Before creating a Maryland LLC, all firms should do a Maryland Business Name Search.
In our Maryland LLC Search tutorial, we’ll teach you how to verify LLC name availability.
Go Ahead:
Use the Maryland Naming Guidelines.
Perform a Maryland Business Name Lookup
Lookup Available Domain Names
Reserve the Name of Your Maryland Business Entity
Table of Contents
Entity Lookup in Maryland
1. Use the Maryland Naming Guidelines.
Before finishing your business name search, we suggest double-checking that your company name complies with the standards.
The first and most significant step in forming your LLC is deciding on a name. Make sure your name conforms with Maryland naming regulations and is readily searched by prospective customers.
Please adhere to the following naming guidelines:
The word “limited liability corporation” or one of its acronyms must be in your name (LLC or L.L.C.).
Your name cannot include terms that might be confused with a government entity (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
Restricted terms (e.g., bank, attorney, university) may need extra documentation and the participation of a licensed professional, such as a doctor or lawyer, in your Maryland LLC.
2. Perform a Maryland Business Name Lookup
You may utilize the Maryland Business Entity Search to verify the availability of your selected name before completing your name reserve request. To do the most effective search, enter the desired name, avoiding identifiers such as “LLC.” This will return any organizations with the same or similar names.
If your company name consists of many words, you may limit your search to the first two words to guarantee that you find all potential comparable names.
3. Lookup Available Domain Names
Another crucial factor to consider when choosing a company name is if the desired web domain name is available. It is critical to have a URL that properly reflects your company name. This apparently little activity may have a significant impact on how potential clients locate your company.
4. Reserve the Name of Your Maryland Business Entity
All LLC name inquiries and requests are handled by Maryland’s Business Express. Business names may be booked for a period of 30 days.
You must file by email or phone to reserve a company name. A filing fee will be required. Checks should be made payable to the “Secretary of State.”
Other Factors to Consider
While reserving the name for your LLC is simple, there are a few more factors to consider while deciding on the right name for your company. You should do a Trademark and Social Media search for your name to see if it is accessible for usage on the internet. This will assist guarantee that you have complete and unlimited usage of your company name.
Search for a Trademark
Before registering your company name and related slogans or emblems, do a trademark search to avoid potential expensive lawsuits. The discovery that another entity has trademarked your company name does not immediately exclude you from utilizing it.
However, it is critical to understand who is using the name, what sector they are in, and where they are situated in order to avoid unwittingly infringing on anyone’s intellectual property rights.
To finish this step:
Perform a Maryland trademark search to determine whether your company’s name or any related slogans, logos, or other identifiers are already in use by another company in your state.
Look across the United States. To locate any federally registered trademarks linked with your company name, search the computerized records of the Patent and Trademark Office.
Search on Social Media
Finding a domain name that matches your company is just as vital, if not more important, than ensuring that your business name is accessible for usage across social networking platforms. You may do this by simply Googling your company name on each major website, or by using a service like Namecheckr to scan across all platforms at once.
In conclusion
Choosing a name for your company is a vital first step in forming a successful LLC, and it is a simple process. After you’ve discovered your ideal name using the Maryland Business Entity Search, you’ll want to obtain your domain name so that your clients can find you online. Using a Company Name Reservation to reserve your name can help you stand out from the crowd. After you’ve obtained your name, you’ll be ready to take the following steps to create your LLC.
