Before creating a North Carolina LLC, all firms should do a North Carolina Business Name Search.
In this North Carolina Secretary of State Business Search tutorial, we’ll teach you how to verify LLC name availability.
Go Ahead:
Stick to the North Carolina Naming Guidelines.
Search for Available Domain Names in North Carolina Reserve Your North Carolina Business Entity Name
1. Follow the North Carolina Naming Guidelines while searching for entities in North Carolina.
Before finishing your business name search, we suggest double-checking that your company name complies with the standards.
The first and most critical step in forming your North Carolina LLC is deciding on a name. Make certain that the name you chose conforms with North Carolina naming rules 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 business name search in North Carolina.
Before submitting your name reservation request, you may verify the availability of your selected name using North Carolina’s Business Entity Search. To conduct the most effective search, enter the desired name, eliminating identifiers such as “LLC,” and leave all other fields blank. 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 thorough search before submitting your application.
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 North Carolina business entity.
The Secretary of State’s Business Registration Division in North Carolina handles all LLC name inquiries and requests. Business names may be reserved for a period of 120 days. This name reservation will not be renewed.
You must complete an application online or by mail to reserve a company name. If you file online, you must first establish an account and then upload the application. A link to Upload a New Name Reservation may be found under PDF Filing.
You must pay a filing fee while reserving your name. 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:
Search North Carolina’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. After you’ve discovered your ideal name using North Carolina’s Business Entity Search, you’ll want to obtain your domain name so that your clients can find you online. Using an Application to Reserve a Business Entity Name to reserve your name can help you stand out from the crowd. With your name acquired, you may proceed to the following stages in forming your North Carolina LLC.