Search for the Perfect Louisiana LLC Name and Register It with the Secretary of State 

Whether you’re searching for the right Louisiana business name or registering your LLC with the LA Secretary of State, we can help. We’ve got all the information you need on a Louisiana business entity search, LLC naming rules, fictitious names and registering your business.

Conduct a Business Entity Search with the Louisiana Secretary of State

Before filing your LLC, you’ll need to check whether there’s already another Louisiana LLC registered with your desired business name. That means completing an LLC search on the Louisiana Secretary of State website using their entity search tool. You can easily look up LA LLCs and corporations by name and other details. 

If the business name is already used, that means it’s not available and you won’t be able to register it. Try searching for a different business name instead.

Louisiana Secretary of State business search tool

LA Secretary of State Rules for Naming Your LLC

Once you’ve decided on a name for your LLC and checked business name availability, you’ll need to meet Louisiana Secretary of State naming rules. These do vary from state to state — we’ve got general naming rules below, as well as naming rules specific to LLC businesses formed in LA.

Your LLC Business Name Must Be Unique

The business name you have chosen cannot be used by any other LLC or corporation in the state of Louisiana. This is why you should check business name availability on the LA SOS website.

Your LLC Business Name Must Not Be Confusable with Another Business Name

It’s not enough for your LA LLC name to be unique. It also cannot be similar to the name of a corporation or LLC in Louisiana. For example, you cannot use the following factors to say your name is different from the name of another business:

• Suffixes, such as Corporation, Company, Incorporated, Incorporation, Limited, Corp., Co., Inc., Ltd., LLC, etc.

• Definite articles like “A,” “And,” “An,” “&,” “The,” etc.

• The singular, plural or possessive forms of a word

• Abbreviations, punctuation, symbols, fonts, typefaces, etc.

Your LLC Business Name Must Contain Certain Words

All LLCs must have the words “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC” in their name. These words should normally come at the end of the name.

Your LLC Business Name May Have Other General Restrictions

Most states will not allow you to form LLCs with names that:

• Are very similar to the name of a federal or LA agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Louisiana Department of Revenue, Louisiana Police, Treasury, etc.)

• Suggest affiliation with a federal or state agency or organization

• Use the term “Olympic” or any terms that are trademarks of the Olympic organization

• Imply a purpose that would be illegal for your business to carry out

Louisiana LLC Trade Names or DBAs

You might choose to do business under a different name from your legal LLC name. This is often referred to as a DBA, or “doing business as” name, but in Louisiana it’s known as a “trade name.” You might choose to use a different name from your LA formal LLC name for a variety of reasons.

For example, your LLC might be called Louisiana Parrish Projects Holding Company LLC and you have a property development chain called Mardi Gras Apartments. You should file a trade name to let the Louisiana Secretary of State know. 

Incfile’s DBA / Trade Name Service

Register Your Business Name with the Louisiana Secretary of State

Once you’ve completed a Louisiana business entity search, checked availability, followed the naming rules and decided whether you need a trade name, you can register your LA LLC name. There are a couple of ways to do this:

1. If you don’t want to form your Louisiana LLC right now, you can reserve the business name with the Louisiana Secretary of State. You will need to complete an application for reservation and file it with the LA SOS. You do not need to reserve a name if you are forming your business right away.

2. If you’re ready to start your Louisiana LLC, you can formally file your Articles of Organization with the Louisiana SOS, or let Incfile take care of it for you.

FAQs on Naming Your Louisiana LLC

You might find the following answers useful.

How Do I Search for My Louisiana LLC Business Name?

Just go to the business name search tool and enter your proposed business name. You can search the register of the Louisiana Secretary of State, which will tell you if there are any LA corporations or LLCs with that name.

Can I Do Business Under a Different Name Than My LLC Name in Louisiana?

Yes. Known as a “trade name,” you can choose to conduct business under a different name. Details are above. 

Can I Reserve a Name for My Louisiana LLC?

Yes. The Louisiana Secretary of State allows you to reserve a name if you don’t want to start your business immediately. Details are above. If you are ready to start your business now, you do not need to reserve a name.

Useful Resources for Naming Your Louisiana LLC

You might find these resources helpful.

Trademarks and Service Marks

You must be careful that your Louisiana LLC name does not infringe on the trademark or service mark of another business. The easiest way to make sure your proposed business name does not infringe is to carry out a trademark search through Incfile. If it doesn’t infringe, you can even register it as a trademark yourself.

Incfile Trademark Search and Registration service

Find the Perfect Name for Your Louisiana LLC

The perfect business name can be elusive. We have a complete guide to choosing the right business name, but basically, you'll want to choose a name that will:

• Appeal to your customers

• Be memorable enough to stand out

• Best represent your product or services

• Not be used by another business

Incfile guide to choosing a business name