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

Your Nebraska business entity needs the perfect name, and we’re here to help. In this section we’ll guide you through searching the NE Secretary of State business register, tell you about the rules for naming your business, describe assumed names and get you started with registering your LLC.

Nebraska Secretary of State Business Search

You should start naming your business by completing a Nebraska business entity search with the Secretary of State. They have a helpful tool on their website that lets you search the register of NE LLCs and corporations to see if someone already has your desired business name.

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

Nebraska Secretary of State business name search tool

Nebraska SOS Rules on Your LLC Business Name

Once you’ve decided on a name for your LLC and checked business name availability, you’ll need to meet Nebraska 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 NE.

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 Nebraska. This is why you should check business name availability on the NE SOS website.

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

It’s not enough for your NE LLC name to be unique. It also cannot be similar to the name of a corporation or LLC in Nebraska. 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 NE agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Nebraska 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

Nebraska LLC Trade Names

You might choose to do business under a different name from your legal LLC name. In Nebraska, doing business under a different name is known as a “Trade Name.” You might choose to use a different name from your NE formal LLC name for a variety of reasons.

For example, your LLC might be called Nebraska Commercial Construction Holding Company LLC and you want to trade as Agricultural Barns and Storage. You should file an” Application for Registration of Trade Name” to let the Nebraska Secretary of State know. In Nebraska, you do that through a form, or you can have Incfile do it on your behalf through our Assumed Business Name service.

Incfile’s Trade Name service

Business Name Registration for Your Nebraska LLC

Once you’ve searched for your Nebraska business name, checked availability, followed the naming rules and decided whether you need a fictitious name, you can register your NE LLC name. There are a couple of ways to do this.

• If you don’t want to form your Nebraska LLC right now, you can reserve the business name with the Nebraska Secretary of State. You will need to complete an Application for Reservation of Limited Liability Company Name and file it with the NE SOS. You do not need to reserve a name if you are forming your business right away.
  Nebraska SOS LLC name reservation form.
• If you’re ready to start your Nebraska LLC, you can formally file your Certificate of Organization with the Nebraska SOS, or let Incfile take care of it for you.

FAQs on Naming Your Nebraska LLC

You might find the following answers useful.

How Do I Search for My Nebraska LLC Business Name?

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

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

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

Can I Reserve a Name for My Nebraska LLC?

Yes. The Nebraska 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 Nebraska LLC

You might find these resources helpful.

Trademarks and Service Marks

You must be careful that your Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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