Louisiana Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in Louisiana. Validate Louisiana naming rules instantly, then search the Secretary of State's records free through geauxBIZ — the one state that screens names phonetically, not just by spelling.
Validate the name format, then search the official Louisiana Secretary of State — Commercial Search (geauxBIZ) records.
1.Search the state registry (Louisiana Secretary of State — Commercial Search (geauxBIZ)) 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
Holds the name for
60 days, extendable twice by 30 days free (about 120 days maximum)
How to file
Form 398 (Name Reservation — Corporation, LLC, L3C and Partnership) via geauxBIZ or mail
The initial hold is 60 days. Two 30-day extensions are granted free "for good cause," so the practical maximum is about 120 days — it is not a flat 120-day reservation.
How Business Name Availability Works in Louisiana
Louisiana runs its business filings through geauxBIZ, the Secretary of State's online portal, and its commercial database search is free. The search covers corporations, LLCs, and registered trade names — all three matter in Louisiana, because the state checks your proposed name against every one of those categories before it will accept a filing.
Louisiana's availability test is unusually strict: names are compared by various spellings and phonetically, not just letter-for-letter. "Kwik Kajun Katering" can be rejected because "Quick Cajun Catering" already exists. Your name must be distinguishable from corporate, limited liability company, and trade names previously registered — so when you search, try sound-alike spellings too, not just your exact wording.
Two more Louisiana-specific traps: an entity name may not contain the phrase "doing business as" or the abbreviation "d/b/a," and the names of revoked entities stay blocked for 3 years — a name that looks abandoned may still be off-limits. As everywhere, name acceptance by the Secretary of State confers no trademark rights, so pair your geauxBIZ search with a USPTO check.
Louisiana Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "L.L.C.", "L.C." or "Limited Liability Company"
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Ltd." or "Incorporated"
- • Must be distinguishable from corporate, limited liability company, and trade names previously registered — and Louisiana checks by various spellings and phonetically, not just exact text
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by Louisiana Revised Statutes § 12:1306 (LLCs)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — requires approval from the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions
- • "Trust" — implies trust-company powers — Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions review needed
- • "Insurance" — regulated by the Louisiana Department of Insurance — extra wording or approval required
- • "Credit Union" — restricted to chartered credit unions under Louisiana financial-institution law
- • "Engineer" — implies licensed engineering services — LAPELS (the Louisiana engineering board) licensure applies
- • "Doing Business As" — Louisiana entity names may not contain the phrase "doing business as" or the abbreviation "d/b/a"
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in Louisiana
Use the tool above to open the Louisiana Secretary of State — Commercial Search (geauxBIZ) search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Louisiana screens proposed names by various spellings and phonetically — a name that sounds like an existing corporate, LLC, or trade name can be rejected even if it is spelled differently.
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the Louisiana 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.
Louisiana lets you reserve a name for 60 days, extendable twice by 30 days free (about 120 days maximum) for $25 — Form 398 (Name Reservation — Corporation, LLC, L3C and Partnership) via geauxBIZ or mail.
What Registering a Name Costs in Louisiana
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $100 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $35 | Yearly |
| Name reservation | $25 | Holds the name 60 days, extendable twice by 30 days free (about 120 days maximum) |
| Trade Name Registration | Louisiana registers trade names at the state level: file a Trade Name, Trademark and Service Mark Registration with the Secretary of State for $75. There is no parish-level DBA filing. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
Search the Louisiana Secretary of State's commercial database free through the geauxBIZ portal. The search covers corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and registered trade names. Because Louisiana screens names by various spellings and phonetically, also search sound-alike variants of your name — a phonetic conflict can block your filing even when the exact spelling looks available.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Louisiana?
A Louisiana name reservation costs $25, filed on Form 398 (Name Reservation — Corporation, LLC, L3C and Partnership) through geauxBIZ or by mail. The hold runs 60 days, and the Secretary of State grants up to two free 30-day extensions for good cause — so the practical maximum is about 120 days, not a flat 120-day term.
What suffix does a Louisiana LLC name need?
Louisiana Revised Statutes § 12:1306 requires an LLC name to contain "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "L.C." The statute lists the punctuated forms. The name may not contain words implying it is a corporation, and no Louisiana entity name may include the phrase "doing business as" or the abbreviation "d/b/a."
Why was my Louisiana name rejected when the search looked clear?
Two Louisiana quirks cause this. First, the state checks names by various spellings and phonetically — a name that sounds like an existing corporate, LLC, or trade name is not distinguishable, even spelled differently. Second, the names of revoked entities stay blocked for 3 years after revocation, so a company that no longer appears active can still hold its name. Search sound-alike variants and, if in doubt, reserve the name for $25 before building the brand.
How do I register a DBA (trade name) in Louisiana?
File a Trade Name, Trademark and Service Mark Registration with the Louisiana Secretary of State for $75. Unlike most states, Louisiana handles this at the state level — there is no parish-level DBA filing. A registered trade name also counts in the state's distinguishability check, so it blocks later filers from registering a confusingly similar name.
How much does a Louisiana LLC cost to form and maintain?
Filing Articles of Organization for a Louisiana LLC costs $100 through geauxBIZ. After formation, every Louisiana LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State for $35, due each year on the anniversary of formation. Add $25 if you reserve the name first and $75 if you register a separate trade name.
Related Tools
LA LLC Tax & Fee Calculator
Estimate your LouisianaLLC's filing fee, annual report costs, and recurring state charges before you form.
Louisiana Quarterly Tax Calculator
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Name taken? Generate unique, memorable alternatives for your Louisiana 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 Louisiana Names Through geauxBIZ
The Secretary of State's geauxBIZ portal is the front door for Louisiana business filings, and its commercial database search is free. Search results include corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and registered trade names — check all of them, because Louisiana tests your name against trade names as well as entity names.
Because Louisiana screens phonetically, run several passes: your exact name, common misspellings, and sound-alike variants (K for C, "Xpress" for "Express," "Geaux" for "Go"). A name that looks clear on an exact-match search can still be refused if it sounds like something already on file.
A clear search is not a guarantee. The name is only secured when your Articles of Organization ($100 for an LLC) are accepted through geauxBIZ, or when you lock it down first with a $25 reservation. Louisiana LLCs then file a $35 annual report each year on the anniversary of formation.
Louisiana Checks Names Phonetically — and Other Naming Rules
Under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 12:1306, an LLC name must contain "limited liability company," "L.L.C.," or "L.C." — note that the statute lists the punctuated abbreviations. Corporations must include "Corporation," "Incorporated," or "Limited" (or an abbreviation); "Company" or "Co." is allowed only when it is not immediately preceded by "and" — "Boudreaux and Company" fails, "Boudreaux Company" passes.
The distinguishability standard reaches further than most states: your name must differ from corporate, limited liability company, and trade names previously registered, checked by various spellings and phonetically. Swapping a K for a C, dropping a space, or changing the designator will not clear a conflict.
Two hard prohibitions round out the rules: no Louisiana entity name may contain "doing business as" or "d/b/a," and the name of a revoked entity remains unavailable for 3 years after revocation. If your dream name belonged to a company the state shut down last year, you are still waiting.
Trade Names (DBAs) Are a State Filing in Louisiana
If your Louisiana LLC or corporation will operate under a brand different from its legal name, register the trade name with the Secretary of State — not the parish. The filing is the Trade Name, Trademark and Service Mark Registration, and it costs $75.
Registered Louisiana trade names do real work: because the state's distinguishability test covers trade names, your registration blocks later filers from taking a confusingly similar entity or trade name. That is stronger protection than a DBA gives you in most states, where assumed names are recorded without any conflict check.
Registration still is not a trademark. For enforceable brand rights beyond Louisiana's registry, form an entity under the name or register a mark with the USPTO — especially if you plan to sell outside the state.
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