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Company name checker

Check if your company name is available.

Search state registries for LLC and C-Corp name availability in Delaware, Nevada, Wyoming, and Texas - free, in seconds.

Check a company name

Availability for your company name will appear here.

Register your company today with Commenda

Name search, reservation, and formation - handled end to end

What is a company name availability check?

A company name check searches a state's business-entity registry to confirm no other corporation or LLC is already registered under the name you want. Every US state requires a new entity's name to be distinguishable on the record from existing registrations - if your name is taken or confusingly similar, the state rejects your formation filing.

Checking before you file avoids the most common formation delay: preparing documents, paying fees, and being bounced for a name conflict.

How to check company name availability

  1. Enter the name - the brand name itself; the tool accounts for the legal suffix.
  2. Pick the entity type - LLC or C-Corp. The suffix is part of the legal name, so it affects the check.
  3. Choose the state - names are unique per state, not nationally. Check the state where you'll register.
  4. Review the result - available means no conflicting registration was found in that state's registry today.

US company naming rules

Availability is only half the test - the name also has to follow the state's composition rules:

  • Required designator - LLCs must include "LLC," "L.L.C.," or "Limited Liability Company"; corporations must include "Inc.," "Incorporated," "Corporation," or "Company."
  • Restricted words - terms like "Bank," "Trust," "Insurance," or "University" need regulatory approval or licensing in most states.
  • Distinguishability - punctuation, capitalization, and suffix changes don't make a name distinct. "Acme Labs LLC" and "ACME-Labs, L.L.C." are the same name to the registry.
  • No implied affiliation - names can't suggest a government connection ("FBI Consulting Inc." won't pass).

Why Delaware, Nevada, Wyoming, and Texas?

These four states cover the overwhelming majority of new US formations by founders and international companies:

  • Delaware - the default for venture-backed C-Corps: specialized Court of Chancery, predictable case law, and investor familiarity.
  • Wyoming - low fees, no state income tax, and strong privacy protections make it a favorite for LLCs.
  • Nevada - no state corporate income tax and strong liability protections.
  • Texas - the natural home state for businesses operating there, with a large and growing economy.

Registering in one state and operating in another usually means foreign-qualifying where you operate - your name must be available there too, or you'll operate under an assumed name.

Name availability is not trademark protection

A state name check and a trademark search answer different questions. The state registry only controls what legal names can be registered in that state. A federal trademark, searched through the USPTO, protects a brand across the country. Your name can be free in Delaware and still infringe an existing trademark - and someone else can trademark a brand you only registered as a state entity name. If the brand matters, run both checks before committing.

What to do if your name is taken

  • Try a variation - add a distinguishing word or restructure the name. The registry standard is distinguishable-on-the-record, so a meaningful word change usually clears it.
  • Use a DBA - register under a different legal name and operate your brand as a "doing business as" name.
  • Consider another state - names are unique per state; if you're flexible about where to form, the name may be free elsewhere.

Next steps after your name clears

An available name isn't held for you - names are claimed continuously, and the check reflects the registry at this moment. If you're ready, file your formation now; if you need time, reserve the name with the state (Delaware, Texas, and Wyoming hold names for 120 days; Nevada for 90). Commenda handles name reservation, formation, registered agent, EIN, and post-incorporation compliance in one place - in the US and 70+ countries.

Company name questions, answered.

Naming rules, reservations, trademarks, and what to do when the name you want is taken.

Found your name? Incorporate it with Commenda.