All LLCs are required to perform an Idaho Secretary of State business search in order to meet certain naming standards before incorporating an LLC.
The purpose of our guide is to teach you how to find your desired LLC name and make sure that it is available for you to use in your state. Along with adhering to the Idaho Secretary of State’s standards, it is important to guarantee that the entity name you choose is solely utilized by your firm.
1. Discover the Guidelines to Name Your LLC
Before completing your Idaho business name search, we suggest that you double-check that your LLC name follows the state’s guidelines.
The first and most vital step of forming your LLC is to come up with a unique business entity name. Make sure that you select a name that meets the requirements for naming a limited liability company in Idaho.
In brief, the naming requirements go as follows:
- In the name of your entity, you must use the abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.) or "limited liability company."
- It is crucial to avoid causing misunderstandings between your LLC and governmental organizations such as the Treasury when naming your firm.
- If you want to include restricted terms in your company name, such as Bank or Attorney, you may be needed to submit additional paperwork or hire the services of a licensed professional, such as a lawyer.
2. Do an Idaho LLC Name Search
Before submitting your name reservation request, we suggest you perform an Idaho LLC name check using the Idaho LLC Name Search.
To perform an effective Idaho LLC lookup, enter the desired name, omitting identifiers such as “LLC.” Thus, this will showcase all the local businesses holding similar names as the one you opt to use.
What To Do If Your Preferred Name Is Unavailable
So you searched the Idaho Company Entity Records and the Idaho Secretary of State’s business database, and there it was: your fictitious name was already in use. So, what are you going to do now?
If you register your LLC in Idaho, your sole option is to develop new legal names. It is critical to remember that your name should not look to be too similar to the one you previously chose. After you’ve selected an LLC name that fits the Secretary of State’s requirements, reserve it as soon as possible.
For foreign business organizations, the procedure may become more challenging.
While your LLC may be already known by its name in other states, you may be unable to use it in Idaho due to name availability. As a result, you’ll need to come up with a “fictitious name,” or one that you can only use in the state.
3. Choose a Web Domain Name
Another aspect to take into account before forming an LLC is finding a domain name that matches your chosen business name. This is a small but critical step. You must guarantee that potential customers may quickly find your firm through a simple search.
You may also search the list of available domain names on popular domain registrars such as GoDaddy for a URL that compliments your chosen LLC name.
Find a Domain Now
4. Reserve Your LLC Name in Idaho
Business names can be booked for a period of four months.
You must complete an application online or by mail to reserve a company name. If you file electronically, you must first register an account on the Secretary of State’s website. To avoid rejection, undertake a thorough search before submitting your application.
A filing fee will be required while reserving your name. Checks should be made payable to the Secretary of State. You must pay an extra processing charge if you file by mail.
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Additional Considerations
While reserving an LLC name is simple, there are additional factors that should be taken into account while coming up with your company name. Our team suggests that you conduct a Trademark and Social Media search before finalizing your LLC name to determine whether it is accessible for usage online. Thus, this step will assist you in making sure that you are eligible to use your desired company name.
Trademark Search
Before registering your business name and associated slogans or emblems, conduct a trademark search to avoid potentially costly lawsuits. Finding out that another entity has trademarked your desired company name does not immediately exclude you from using 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.
The steps are as follows:
- Conduct a 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.
- Search the electronic records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office for any federally registered trademarks linked with your business name.
Social Media Search
While finding a web domain name that matches your business name is vital, it is equally important to ensure that it is available on all social media platforms. You may search for your company’s name on all major social networks and use a tool like Namecheckr to scan the name across all platforms simultaneously.
Conclusion
The first and most important step in forming an LLC in Idaho is deciding on a name. You may proceed as long as the name is acceptable and distinguishable from the other business entities in the state.
After conducting an Idaho Business Entity Search and deciding on an LLC name, you may want to choose a domain name that matches it to help your clients find your company online.
You may distinguish yourself from the competition by completing the Idaho LLC name reservation form. Securing your chosen business entity name might help you with the following stages in establishing your company in Idaho.
- Choose your Idaho LLC name. The LLC name you choose must comply with the Secretary of State’s naming rules and regulations.
- Choose a registered agent. All businesses must assign an agent who administers the serving of process. You can choose a person or an organization that is willing to take responsibility for legal papers on behalf of your LLC.
- File Articles of Organization. An LLC in Idaho is formed by obtaining a Certificate of Organization of Limited Liability Company with the Idaho Secretary of State.
- Prepare an Operating Agreement. This is a document that outlines how the LLC will function, how it will be administered, and each employee’s rights and responsibilities.
- 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.
- Submit annual reports. All Idaho LLCs that do business must file an annual report with the Secretary of State. The annual report is submitted online by the end of the anniversary month of the LLC. There are no filing costs.
In order to meet the Secretary of State’s naming requirements, the name of your LLC must include:
- Limited Liability Company
- LLC
- L.L.C.
Your company’s name must not include terms that suggest that it was founded for a reason other than that stated in its articles of incorporation.
To modify your Idaho LLC’s Certificate of Organization, you must file an Amendment to Certificate of Organization with the Idaho Secretary of State. You must also pay the online filing charge of $30 or the paper filing fee of $50, depending on how you submit.
It is essential that the name of your LLC be distinct from the names of any current businesses on file with the Idaho Secretary of State. To ensure that your preferred name is available, you may perform a free name search on their website.
- The Idaho Secretary of State costs $100 for online filing and $120 for postal filing of the Certificate of Organization.
- To carry out an Idaho LLC name reservation, it will cost you $20.
Idaho doesn’t require LLCs to renew their name, but it is highly recommended in case it doesn’t match the product or services you offer.
By obtaining a DBA, all businesses in Idaho are obliged by law to properly register their trade names.
What's Next?
Now that you have your entity name, it's time to take the next steps to establish your Idaho LLC. Check out our full guide on how to form an LLC in Idaho, where we can guide you every step of the way.
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