How to Search and Register Your New York LLC Business Name

Your New York business entity needs the perfect name, and we’re here to help. In this section we’ll guide you through searching the NY Department of State business register, tell you about the rules for naming your business, describe “Assumed Names” and get you started with registering your LLC.

New York LLC Search 

You need to check whether there’s already another New York LLC registered with your desired business name. That means searching the New York Department of State website using their Corporation and Business Entity Database. You can easily look up NY 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.

New York Department of State business name search tool

Business Name Registration Rules for Your New York LLC

Once you’ve decided on a name for your LLC and checked business name availability, you’ll need to meet New York Department 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 NY.

General Rules for Naming Your LLC

These rules typically apply to all LLCs, no matter what state they are formed in. You will need to pay attention to these rules as they will influence the name you choose for your New York LLC.

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 New York. This is why you should check business name availability on the NY DOS website.

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

It’s not enough for your NY LLC name to be unique; it also cannot be similar to the name of another corporation or LLC in New York. 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 NY agency or organization (e.g. FBI, FDA, New York Department of Taxation and Finance, New York 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 it would be illegal for your business to carry out

Specific Rules for Naming Your New York LLC

In addition to the general rules listed above, the New York Department of State has some specific business naming rules for your LLC. You will need to follow these rules if you want to name your NY business appropriately.

• Restricted words include: "America Espirito Sport Fraternite," "Citius Altius Fortius," academy, acceptance, annuity, arboretum, assurance, bank, benefit, blind, bond, casualty, college, conservatory, council, doctor, education, elementary, endowment, exchange, fidelity, finance, guaranty, handicapped, historical, historical society, history, indemnity, industrial organization, industrial organization, institute, insurance, investment, kindergarten, labor, lawyer, library, loan, mortgage, museum, Olympiad, prekindergarten, preschool, savings, school, secondary, surety, title, trust, underwriter, union, United Nations, university

• Prohibited words include: attorney, board of trade, chamber of commerce, community, cooperation, cooperative, corporation, incorporated, partnership, redevelopment, state police, state trooper, tenant relocation, urban development, urban relocation

More on New York Department of State business naming rules

New York LLC Assumed Names

You might choose to do business under a different name from your legal LLC name. In New York, doing business under a different name is known as an “Assumed Name.” You might choose to use a different name from your NY formal LLC name for a variety of reasons.

For example, your LLC might be called “New York Real Estate Holding Company LLC,” and you have a chain of properties called “East Side Luxury Apartments.” You should file an assumed name to let the New York Department of State know. In New York, you do that through a Certificate of Assumed Name form, or you can have Incfile do it on your behalf through our Assumed Business Name service.

Incfile’s Assumed Business Name service

Business Name Registration for Your New York LLC

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

1. If you don’t want to form your New York LLC right now, you can reserve the business name with the New York Department of State. You will need to complete an Application for Reservation of Name and file it with the NY DOS. You do not need to reserve a name if you are forming your business right away.
   New York DOS LLC name reservation form

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

FAQs on Naming Your New York LLC

You might find the following answers useful.

How Do I Search for My New York LLC Business Name?

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

Are There Any Rules on Naming My New York LLC?

Yes. Most LLCs will be bound by general rules (applicable to all LLCs) and specific rules (applicable in the state of New York). We’ve detailed these rules above.

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

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 New York LLC?

Yes. The New York Department 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 New York LLC

You might find these resources helpful.

Trademarks and Service Marks

You must be careful that your New York 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 New York 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