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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.

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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.
Read our FAQ library

Search the business-entity registry of the state where you plan to register. Each US state keeps its own registry, and a name only needs to be unique within that state. This tool runs the check for you in Delaware, Nevada, Wyoming, and Texas - enter the name, pick an entity type and state, and you get the registry result.

Yes. Checking availability is free and takes a few seconds. If the name is available, you can reserve it or incorporate with Commenda.

No. The check is a preliminary search of the state registry. Final approval happens when the state processes your formation filing, and an examiner can still reject a name as too similar to an existing one or for using restricted words. Available today also doesn't mean available next week - names get claimed continuously.

A state name check only confirms no other entity is registered under that name in that state. A trademark protects a brand nationally and is searched separately through the USPTO. Your name can be available in Delaware and still infringe someone's federal trademark - high-stakes brands should run both checks.

Yes. An LLC name must include a designator such as "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company," while a corporation must include "Inc.," "Corporation," "Company," or a similar suffix. States also restrict words like "Bank," "Insurance," or "University" without additional licensing.

States apply a distinguishable-on-the-record standard: punctuation, capitalization, spacing, and entity suffixes don't make a name distinct. "Acme Labs LLC" and "ACME-Labs, L.L.C." are the same name to the registry; "Acme Labs East LLC" is usually distinct.

Yes. Most states let you reserve a name for a fee - Delaware holds a name for 120 days, Texas for 120 days, Nevada for 90 days, and Wyoming for 120 days. Reservation buys time to prepare your formation documents without losing the name.

Only in the state where you register. But if you'll foreign-qualify in other states later (because you operate there), the name must also be available in each of those states - or you'll register there under an assumed name.

Try a distinguishable variation (add a word, change the structure), register under a different legal name and operate with a DBA ("doing business as") for your brand, or pick a different state if you're flexible about where to incorporate. An expert can confirm which route fits your situation.

Found your name? Incorporate it with Commenda.

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