The guidelines provided by the Secretary of State require all companies to perform a California business entity name search prior to establishing an LLC.

The guide’s sole purpose is to help you in figuring out if you are able to use your desired business entity name in California. While it is critical to take the state regulations into account before finalizing your LLC name, your extensive research is there to make sure that the name is unique and that none of the other companies in California have taken it.

Before deciding on your business entity name, we strongly advise that you double-check that it complies with the state’s requirements.

In fact, the first and most essential step of the process is coming up with a business name. It’s critical to remember that you should pick an LLC name that meets California’s guidelines and can be easily found online by your potential customers.

You may look at the Entity Search in order to check the California LLC name availability of your desired entity name. 

Consequently, to perform a fruitful California LLC search, pick the right “Search Type,” then enter the name that you aim to use, omitting identifiers such as “LLC.” This will return all entities with names that are the same or similar. If your company name consists of several words, you can limit your search to the first two words to ensure that you find all possible similar names.

To avoid rejection, our team suggests that you perform your California LLC lookup thoroughly before completing your paperwork.

You performed the California business search and there it was – your preferred name was already in use. So, what’s next?

If you form your LLC in California, your only option is to think creatively and come up with a new legal name. It is critical to remember that your name should not look to be too similar to the one you previously chose. After you’ve picked a distinctive and legal LLC name, reserve it as soon as feasible.

Whereas for foreign entities, the procedure may become more difficult.

While your LLC’s name may be well-known in other states, due to the name availability requirement, you may be unable to use it in California. As a result, you’ll need to create a “fictitious name,” or one that can only be used in the state.

Choosing the appropriate domain name to match your business name is a substantial aspect to take into account. This minor detail can significantly affect your potential customer’s ability to find your company online.

Moreover, you can check the availability of your desired web domain name by searching the domain registry of your choice, including GoDaddy.

All LLC naming questions and requests are managed by California’s Secretary of State’s Business Entities Division. The state enables 60-day business name reservations. 

The California LLC name reservation can be renewed, but only once every 60 days. Each 60-day period must be separated by at least one day. At the moment, only applications submitted by mail or in person at the Secretary of State’s Sacramento or Los Angeles regional offices are accepted. There is no way to email or reserve a business name online.

You must pay a filing fee when reserving your name. Make checks payable to the “Secretary of State.” In-person drop-off applications are subject to an additional special handling fee, which must be paid separately by check.

Apart from your state’s naming guidelines, there are other substantial factors that you should take into account when choosing your business name. Apart from the California LLC name search, extensive research is always helpful; thus, our team suggests that you perform thorough research through Social Media and Trademarks, and you can rest assured that you are able to take your desired business name.

Searching for a trademark will assist you in developing several aspects of your business, including the name, logo, and even a slogan. It will also allow you to avoid costly and potentially costly litigation. As a result, discovering that other business entities have trademarked the name that you have chosen does not automatically preclude you from taking it.

However, identifying the limited liability company that holds your desired entity name, as well as their industry and location, is critical to ensuring that you do not inadvertently violate the business owner’s property rights.

The steps for conducting a trademark search are as follows:

1. Check the California Secretary of State’s website for trademark records to see if your chosen name or associated slogan is already in use by another entity in California.
2. Search the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s records for local trademarks associated with your potential business entity name.

Finally, it is critical to have a memorable and readily available business name on social media platforms. This is possible with the help of online tools such as Namecheckr, which allows you to search across all social media platforms at the same time.

The first and most important step in forming an LLC in Alaska is deciding on a name. You may proceed as long as the name is legal and distinguishable from the other California LLC companies in the state.

After conducting a California Entity Search and deciding on an LLC name, you may want to choose a domain name that complements it to help your clients find your firm online.

You may distinguish yourself from the competition simply by completing the California LLC name reservation form. Securing your chosen business entity name might help you with the next stages in establishing your company in California.