All businesses must conduct a Colorado LLC name search before forming an LLC.
Our guide is intended to assist you to check your Colorado LLC name availability. While it is critical to select a business name in accordance with the state’s guidelines, make certain that no other entity in Colorado is using it.
1. Discover the Guidelines for Naming an LLC
Our team recommends that you ensure that your LLC name satisfies the state’s guidelines before finalizing the business name.
In fact, deciding on a business name is the first and most crucial step in establishing an LLC. Make sure to pick an LLC name that complies with Colorado’s needs and that it is easily searched by your potential clients.
In brief, the naming guidelines go as follows:
- Your business entity name must mention the abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.) or “limited liability company”.
- Make sure your name doesn’t include words that can raise confusion between your LLC and a government agency, such as the FBI and the State Department.
- Additional paperwork or a licensed individual– like a lawyer or doctor– may be required if your name includes restricted words, such as University and Bank.
2. Conduct a Colorado LLC Name Search
Use the Colorado LLC name search before submitting your Colorade LLC name reservation request. If the name you choose for your business is already taken, the website will direct you to the Colorado Business Database.
To carry out an effective Colorado LLC lookup, enter the desired name, omitting identifiers such as “LLC.” This will return any entities with names that are the same or similar.
What To Do If Your Preferred Name Is Unavailable
So you went through the Colorado Business Entity Records and conducted your Colorado Secretary of State business search, and there it was: your fictitious name was already in use. So, what should you do now?
If you register your LLC in Colorado, your only choice is to brainstorm and come up with a new legal name. It is important to note that your name should not appear to be particularly close to the one you previously picked. Next, once you’ve found an LLC name that meets the Secretary of State’s standards, reserve it as quickly as possible.
The procedure may grow more difficult for international business organizations.
Although your LLC may be well-known by its name in other states, you may be unable to use it in Colorado due to name availability. As a result, you’ll need to carry out a new Colorado business search and come up with a “fictitious name,” or one that you can only use in the state.
3. Find Web Domain Names
Aside from the Colorado LLC lookup, another important aspect to take into account is whether your chosen business entity name has an available domain name. For instance, it is important to hold a URL that clearly complements your LLC name. This seemingly small detail can majorly impact your potential prospecting clients’ ability to find your LLC online.
In addition, the simplest way to discover whether your desired name is available or not is to search through the domain registry of your choice, such as GoDaddy.
Find a Domain Now
4. Reserve Your LLC Name in Colorado
All LLC name inquiries and requests are managed by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Business Organizations Division.
A Statement of Reservation of Name must be filed online in order to reserve a business name. For 120 days, an available business name can be reserved. You must pay a filing fee while reserving your name.
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Additional Considerations
While reserving your business name is seemingly straightforward, there are certain things to keep in mind while choosing the LLC name that best fits your needs. Extensive research is always helpful; therefore, performing a Social Media and Trademark search is a good idea to ensure that you are able to use your desired business name.
Search Through Trademark
Performing a trademark search can help you create not only a business entity name but also a unique slogan and logo. Additionally, it will allow you to avoid expensive and potential litigation. Thus, finding out that another company has trademarked your LLC name doesn’t mean that you are ineligible to use it.
However, discovering the entity that is using your desired name, what industry they work in, and their current location is crucial to be sure that you don’t accidentally violate the property rights of the business owner.
The steps to complete a trademark search goes as follows:
- In order to discover if your chosen business name, slogan, or logo is used by other entities in Colorado, search the trademark records of the state.
- To find officially registered trademarks that are linked to your desired LLC name, search the electronic records of the U.S. Patent and the Trademark Office.
Search Through Social Media
Similar to the availability of a web domain name for your business, having a unique and available LLC name across all social media platforms is equally important. To do that, you can use various online tools, such as Namecheckr, and you will be able to perform a Colorado LLC name check on all social media platforms at once.
Conclusion
Choosing a name is the first and most significant step in founding an LLC in Colorado. You are fine to proceed as long as the name is lawful and distinct from the remaining business entities in the state.
After doing a Colorado Business Entity Search and deciding on an LLC name, you may wish to pick a domain name that compliments it to assist your clients to discover your business online.
By completing the Colorado LLC name reservation form, you may set yourself apart from the competitors. Securing your selected business entity name can assist you in the next steps of establishing your firm in Colorado.
- Come up with a name for your business. Make sure that your legal name complies with Colorado’s Secretary of State’s naming requirements before finalizing your documentation.
- Choose a registered agent. Every limited liability company is required to have an agent who manages the serving of process in Colorado; this can be a person or a firm who accepts legal papers on behalf of the business.
- File Articles of Organization. A Colorado LLC is formed by submitting articles of organization to the Colorado Secretary of State. On their website, you may view and download a sample articles of organization form.
- Prepare an Operating Agreement. This is a document that specifies how the LLC will function, how it will be managed, and the rights and obligations of each employee.
- Get an EIN. An EIN is a nine-digit number provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to businesses to assist them to be identified for taxation purposes. It is fundamentally a company’s Social Security number.
- Complete periodic reports. Every year, Colorado LLCs must file a Periodic Report with the Colorado Secretary of State. The report must be filed electronically on the website of the Secretary of State. The filing fee is $10
According to Colorado’s Secretary of State standards, your LLC’s name must include:
- Limited Liability Company,
- LLC or
- L.L.C.
Your company’s name must not contain any terms or phrases that imply or indicate that it was formed for a purpose other than that mentioned in its articles of formation.
Colorado limited liability companies must submit a completed Articles of Amendment form online with the Secretary of State. Also, you will need to pay a $25 filing fee.
A name checker is available on the website of the Colorado Secretary of State. You must provide the full name of your company, including abbreviations such as “LLC” to indicate your legal status. This will help you find out whether your name is available and if you want to search the company database for names that sound similar.
- Filing the Articles of Organization with the Colorado Secretary of State costs $50.
- For $25, you may secure your LLC name with the Colorado Secretary of State.
Colorado requires all businesses to notify the state of any organizational changes. This requires the submission of the necessary papers, known as an amendment. If the modifications are to the Articles of Organization of a business, an amendment must be filed with the state.
In Colorado, you are not obligated by law to use a DBA name. However, if you opt for using a DBA name for professional business purposes, you must register the name.
What's Next?
Now that you have your entity name, it's time to take the next steps to establish your Colorado LLC. Check out our full guide on how to form an LLC in Colorado, where we can guide you every step of the way.
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