How to Verify Your Business Name

Legally, two registered names cannot be exactly the same in a state. Even if a company with the desired name is a different business entity than yours (such as “Inc.” instead of “LLC”), you cannot register with that name. You`ll see a list of all businesses registered in West Virginia that use the keywords you`ve entered into their business name. You can organize results by organization name, database administrator, name change, registrations, and reservations. An application for registration, formerly known as a certificate of authority, is filed by a foreign corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability company, trade association, or other foreign entity as listed in Section 9.001 of the Texas Business Organizations Code if the corporation operates in Texas. Filing an application for registration gives a foreign depositary authority the authority to do business in Texas. However, the need to apply for registration depends on the nature and scope of the company`s activities in Texas. In addition, a foreign company may need to file an application for registration with the Secretary of State to comply with other government legal requirements. A general internet search will help you assess whether another company has established a strong internet presence with the name of the company you want to use. A business that uses your name online may have established trademark rights under common law or state name law, and may already have domain names and social media profiles that match the company`s name, making it harder for you to market your business with the same name.

In addition, if two companies belong to the same business category, they cannot have substantially similar names – including names that imply affiliation. For example, if there`s a grocery store in your state called “Big Food Market,” you`ll probably have a hard time approving the suggested name “Big Food Mart” for your grocery store. If a limited partnership registered as a limited liability partnership (LLLP) uses an assumed name in Texas, the partnership must file two certificates of subscription with the Secretary of State. The SQ must submit one certificate, and a second certificate must be submitted for LLLP registration. See Form 503 (Word, PDF). The partnership must also submit certificates of accepted names at the county level. Tex. Bus. & Com.

Code §§ 71.101, § 71.103(b)-(c). No. Chapter 71 of the Texas Business & Commerce Code does not allow the rejection of an accepted name certificate due to a name conflict. As a result, multiple accepted name certificates for exactly the same name may be filed with the Secretary of State. An assumed name certificate provides information about the identity and location of the underlying company. It does not give the declarant the right to use the adopted name in a manner contrary to law, contrary to the lawful use of the name by others, and it does not prevent anyone from registering the same adopted name or using the name to create a new entity with the Secretary of State. It is the responsibility of each business entity to protect its name and goodwill. Businesses registered in Maryland that use the words you entered in their business name are displayed. If you have filed a certificate of the adopted name with the Secretary of State or a county official and no longer carry on business under that assumed name, you may file a declaration of abandonment. The result is a list of businesses that use the company name or keyword you entered as all or part of their business name in Alabama.

Note that Alabama is the only state in the United States that requires a name reservation before registering your business. Before you start ordering signs and business cards, make sure your name isn`t already being used by another company. If you choose a name that is already in use, you will have difficulty starting a business unit and you may infringe the trademarks of another company. When your state and federal search is complete, you`ll know that your business name is legally clear. However, it`s worth searching for the company`s name on Google before calling it a tag. Many places require businesses operating under a fictitious name to register a business name with the city or county. By checking these DBA records, you can find out if there is another company in your area that uses the name you want to use. At the end of the day, it`s not necessarily about owning the only brand of its kind in the world, but about laying the foundation for good advertising. If you discover that there is a local bakery in Paris with the same name that you want to use for a wedding planning service in New York, that shouldn`t stop you from using it. As long as there is no confusion for your audience, it doesn`t matter if the name is used in a different geographic location or market.

If you want to protect your company name from use by others, you must register it with your country`s trademark office.