All business entities are asked to follow the state’s naming guidelines, which emphasize performing an Iowa LLC name search.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to do an Iowa LLC name check. In addition to following the naming standards, you must ensure that your chosen business name is exclusively and solely used by your company.

It is extremely important to complete an Iowa business name search prior to submitting all the necessary paperwork to form an LLC; this is the first yet most essential step of forming a company. Therefore, make sure to choose a business name that complies with the naming guidelines in Iowa.  

You may look through the list of business entities in Iowa through the use of beneficial tools like the Iowa Business Search. With this website, you will be able to see all business names in the state and see if you can use your preferred LLC name. 

It is simple to do an effective Iowa LLC search. To begin, type your name into the search box and avoid including phrases like “LLC.” This will eventually show you businesses with names similar to the one you’ve picked. 

After conducting an Iowa LLC name search and verifying the Business Entity Records, it was discovered that your chosen name was already in use. So, what are your next steps?

If your Iowa LLC is already registered, your only option is to create a new legal name. Keep in mind that your company name should not be too close to the one you choose earlier. Then, once you’ve decided on a legal business name that meets the state’s naming requirements, reserve it.

This step may become increasingly problematic for international LLCs.

Although your LLC’s original name may be recognized in other states, due to Iowa’s naming restrictions, you may need to come up with a new name.

Another important step before incorporating an LLC is finding a good domain name that is associated with your chosen business name. This minor step serves to ensure that potential clients may find your company via a simple online search.

You may search through the long list of domains on the websites of domain registrars such as GoDaddy. That being said, you’ll be able to discover a URL that exactly matches your entity name.

Business names can be reserved for a term of 120 days that is non-renewable. When the business name reservation expires, you may renew it if you have yet to incorporate your company organization using the reserved name.

You may reserve your name either online or by mail, each with its own set of benefits. While filing online will result in a higher fee, your application will be expedited and given particular consideration. If you want to save money on filing fees, you can consider submitting a printed application by mail instead.

While it is simple and clear to establish an LLC name in Iowa, there are other aspects to keep in mind when naming your entity. Before you make a final decision regarding your company’s name, it is best to perform extensive research– that includes a trademark and social media check. As a result, this step will be confirming that you have the legal right to use your selected company name.

To prevent possible costly complications, conduct a trademark search before registering your business name and associated terms or symbols. The fact that another company has registered your preferred business name as a trademark does not exclude you from utilizing it.

To avoid inadvertently infringing on anyone’s intellectual property rights, it’s critical to figure out who’s using the name, what business they’re in, and where they’re located.

In brief, the following steps should be taken:

1. Conduct a trademark search in Iowa to see whether another firm in your state is already using your LLC’s name or any related slogan or logos.
2. Search the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s databases and verify if other registered trademarks may appear to hold similar names as your chosen company name.

Although it is crucial to choose a web domain name that matches your organization’s identity, it is equally necessary to make sure that it is available on all social networking sites. You may search for your company’s name on all major social networks and use tools like Namecheckr to scan them all at once.

Coming up with your Iowa LLC name is the first step in forming your new business. You can move forward with the next steps as long as the name is unique and different from the rest of the business entities in Iowa.

After performing an Iowa entity search and finalizing your business name, you may need to pick a domain name that matches it to help your clients find your LLC on the web.  

Then you can do an Iowa LLC name reservation and set yourself apart from your competitors. Next, you will be able to proceed with the remaining steps of your business formation.