Georgia Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in Georgia. Validate GA naming rules instantly, then search the Secretary of State's records free through eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov — and mind Georgia's 30-day reservation clock.
Validate the name format, then search the official Georgia Secretary of State — Corporations Division (eCorp) records.
1.Search the state registry (Georgia Secretary of State — Corporations Division (eCorp)) 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
$35 ($25 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, nonrefundable)
Holds the name for
30 days (or until your formation filing is made)
How to file
Online at ecorp.sos.ga.gov or on paper by mail — you may list up to three name choices per application
Renewable only by submitting a new application. Processing is not instant: expect 5-7 business days online and around 15 by mail, so the effective hold is shorter than it looks.
How Business Name Availability Works in Georgia
Georgia business names are searched and filed through eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov, the Secretary of State's Corporations Division portal. The search is free and covers registered entities and reserved names. Formation costs $100 for an LLC, followed by a $60 annual registration each year.
Georgia's "distinguishable upon the records" standard is spelled out in unusual detail: articles, entity types, abbreviations, phonetic spellings, the word "and" versus the ampersand, punctuation, plurals, and suffixes are all ignored when comparing names. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-207, an LLC name needs "limited liability company," "limited company," or one of the abbreviations LLC, L.L.C., LC, or L.C.
Georgia's reservation is the one to watch. It costs $35 total ($25 fee plus a $10 service charge, nonrefundable) and holds the name for just 30 days — the shortest window of any big state — renewable only by re-applying. And approval is not instant: even online applications take 5-7 business days to process, about 15 by mail, so plan the timing carefully or the clock will run out before you file.
Georgia Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "LLC", "L.L.C.", "LC", "L.C.", "Limited Liability Company" or "Limited Company"
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Co." or "Ltd."
- • Must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State — articles, entity types, abbreviations, phonetic spellings, "and" versus the ampersand, punctuation, plurals, and suffixes do not count (O.C.G.A. § 14-11-207)
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by O.C.G.A. § 14-11-207 (LLCs) and § 14-2-401 (corporations)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — requires approval from the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance
- • "Trust" — implies fiduciary powers — Georgia Department of Banking and Finance approval needed
- • "Credit Union" — restricted to chartered credit unions under Georgia banking law
- • "Insurance" — requires clearance from Georgia's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire
- • "College" — words implying an educational institution require approval from Georgia's postsecondary education authorities
- • "University" — requires approval from Georgia's postsecondary education authorities
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in Georgia
Use the tool above to open the Georgia Secretary of State — Corporations Division (eCorp) search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Georgia's 30-day reservation is the shortest among big states, and nothing is instant — even an online name reservation takes 5-7 business days to process, roughly 15 by mail.
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the Georgia 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.
Georgia lets you reserve a name for 30 days (or until your formation filing is made) for $35 ($25 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, nonrefundable) — Online at ecorp.sos.ga.gov or on paper by mail — you may list up to three name choices per application.
What Registering a Name Costs in Georgia
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $100 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $60 | Yearly |
| Name reservation | $35 ($25 filing fee plus a $10 service charge, nonrefundable) | Holds the name 30 days (or until your formation filing is made) |
| Trade Name (DBA) Certificate | Filed at the county level with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of your principal office — there is no statewide DBA. Total cost varies by county but typically runs around $150-$170 including the required newspaper publication; confirm with your county clerk. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the Georgia 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 Georgia for free?
Search the Georgia Secretary of State's records free through eCorp at ecorp.sos.ga.gov. The search covers registered entities and reserved names and shows status, control numbers, and registered agents. Search sound-alike spellings too: Georgia disregards phonetic spelling differences, along with articles, punctuation, plurals, abbreviations, and suffixes, when deciding whether two names are distinguishable on its records.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Georgia?
A Georgia name reservation costs $35 in total — a $25 filing fee plus a $10 service charge — and it is nonrefundable. The reservation holds your name for 30 days or until you file formation documents, whichever comes first, and can only be renewed by submitting a new application. You may list up to three ranked name choices per application, and the state reserves the first available one.
Why is my Georgia name reservation taking so long?
Georgia does not process reservations instantly. Online applications through eCorp take roughly 5-7 business days, and mailed applications take around 15 business days. Because the reservation itself lasts only 30 days once granted, the effective planning window is tight — prepare your Articles of Organization before you apply, so you can file the moment the reservation comes through rather than watching the clock run out.
What suffix does a Georgia LLC name need?
Under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-207, a Georgia LLC name must contain "limited liability company," "limited company," or one of the abbreviations "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "L.C." — Georgia is one of the states that accepts the short "LC" form. Corporations follow O.C.G.A. § 14-2-401 and need "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited" or an abbreviation such as Inc., Corp., Co., or Ltd.
How do I register a DBA (trade name) in Georgia?
Georgia trade names are county filings, not state ones. You file a trade name certificate with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of your principal office, then publish it in the county's designated legal newspaper. Total costs vary by county but typically run around $150-$170 including publication — confirm with your county clerk. Because records are scattered across counties, a Georgia DBA offers little brand protection compared with forming an entity under the name.
What does a Georgia LLC cost to form and maintain?
The Articles of Organization cost $100 to file through eCorp, and Georgia then charges a $60 annual registration to keep the LLC active. An optional name reservation adds $35 for a 30-day hold. If your name uses regulated words — banking, insurance, or education terms — factor in time for approval from the relevant Georgia agency, since the Corporations Division will not accept the filing without it.
Related Tools
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Checking a Name in Another State?
Searching Georgia Business Names Through eCorp
Start at ecorp.sos.ga.gov, the Georgia Secretary of State's online portal. The free business search covers registered entities and name reservations, and shows each entity's control number, status, and registered agent. Because Georgia ignores phonetic spelling differences when comparing names, search sound-alike variants too — "Peachtree" and "Peach Tree" will collide.
Georgia's distinguishability list is one of the most explicit in the country: articles, entity types, abbreviations, phonetic spellings, "and" versus the ampersand, punctuation, plurals, and suffixes are all disregarded. In practice, only a genuinely different key word separates two names on the Secretary of State's records — cosmetic edits will not clear a conflict.
If your name includes a regulated word — banking terms need the Department of Banking and Finance, insurance terms need the Commissioner of Insurance, and education terms need Georgia's postsecondary authorities — secure that agency approval before filing, because the Corporations Division will hold or reject the filing without it.
Georgia's 30-Day Reservation and Slow Processing Times
Georgia's name reservation costs $35 total — a $25 filing fee plus a $10 service charge — and it is nonrefundable even if every name you list is rejected. The application lets you rank up to three name choices; the state reserves the first one that clears. The hold lasts 30 days or until you file your formation documents, whichever comes first, and renewal means submitting an entirely new application.
The trap is processing time. Nothing at the Georgia Corporations Division is instant: online reservation applications take roughly 5-7 business days, and mailed ones around 15. Since the clock is only 30 days once granted, the practical window between approval and your formation filing is tight — have your Articles of Organization ready to go before you reserve.
For many founders the smarter play is skipping the reservation entirely: the LLC filing itself is $100, and an accepted filing secures the name permanently. Reserve only when you genuinely cannot file yet — for example, while waiting on an agency approval or a partner's signature.
County Trade Names and Georgia's Approval-Required Words
Georgia has no statewide DBA. A trade name is filed at the county level with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of your principal office, and the certificate must then be published in the county's legal-organ newspaper. All-in costs vary by county but typically land around $150-$170 including publication — confirm the exact figure with your county clerk before budgeting.
Because trade-name records are scattered across 159 counties, a county DBA gives you no statewide protection and is easy for others to miss in a search. If the brand matters, form an entity under the name with the Secretary of State or pursue a trademark rather than relying on the county filing.
Finally, watch Georgia's approval-required words. Banking terms go through the Department of Banking and Finance, insurance terms through the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, and education terms through the state's postsecondary authorities. Build those clearances into your timeline — they run on agency schedules, not eCorp's.
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