Why is it Important to Conduct an Alabama LLC Name Search?
Before establishing an Alabama LLC, all firms should conduct an Alabama Business Name Search.
Including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships (LPs), limited liability partnerships (LLPs), limited liability limited partnerships (LLLPs), and professional organizations, the Alabama Secretary of State provides a mechanism for the general public to search the office.
A search may be done using the name, number, officer, registered agent, incorporator, month, year, date, and registration by ID of the entity. You will have the ability to examine comprehensive information about the entity you have chosen after obtaining the search results.
In the Alabama Secretary of State Business Search tutorial below, we’ll explain how to determine whether an LLC name is available, and how to search llc name availability.
Follow Alabama Naming Guidelines
Before you finish your company name search, we advise checking sure your name complies with the rules.
The first and most crucial step in forming an LLC is selecting a company name. Make sure the name you select conforms with Alabama’s naming regulations and is simple to find online for prospective customers.
Make careful you adhere to these naming rules: Your name must contain the words “limited liability company” or one of its abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.). Restrictive words (e.g., bank, attorney, university) may require additional paperwork and a licensed individual, such as a doctor or lawyer, to be part of your Alabama LLC.
Your name cannot include words that could confuse your Alabama LLC with a government agency.
Do an Alabama Business Name Search
Use the Alabama Business Business Search to see if your preferred entity name is available before submitting your name reservation request. Enter the name of the entity you want to utilize in the search field, leaving off identifiers like “LLC,” for the best results.
All entities with the same or similar names will be returned by this. If you are unable to locate the name in your search, it is likely that it is available for use and has not already been taken.
The website will ask you to conduct this search before completing your form if you decide to file online. To prevent rejection when filing by mail, make sure to thoroughly research your options online before starting your application.
Alabama corporation search name status
If a company is having problems coming up with a good business name, one method to generate ideas is to look through the list of business name search results to see if any expired names might match the company.
For instance, if someone wanted to start a new BBQ restaurant, they could put “BBQ” into the search area, and based on the results for company status, it would then present a list of suggestions:
The status description will offer ideas for potential names to business owners based on how they are classified:
Active/Good standing
This demonstrates the company’s legal legitimacy and the business name availability.
Involuntarily dissolved
The state of Alabama dissolves businesses that have not provided the required paperwork in compliance with Alabama law. If they have been dissolved for more than two years, their company name is public.
For companies that have been dissolved less than two years ago, it is advised to call the Corporation’s Alabama division; they may provide you additional details about business name availability.
Withdrawn
A business name that already exists but has a “Withdrawn” company status may be used by a new business organization.
Expired name
Businesses are given exclusive rights to a name after registering it for five years. If a firm doesn’t renew its corporate entity or if the proprietors don’t renew the business license, the business name may become publicly available.
Search Available Domain Names
Whether or not your preferred web domain name is available should be taken into account while choosing a business name. It’s crucial to have a URL that accurately reflects the name of your company. This apparently insignificant action can have a significant impact on how prospective customers discover your company.
Use your favourite domain registration, such as GoDaddy, to do an internet search to find out if your desired URL is accessible.
Search By Name of Alabama Entity
Step 1
Go to the Alabama Business Entity Search web page first. The only thing you need to input is the business name of the thing you’re looking for, but you can opt to narrow your business entity search by adding the following details: entity type, place of formation, city of principal address, and status.
Step 2
Click the Search button to continue after entering the business name and any additional information you choose to use to narrow down your search. On the following page, a list of results that match will be displayed, including the name, entity ID number (six digits in the format xxx-xxx), type, and status with the Secretary. To view the entity’s complete profile, click the business entity ID in the blue text.
Step 3
The searcher can read the entity’s ID number, kind, principal address, mailing address, place of formation, formation date, qualify date, registered agent name, registered agent street address, nature of company, and more on the next page. Authorized capital, paid capital, the name, address, and postal address of the incorporator, as well as any or all scanned papers.
Search by Entity Number (6 Digits)
Step 1
Enter the six-digit entity number in the format xxx-xxx on the Alabama Business Search website. When looking for a business entity in this way, there is no way to narrow your search results. Click the Search button to continue after entering the information.
Step 2
The searcher can read the entity’s ID number, kind, principal address, mailing address, place of formation, formation date, qualify date, registered agent name, registered agent street address, nature of company, and more on the next page. Authorized capital, paid capital, the name, address, and postal address of the incorporator, as well as any or all scanned papers.
Search By Agent/Officer/Incorporator
Step 1
Visit the Alabama Business Search website and type the last name, first name format of the person who is associated with the company you want to seek up. You can opt to focus your search by adding the officer type and formation location fields.
Step 2
Along with the business entity ID, entity name, officer | agent | incorporator (the person), and the position the person is in, all the entities the person is associated with in the state will be listed on the next page. To view the entity’s complete profile, click the business entity ID in the blue text.
Search by month and year
Step 1
Enter the month and year the corporation was established at the Secretary of State on the Alabama Business Search website to start your search of the company database. For your search to be completed, click the Search button.
Step 2
You’ll be sent to a page that lists all the entities created in the specified month and year in alphabetical order. To view the entity’s complete profile, click the entity ID in the blue text.
Search by date
Step 1
Enter the precise date the entity was founded on the Alabama Business Search website to start your search. If you include the Place of Formation in your search, it will be more focused. To start searching the Alabama Secretary of State’s business database, click the Search button.
Step 2
The results will be presented alphabetically. The date in this case yielded just one (1) result. To view the entity’s complete profile, click the entity ID in the blue text.
Search by reservation
Step 1
Enter the reservation number from the bottom-left corner of your reservation certificate on the Alabama Business Search website (should have been a PDF document you received when creating). The number we’ll use in this illustration was made on July 28th, 2015, and it runs out after ninety (90) days. This is RES696585, please.
Step 2
In this instance, the name was “Apple Pie LLC,” and as you can see, you can examine all the name’s details on the screen that follows after inputting your information.
Reserve Your Alabama Business Entity Name
All inquiries and requests about LLC names are handled by the Secretary of State Business Entities Division of Alabama. To make sure the selected name is accessible for use, Alabama requires all domestic and international LLCs to get a Certificate of Name Reservation before submitting formation forms. You can email or mail a request for this certificate.
There is a filing fee that you must pay in order to reserve your name. Make checks payable to the “Secretary of State” alone. A further $28 cost must be paid by those who are not Alabama Interactive customers in order to submit an online request. The cost of filing by mail is waived.
While reserving your entity name is simple, there are several additional factors you should consider while deciding on the right name for your company. You might wish to check your name on social media and trademark databases to determine whether it can be used online. By doing this, you may make sure that you can use your company name without limitations.
Trademark Search
Before registering, conducting a trademark search on your company name and any related slogans or emblems will help you avoid expensive future lawsuits. If you later learn that another company has trademarked your company name, you are not immediately forbidden from using it.
To ensure you do not unintentionally violate anyone’s intellectual property rights, it is crucial to be aware of who is using the name, what business they are in, and where they are situated.
To complete this step, check Alabama’s trademark records to see if your company name or any associated slogans, logos, or other items are being used by another company in your state. You should also check the electronic records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to see if your company name is connected to any federally registered trademarks.
Social Media Search for Alabama LLC Name Search
Making sure your company name is accessible for usage on social media platforms is just as crucial—if not more so—than choosing a domain name that matches your operation. Using a tool like Namecheckr to simultaneously search across all platforms, look for your company name on all major websites.
How Do I Reserve an LLC Name in Alabama
Finding out if your ideal company name is even available in Alabama is the first step. The Secretary of State’s business entity search tool makes it simple to check state records to determine if your name is already in use. You can start the process of reserving your preferred name with the state after you have established whether it is available.
You may submit a name reservation request online, like many other company files in Alabama, or print off the Name Reservation Request Form and send it in. You must include the following details for both filing procedures:Entity Name to be sought, Entity Type, Mailing Address, Applicant’s Name and Address, Date and Signature, and Payment Method.
After completing this form, you have the option of paying $10 by mail or $28 for online filing. You can pay with a credit card or a cheque made out to the “Office of the Secretary of State” in either situation. You can mail the completed reservation form to the following address if you’re filing via mail:
Business Entities Division P.O. Box 5616 Montgomery, Alabama 36103
FAQ
Should I name my LLC after myself?
Although there is no prohibition against doing so, most professionals advise against it.
One advantage of forming an LLC is the freedom to name your company differently, which may give it a more polished appearance.
What words can’t be used in an Alabama LLC name?
Words that suggest the firm is a banking or financial institution or that it is associated with a municipal, state, or federal government entity name are typically prohibited from being used in business names.
Additionally, Alabama LLC names cannot utilize a professional designation without authorization, use specific banking-related terminology without authorization, or indicate that the LLC was formed with illegal intent.
Do I have to include LLC in my name?
Yes. Limited Liability Company or one of its acronyms (e.g., LLC or L.L.C.) must appear in the legal name of an LLC in Alabama.
Starting a business correctly doesn’t have to be difficult. With over 15 years of experience consulting new businesses and start ups, Matthew is probably the best person to help you set a strong foundation for your business.