Check if a business name is taken
Pick the state, type the name, and see whether a company is already on file with it. Free for all 50 states and D.C. Then confirm it on the state's own search before you file.
Independent guide. Not a government agency. A check here can't reserve a name.
How the check works
We strip the ending
"Cedar Hollow Bakery LLC" and "Cedar Hollow Bakery, Inc." are the same name to most states, so the check compares the words before the ending.
We look for the name on file
Where a state publishes its business records, we search that file. For the other states a third-party name-check service answers. Results are kept for 24 hours so repeat checks are quick.
You confirm it with the state
Every result points you to the state's official search. That search is the record that counts, and it takes about a minute.
What each result means
- No match found
- No record with that name turned up. A good sign, not an approval. Confirm it on the official search.
- Similar name on file
- A very close name exists: a plural, different punctuation, or the same name on a dissolved company. The state may treat it as the same name, so compare the two or pick something more distinctive.
- Looks taken
- An active record already uses the name. Change a distinctive word. Changing only "LLC" to "Inc." won't help.
- Couldn't check live
- The live check didn't answer. Use the state's official search directly.
What the check can't tell you
- Whether the state will accept the name. Each state has its own rule for how different two names must be.
- Filings from the last few days. State files are updated daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the state.
- Trademarks. A free company name can still clash with a registered or unregistered trademark.
- Restricted words. Words like "Bank", "Trust" or "University" usually need approval from a state agency first.
- Trade names in every state. Some states keep assumed names (DBAs) at the county level, outside the state file.
Check a name by state
States marked "guide" have a full step-by-step guide to the official search as well.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Common questions
Does a "no match" result mean I can use the name?
No. It means our check found no record with that name. The state decides when it reviews your filing, and it may also reject names that are too close to an existing one or that use a restricted word.
Can I reserve a name here?
No. Only the state can reserve or register a name. Most states offer a paid name reservation, and forming the company registers the name.
Is a business name the same as a trademark?
No. Registering a company name in one state does not give you trademark rights, and a name that is free in your state can still infringe someone’s trademark. Search the federal trademark database at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as well.
Do I have to check every state?
Only the states where the company will be formed or registered to do business. Company names are approved state by state, so the same name can belong to different companies in different states.
Why does the result name a state file for some states?
A few states publish their business records as open data, and for those we search the state’s own file and show how often it is updated. For the other states we ask a third-party name-check service. Either way the result is preliminary.