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Whether you’re searching for the perfect business name for your Utah S Corp or Utah C Corp, we can help. We’ve got all the information you need on how to conduct a UT Department of Commerce business search, plus business naming rules, DBAs and trademarks.

 

General Rules for Corporation Names

These rules generally apply to all corporations, wherever they're formed.

1
Your Corporation Name Must Be Unique

The name you select cannot be in use by any other business in the state. This is why it's so important to perform a Utah State corporation search before you begin your incorporation paperwork.

2
Your Corporation Name Must Not Be Confusable with Another Business Name

It’s not enough for your corporation name to be unique. It also cannot be comparable to the name of another business in the state. In addition, you cannot use any of the following features in an attempt to differentiate your corporation name from that of another business:

  • Suffixes, such as Corporation, Company, Incorporated, Incorporation, Limited, Corp., Co., Inc., etc.
  • Definite articles, such as “A,” “An,” or “The”
  • The conjunction "And," or “&"
  • Numbers in place of numerals (or vice versa), e.g., "One World" is the same as "1 World"
  • The singular, plural or possessive forms of words
  • Abbreviations, punctuation, symbols, fonts, typefaces, etc.
3
Your Corporation Name Must Contain Certain Words

All corporations must use one of the following in their names, usually at the end of the name: “Incorporated,” “Corporation,” “Limited” or their abbreviations.

4
Your Corporation Name May Be Subject to Other General Restrictions

Most states will not allow you to incorporate with names that:

  • Are similar to the name of a federal or state agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Utah Labor Commission, Utah Rangers, Treasury, etc.)
  • Suggest affiliation with a federal or state agency or organization
  • Use the term “Olympic” or any terms that are trademarks of the International Olympic Committee
  • Imply a purpose that would be illegal for your business to carry out

Specific Rules for Utah Business Names

In addition to the general rules listed above, you'll need to follow some Utah corporation laws that apply to naming your business.

For example, per the Utah Code Title 16, Chapter 10a, Part 4, § 401, the name of a corporation or foreign corporation must contain:

(i) the word:

  • (A) "corporation"
  • (B) "incorporated"
  • (C) "company"

(ii) the abbreviation:

  • (A) "corp."
  • (B) "inc."
  • (C) "co."

(iii) words or abbreviations of like import to the words or abbreviations listed in Subsections (1)(a)(i) and (ii) in another language

In addition, Title 16, Chapter 10a, Part 4, § 401 contains a list of words that are prohibited from being used in business names.

Coming Up with the Ideal Business Name

The perfect business name can be difficult to find. We have a complete guide to choosing the right business name, but essentially, 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

Need help coming up with business name ideas? Try our free name generator.

Utah Corporation Name Search

Once you have an idea of your preferred name, perform a UT corporation search to make sure another company isn't already using that name.

You can use the state's online business portal to perform a name search.

You can also use our simple and convenient Business Name Search Tool, which will search the state's business registry for you.

Use Bizee’s free tool to find out whether your preferred name is available for your Utah Corporation

Trademarks and Service Marks

You must be careful that your Utah corporation name doesn't infringe on the trademark or service mark of another business. The easiest way to ensure you're not infringing is to perform a trademark search through Bizee. If the trademark isn't already in use, you can even register it yourself.

Make sure your corporation is starting off on the right foot when it comes to intellectual property.

Let Bizee run a trademark search for you.

 

Register a DBA in Utah

You may do business under a name different from your corporation's legal name. While many states refer to this as a trade name, fictitious name or assumed name, it's called "doing business as" or a DBA in Utah. You may decide to use a DBA for a variety of reasons.

For example, your primary business may be called Marble Media, Inc., and you have a chain called Marble Mobility. You could register a DBA name just for that brand. You'd do that by filing a form for a DBA Application, or you can have Bizee do it on your behalf with our DBA service.

In order to keep your business names unique, you can also use the Utah business entity search. You can perform a Utah DBA name search to find out whether any other companies are already using the DBA name you want. We can also help you with this via our DBA name service.

Note: A trade name is not the same as a trademark. Learn more about trademark vs. DBA.

Register and manage a DBA through our easy-to-use service
 

Register Your Business Name with the UT Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code

You’ve performed a Utah Department of Commerce, DCCC business search, checked availability, followed the naming rules and determined whether you need a DBA name. Now you can register your corporation name in one of two ways.

1

If you don’t want to form your corporation right away, you can reserve the business name. You'll do this by completing an Application for Reservation of Name form and filing it with the Utah State Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. The name will be reserved for 120 days. If you're starting your business right away, you don't need to reserve a name.

2

If you’re ready to start your corporation, you can indicate your chosen business name when you file your Articles of Incorporation with the UT Department of Commerce, DCCC. Or you can have Bizee do this for you.

Bizee can handle all your UT corporation formation paperwork for you — and we’ll do it for free!

Incorporate in Utah for $0 + State Fee ($70)

FAQs About Naming Your Utah Corporation

How Do I Find an Available Corporation Name?

Use our free Business Name Search Tool and enter your chosen business name. You can also perform a search of the state's registry, which will tell you whether any other corporations or LLCs in the state are already using that name.

Are There Any Rules for Naming Utah Corporations?

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

Can I Do Business Under a Name Different from My Utah Corporation?

Yes. You can conduct business under a DBA name. Details are above.

Can I Reserve a Name for My Utah Corporation?

Yes. The UT Department of Commerce allows you to reserve a name if you're not ready to start your business immediately. Details are above. If you do want to start your business right away, you don't need to reserve a name.

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