Ohio Business Name Checker
Check if your business name is available in Ohio. Validate OH naming rules instantly, then search the Secretary of State's records free through Ohio Business Central — home of a 180-day name reservation and no annual report at all.
Validate the name format, then search the official Ohio Secretary of State — Business Search records.
1.Search the state registry (Ohio Secretary of State — Business 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
$39
Holds the name for
180 days
How to file
Form 534B, filed online at Ohio Business Central or by mail (ORC 1701.05(E) and 1706.07(E))
Transferring a reservation costs $25 and cancelling costs $25. Form 534B does not provide a renewal option — practice on re-reserving an expiring name varies, so confirm with the Secretary of State before relying on it.
How Business Name Availability Works in Ohio
Ohio names are searched free through the Secretary of State's business search and filed through Ohio Business Central, the state's online filing portal. Ohio is one of the friendliest big states for founders on cost: the Articles of Organization run $99, and there is no annual report for LLCs — once formed, the state charges nothing to keep the entity alive.
The naming standard under ORC 1706.07 is "distinguishable upon the record," with unusually specific mechanics: punctuation, articles, and entity suffixes do not make names different, but word order and phonetic spelling do. Ohio's designator list is also permissive — alongside "limited liability company," "LLC," and "L.L.C.," a bare "limited," "ltd.," or "ltd" satisfies the statute.
Two more Ohio specifics: the name reservation is $39 for 180 days (Form 534B) — among the longest holds in the country — and if a similar name blocks you, the existing entity can sign a free Consent for Use of Similar Name (Form 590) to let your filing through. For DBAs, Ohio runs a unique two-track system of exclusive trade names and non-exclusive fictitious names.
Ohio Business Name Requirements
✓ Name Requirements
- • LLCs must include "LLC", "L.L.C.", "Limited Liability Company", "Ltd.", "Ltd" or "Limited"
- • Corporations must include "Inc.", "Corp.", "Co." or "Incorporated"
- • Must be distinguishable upon the record from every registered and reserved name — punctuation, articles, and entity suffixes do not distinguish, but word order and phonetic spelling do (ORC 1706.07)
- • Cannot suggest a government affiliation
- • Cannot be misleading about business purpose
- • Governed by Ohio Revised Code § 1706.07 (LLCs) and § 1701.05 (corporations)
✗ Restricted Words
- • "Bank" — requires approval from Ohio's financial-institution regulators (Division of Financial Institutions)
- • "Trust" — implies fiduciary powers — Division of Financial Institutions approval needed
- • "Insurance" — requires clearance from the Ohio Department of Insurance
- • "Credit Union" — restricted to chartered credit unions under Ohio financial-institution law
- • "University" — words implying a college or university can require approval from Ohio's higher-education authorities
- • "Olympic" — federally protected under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
How to Check Name Availability in Ohio
Use the tool above to open the Ohio Secretary of State — Business Search search and look up existing LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. Ohio's 180-day name reservation is among the longest in the country, and Ohio LLCs file no annual report at all — the $99 formation fee is essentially the whole state bill.
Search the USPTO database at uspto.gov — clearing the Ohio 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.
Ohio lets you reserve a name for 180 days for $39 — Form 534B, filed online at Ohio Business Central or by mail (ORC 1701.05(E) and 1706.07(E)).
What Registering a Name Costs in Ohio
| Filing | State Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation filing | $99 | One-time |
| Annual report / recurring fee | $0 | — |
| Name reservation | $39 | Holds the name 180 days |
| Trade Name or Fictitious Name Registration | Ohio runs a two-track system on Form 534A ($39, 5-year term, $25 renewal): a Trade Name is exclusive and must be distinguishable, while a Fictitious Name is a mere disclosure filing with no exclusivity — duplicates are allowed. | |
State filing fees as of 2026. See the Ohio 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 Ohio for free?
Search the Ohio Secretary of State's business search, which is free and covers registered entities, trade names, and reserved names. Check close variants as well as exact matches: Ohio treats word order and phonetic spelling as distinguishing, so legally separate names can look very similar. Filings themselves go through Ohio Business Central, the Secretary of State's online portal, where the Articles of Organization cost $99.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Ohio?
An Ohio name reservation costs $39 and holds the name for 180 days — one of the longest reservation periods in the country. File Form 534B online through Ohio Business Central or by mail under ORC 1701.05(E) and 1706.07(E). Transferring the reservation costs $25 and cancelling costs $25. The form offers no renewal option, so confirm re-reservation practice with the Secretary of State if you may need more than 180 days.
What suffix does an Ohio LLC name need?
Ohio is more flexible than most states. Under ORC 1706.07(A), an LLC name may contain "limited liability company," "LLC," "L.L.C.," or simply "limited," "ltd.," or "ltd" — a bare "Limited" at the end of the name satisfies the statute. Corporations use "company," "co.," "corporation," "corp.," "incorporated," or "inc." under ORC 1701.05(A).
What is the difference between a trade name and a fictitious name in Ohio?
A trade name is exclusive: it must be distinguishable from existing registrations, and once registered it blocks others from using it. A fictitious name is a disclosure-only filing with no distinguishability check and no exclusivity — duplicates are allowed. Both are filed with the Secretary of State on Form 534A for $39, last five years, and renew for $25. If the brand matters to you, register a trade name; use a fictitious name only when a conflicting registration rules that out.
What if my Ohio name is blocked by a similar existing name?
Ohio offers a Consent for Use of Similar Name, Form 590, which is free. If the entity holding the similar name signs the consent, the Secretary of State will accept your filing even though the names would otherwise fail the distinguishable-upon-the-record test. Also remember what already counts as distinguishable in Ohio: changing the word order or using a phonetic spelling variant can make a blocked name legally available without anyone's consent.
Does Ohio require an annual report for LLCs?
No. Ohio LLCs file no annual report and pay no recurring state maintenance fee — the $99 Articles of Organization is essentially the entire state bill for the life of the entity. That makes Ohio one of the cheapest states in the country to keep an LLC in good standing. Trade name and fictitious name registrations are the exception: those run on five-year terms with a $25 renewal.
Related Tools
OH LLC Tax & Fee Calculator
Estimate your OhioLLC's filing fee, annual report costs, and recurring state charges before you form.
Ohio Quarterly Tax Calculator
Calculate the estimated quarterly taxes you'll owe as a Ohio business owner or freelancer.
Business Name Generator
Name taken? Generate unique, memorable alternatives for your Ohio 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 Ohio Business Central and the Secretary of State Records
The Ohio Secretary of State's free business search covers registered entities, trade names, and reserved names. Search the key words of your proposed name and review near matches carefully: because word order and phonetic spelling count as distinguishing in Ohio, the records can contain names that look confusingly close to yours yet were validly registered.
When you find a clear name, Ohio gives you an unusually long runway: Form 534B reserves it for 180 days for $39, filed online at Ohio Business Central or by mail under ORC 1701.05(E) and 1706.07(E). You can transfer the reservation to someone else for $25 or cancel it for $25. One caveat — the form has no renewal option, so if you need more time, confirm re-reservation practice with the Secretary of State before your window closes.
Formation is a one-time $99 for the Articles of Organization, and that is essentially the whole state bill: Ohio LLCs file no annual report, making it one of the cheapest states in the country to maintain an entity.
What Counts as Distinguishable in Ohio (and Form 590 Consent)
Ohio's "distinguishable upon the record" test has sharp edges. Changing punctuation, adding "the," or swapping "LLC" for "Inc." does not make a name different. But Ohio explicitly treats word order and phonetic spelling as distinguishing — "Buckeye River Trading" and "River Buckeye Trading" can coexist, as can "Kwik" and "Quick" variants.
The designator rules in ORC 1706.07(A) are broader than most states: an LLC may use "limited liability company," "LLC," "L.L.C.," or simply "limited," "ltd.," or "ltd." Corporations use "company," "co.," "corporation," "corp.," "incorporated," or "inc." under ORC 1701.05(A). Words implying banking, insurance, or credit-union status need the relevant Ohio regulator's blessing.
If the name you want is blocked by a similar existing name, Ohio offers a clean escape hatch: the existing entity can sign a Consent for Use of Similar Name (Form 590), which is free to file. With consent on record, the Secretary of State will accept a name that would otherwise fail the distinguishability test.
Trade Names vs. Fictitious Names: Ohio's Two-Track DBA System
Ohio is the rare state with two kinds of DBA, and the difference matters. A Trade Name registration is exclusive: the name must be distinguishable from existing registrations, and once registered, it blocks others from taking it. A Fictitious Name registration is a pure disclosure filing — no distinguishability check, no exclusivity, and duplicates are allowed.
Both use the same paperwork: Form 534A, a $39 fee, a five-year term, and a $25 renewal. If your brand matters, register it as a trade name — you get name protection roughly equivalent to what an entity name enjoys. Use a fictitious name only when the trade-name route is unavailable, for example because a similar name already exists.
Either way, a DBA registration is state-level in Ohio — there is no county filing — and neither track substitutes for a federal trademark if you plan to operate beyond Ohio's borders.
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.