.Search the state registry (Connecticut Secretary of the State — Business Records Search) 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
$60
Holds the name for
120 days (the filing day counts as day 1)
How to file
Form BUS-002 by mail or online at service.ct.gov
Connecticut reservations are not renewable — if the 120 days run out before you form, you would file a fresh reservation.
How Business Name Availability Works in Connecticut
Connecticut business names are searched free through the state's business records at business.ct.gov, with filings handled online at service.ct.gov. The naming statute for LLCs, Connecticut General Statutes § 34-243k, is generous with designators: six accepted forms, from "Limited Liability Company" down to "Ltd. Liability Co." Names must be distinguishable in the records from every registered and reserved name (§ 34-243k(c)).
Connecticut's corporate designator list holds a genuine oddity: alongside "corporation," "incorporated," "company," and "limited," the statute accepts "Societa per Azioni" and its abbreviation "S.p.A." — the Italian term for a joint-stock company. Connecticut is the only state in the country that recognizes it, a legislative relic that means an Italian-styled "Nutmeg Ventures S.p.A." is a perfectly valid Connecticut corporation.
The other thing to know before you brand: Connecticut handles DBAs at the town level, not the state level. A Trade Name Certificate is filed with the town clerk in each town where you transact business — typically $20 per filing, across the state's 169 towns. Formation itself is straightforward: $120 for an LLC Certificate of Organization, with an $80 annual report thereafter.
Connecticut Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "LLC", "L.L.C.", "Limited Liability Company", "Limited Liability Co.", "Ltd. Liability Company" or "Ltd. Liability Co."
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Co." or "Ltd."
- • Must be distinguishable in the records from every registered and reserved Connecticut business name (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-243k(c))
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by Connecticut General Statutes § 34-243k (LLCs) and § 33-655 (corporations)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — requires approval from the Connecticut Department of Banking
- • "Trust" — implies trust powers — Connecticut Department of Banking approval needed
- • "Insurance" — requires clearance from the Connecticut Insurance Department
- • "Credit Union" — restricted to chartered credit unions regulated by the Connecticut Department of Banking
- • "College" — words implying a higher-education institution typically require Office of Higher Education approval — verify before filing
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in Connecticut
Use the tool above to open the Connecticut Secretary of the State — Business Records Search search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Connecticut is the only state that accepts the Italian corporate designator "Societa per Azioni" (S.p.A.) — and DBAs are filed with 169 individual town clerks, not the state.
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the Connecticut 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.
Connecticut lets you reserve a name for 120 days (the filing day counts as day 1) for $60 — Form BUS-002 by mail or online at service.ct.gov.
What Registering a Name Costs in Connecticut
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $120 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $80 | Yearly |
| Name reservation | $60 | Holds the name 120 days (the filing day counts as day 1) |
| Trade Name Certificate | Filed at the town level, not with the state: register with the town clerk in each town where you transact business, typically $20 per town. Connecticut has 169 separate town clerks, so multi-town operations mean multiple filings. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the Connecticut LLC tax and fee calculator for the full annual cost picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a business name is taken in Connecticut for free?
Search Connecticut's free business records through business.ct.gov, which covers LLCs, corporations, foreign entities, and reserved names. Your name must be distinguishable in the records under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-243k(c), so review close matches, not just exact ones. Note that town-level Trade Name Certificates do not appear in the state database — if local brand conflicts matter to you, check with the town clerks where you plan to operate as well.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Connecticut?
A Connecticut name reservation costs $60 and holds the name for 120 days, with the filing day counting as day 1. File Form BUS-002 by mail or online at service.ct.gov. The reservation is not renewable — if it expires before you form, you would file a fresh reservation and pay again. Because $60 is one of the higher reservation fees in the country and the LLC formation itself is $120, many founders skip the reservation and form directly.
What suffix does a Connecticut LLC name need?
Connecticut General Statutes § 34-243k accepts six LLC designators: "Limited Liability Company," "L.L.C.," "LLC," "Limited Liability Co.," "Ltd. Liability Company," or "Ltd. Liability Co." That is a wider menu than most states offer. Whichever form you choose, it must appear in the name on your Certificate of Organization, and the name must remain distinguishable in the records from every existing and reserved Connecticut business name.
What is the "S.p.A." designator in Connecticut?
Connecticut's corporate naming statute accepts "Societa per Azioni" — the Italian term for a joint-stock company — and its abbreviation "S.p.A." as valid corporate designators, right alongside "Inc." and "Corp." Connecticut is the only US state that recognizes this Italian form for domestic corporations. It is rarely used in practice, but a Connecticut corporation named "Hartford Holdings S.p.A." would be entirely legal. LLCs cannot use it; it is a corporation-only designator.
How do DBAs work in Connecticut?
Connecticut has no state-level DBA registry. A Trade Name Certificate is filed with the town clerk in each town where you transact business, typically for $20 per town — and Connecticut has 169 separate towns, each with its own clerk. Town filings are not checked against each other or the state entity database, so a trade name gives you no exclusivity. For real protection, register the name as an entity with the state or pursue a trademark.
What does it cost to form and maintain a Connecticut LLC?
The Certificate of Organization costs $120, filed online at service.ct.gov. After formation, every Connecticut LLC files an annual report with an $80 fee. If you add a name reservation ($60) and a Trade Name Certificate in one town ($20), a fully-branded first year runs about $280. The name itself is only secured when the state accepts your formation filing — a search result or expired reservation protects nothing.
Related Tools
CT LLC Tax & Fee Calculator
Estimate your ConnecticutLLC's filing fee, annual report costs, and recurring state charges before you form.
Connecticut Quarterly Tax Calculator
Calculate the estimated quarterly taxes you'll owe as a Connecticut business owner or freelancer.
Business Name Generator
Name taken? Generate unique, memorable alternatives for your Connecticut 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 Connecticut Names Through business.ct.gov
Connecticut consolidated its business services into business.ct.gov, and its free records search covers LLCs, corporations, foreign registrants, and reserved names. Since your name must be distinguishable in the records under § 34-243k(c), search broadly: try the distinctive words of your name alone and review every close match, because the examiner compares against reserved names you might not see in a casual search.
Remember that a Trade Name Certificate filed in one of Connecticut's 169 towns does not appear in the state entity database. If your brand will operate consumer-facing, it is worth calling the town clerk in your primary towns of operation to check for local trade names — a state-level clearance will not surface them.
When the name checks out, form directly at service.ct.gov: the LLC Certificate of Organization is $120, and acceptance of that filing is what actually secures the name. A preliminary search result carries no legal weight.
Connecticut Naming Rules — Including the S.p.A. Oddity
Under § 34-243k, a Connecticut LLC name must contain one of six designators: "Limited Liability Company," "L.L.C.," "LLC," "Limited Liability Co.," "Ltd. Liability Company," or "Ltd. Liability Co." — the most designator options of almost any state. Corporations may use "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited" (or corp., inc., co., ltd.).
Then there is the corporate designator no other state has: "Societa per Azioni", abbreviated "S.p.A." — the Italian joint-stock company form. Connecticut's corporate statute lists it right alongside the English designators, making Connecticut the only US state where a domestic corporation can carry an Italian suffix. Few founders use it, but it is fully valid.
Restricted words follow the usual pattern: "Bank" and "Trust" need the Connecticut Department of Banking, "Insurance" needs the Connecticut Insurance Department, and education-flavored words like "College" typically require higher-education sign-off. Screen for these before reserving — the $60 reservation fee is not refunded if the name is rejected on restricted-word grounds.
Trade Name Certificates: 169 Town Clerks, Not One State Office
Connecticut is one of the few states with no state-level DBA registry. A business operating under a name different from its legal name files a Trade Name Certificate with the town clerk of each town where it transacts business — typically $20 per town. With 169 towns, a business operating across the state can face a stack of separate filings.
Town-level trade names give no statewide exclusivity and are not cross-checked between towns, let alone against the state entity database. Two shops in different towns can hold identical trade names indefinitely. If the brand matters, secure it as an entity name with the Secretary of the State or as a trademark.
If you need to hold your entity name before forming, Connecticut's reservation is $60 for 120 days — and note the state counts the filing day as day 1. The reservation is not renewable; if it lapses before you form, you would simply file a fresh reservation. At $60 it is one of the pricier reservations in the country, so most founders skip straight to the $120 formation filing.
Your first month of Jupid — completely free
New here? Enter this code at checkout and your first month is on us — full AI bookkeeping, tax filing, and a 24/7 accountant, $0 for 30 days.
New customers. First month free with code NEW2026, cancel anytime.