Before incorporating a New Hampshire LLC, all firms should do a New Hampshire Business Name Search.
In this NH Secretary of State Business Search tutorial, we’ll teach you how to verify LLC name availability.
Go Ahead:
Adhere to the New Hampshire Naming Guidelines.
Perform a New Hampshire Business Name Search and Look for Available Domain Names
Make a Reservation for Your New Hampshire Business Entity Name
Table of Contents
1. Follow the New Hampshire Naming Guidelines while searching for entities in New Hampshire.
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 New Hampshire 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 LLC’s name cannot include terms that may be confused with a government organization (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 LLC.
2. Conduct a New Hampshire Business Name Lookup
Before submitting your name reservation request, you may verify the availability of your selected name using New Hampshire’s Business Entity Search. Select “Contains,” write in the name you want to use, eliminating identifiers like “LLC,” and leave all other fields blank to run the most efficient search. This will return any entities with names that are the same or similar. 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.
To prevent rejection, undertake a comprehensive search before submitting your papers.
3. Look for 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 New Hampshire business entity.
All LLC name inquiries and requests are handled by New Hampshire’s Secretary of State Corporation Division. Business names may be reserved for a period of 120 days. When the business name reservation expires, you may renew it if you have yet to incorporate your company organization using the reserved name.
Other Things to Consider
In New Hampshire, your LLC name must be distinct from that of other registered business companies in the state. It is a good idea to do more research before submitting your petition.
You should ensure that your name, or one very similar to it, is not being used by unregistered firms such as sole proprietorships or partnerships, that it has not been trademarked by another company in your state or industry, and that it is otherwise accessible for use 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:
Search New Hampshire’s trademark records 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.
Search the digitized records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office for any federally registered trademarks linked with your company name.
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. Once you’ve decided on a name, you’ll want to obtain your domain name so that your consumers can discover your company online. Using a Certificate of 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.