Texas Secretary of State Business Search
You can look up an existing business entity by completing a Texas business entity search.
Our Texas Business Search guide will give you instructions for looking up all business types, including corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs).
Recommended: Make sure your business name is available as a website domain. Search GoDaddy and secure your URL.
Texas Business Entity Search
A Texas business entity search, through the Texas comptroller, provides in-depth information about every business registered in Texas. This includes its entity name, registered agent, business formation documents, file number, assumed name reservations, entity information, mailing address, and more. For example, if you do a Texas LLC name search it will tell you about every Texas LLC.
When you register your business in Texas, you’ll need to complete a Texas business name search, follow the naming guidelines set out in the Texas Administrative Code, and then complete the formation documents to officially register your name.
We also recommend searching domain names and trademarks at this time.
Complete a Texas Business Search
When you form an LLC in Texas, or limited liability partnership, or corporation, you have to make sure your business name is available and distinguishable from other business names.
To verify that your business name is unique, you’ll need to complete a Texas business search on the Texas Secretary of State Business Entity Search webpage. Before searching, you will need to apply for a SOSDirect account. There is a cost of one dollar per search. Texas also offers a Taxable Entity Search for free.
TIP: If your potential business name has several words in it, you should also search just the first two words to ensure you pull up all possible similar names.
If you find that your Texas business name isn’t available on the Texas Secretary of State website Business Entity Search site, take a look at our LLC Name Generator tool. You can also read up on How to Name Your Business for help coming up with a unique name.
When choosing a business name you'll need to find out whether or not a good web domain name is available. Having a URL that clearly matches your business name is important.
US Trademark Search
A quick search on the U.S. Trademark Electronic Search System will tell you whether someone else has trademarked your name. The cost of trademarking a name is usually too high for a startup business, but it’s good to know if your name is already taken.
To learn more about trademarks and the steps you will need to get one, read our How to Trademark Your Business guide.
Texas Corporation Search
When you register a corporation in Texas, you’ll need to complete a name search, follow naming guidelines, and then complete corporation registration documents to officially register your name.
We also recommend searching domain names and trademarks at this time.
Complete a Texas Business Search
When you start a corporation, you have to make sure your business name is available and distinguishable from other business names.
To verify that your business name is unique, you’ll need to complete a business entity search on the Texas Secretary of State Business Entity Search webpage. Before searching, you will need to apply for a SOSDirect account. There is a cost of one dollar per search. Texas also offers a Taxable Entity Search for free.
TIP: If your potential business name has several words in it, you should also search just the first two words to ensure you pull up all possible similar names.
If you find that your business name isn’t available, we recommend taking a look at our Business Name Generator tool and our How to Name Your Business guide for help with coming up with a unique name.
When choosing a business name you'll need to find out whether or not a good web domain name is available. Having a URL that clearly matches your business name is important.
Follow TX Corporation Naming Guidelines
Most business filing rejections are due to business name issues. This happens when the name isn’t distinguishable enough from other business names or when the name doesn’t meet state guidelines.
Texas Corporation Naming Rules:
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The name of a corporation or foreign corporation must contain the word "company," "corporation," "incorporated," or "limited"; or an abbreviation of one of those words.
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The corporation may not have a name that contains the word "lotto" or "lottery."
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The name must be distinguishable from that of any other existing business in the state of Texas. This includes Texas reserved names. We will help with this step in the search for your business name section below.
Visit the Texas corporation naming statute for a full list of naming guidelines.
Texas LLC Search
Searching for an LLC in Texas is just as easy as searching for a corporation or other business entity using the Secretary of State's online search site.
Enter the name or assumed name of the LLC you're searching for and the site will return results including the entity's status, filing number, status, and registered agent information.
You can also search for an LLC by its file number or registered agent's name.
Once you've found the LLC you're looking for, you can view its filings and other public records online it filed online.
So whether you're looking for information on a specific LLC or just trying to get a general idea of what businesses are operating in Texas, the Secretary of State's online search site is a great resource for the digital age.
Follow TX LLC Naming Guidelines
Most LLC filing rejections are due to business name issues. This happens when the name isn’t distinguishable enough from other business names or when the name doesn’t meet state guidelines.
Texas Naming Guidelines:
- The name of your limited liability company must contain the phrase "limited liability company" or "limited company" or an abbreviation of one of those phrases.
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The limited liability company may not have a name that contains the word "lotto" or "lottery."
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The name must be distinguishable from that of any other existing business in the state of Texas. This includes Texas reserved names. We will help with this step in the search for your business name section below.
Visit the Texas LLC naming statute for a full list of naming guidelines.
TX Secretary of State Business Entity Search
If you need to search existing business entities in Texas, visit the Texas Secretary of State Business Entity Search on SOSDirect or use the Texas Taxable Entity Search. Include any info you have on the business in the search box.
Nationwide Search for Business Organizations
There are a few different ways to go about searching for available business names. The first is to do a nationwide search using websites like GoDaddy. GoDaddy allows you to search for available domain names and see if they are available to purchase. If the domain name is taken this will give you a good idea if the business name is taken.
You can visit the websites to see if it has an LLC name, a mailing address, does it transact business(?), is it in other states(?), etc.
Another way to search for available business names is through the Secretary of State website in each state. This will let you know if the name you want is already taken or if it is available for use. It is good to do a double check with each Secretary of State website when forming an LLC or other business entity (e.g., corporations, limited partnerships, etc).
TX Business Search FAQ
How do I name a small business?
Naming a small business is often a do-it-yourself job. Small business startup budgets usually won’t support hiring someone to help name your business. For easy step-by-step instructions on naming your small business, visit our How to Name a Business guide.
How do I come up with a catchy business name?
The first step to naming your business is figuring out what business structure you will use for your new company. After that, you will brainstorm at least 4-5 possible names. The more you brainstorm the better. Once you have some names, you can test the names against best practices, name availability, and state guidelines.
Not sure what to name your business? Check out our LLC Name Generator.
Should you name your business after yourself?
Naming your business after yourself has its benefits. Unless you have a name like John Smith, your name can help you find a .com domain name. If you are coming up with innovative ideas or a new approach, using your name can help create a strong brand.
There are also reasons NOT to name your business after yourself. If you don’t want to be the face and name of your business, it won’t work. If your type of client or customer base would prefer a company name, then you should give them a company name to work with.
If you want your business to someday run on its own, without you working there every day, then you shouldn’t use your name.
Can I sell my trademark or buy someone else’s?
Yes, you can sell or buy a trademark. A trademark is considered intellectual property which means it can be sold like property. It’s important to consult with an attorney before buying or selling intellectual property, especially trademarks.
Is my trademark application public?
Yes, your trademark application, including your personal identification information, is public. By law, your trademark information must be easily searchable by the public.
Where should I buy a domain name?
Our top choice in web hosting and domain registrars is GoDaddy. We like their domain search tool— you can search for the exact name you want or make suggestions based on keywords and available names. There are also several other companies to choose from that will provide a good experience.
Visit GoDaddy to search for domain names.
Can I put the word “company” in my business name?
Yes, you can. Neither the term “company” nor any of its abbreviations has any legal connotations. A company is simply an association of individuals.
Do I have to write “LLC” after my company name?
If you choose to use a limited liability company structure for your new business, most states will require that you use LLC after the name. You can also use the full term limited liability company.
If you are marketing your business, you usually don’t have to use LLC after the name.
Per Texas Administrative Code, in Texas, you can open a business bank account without forming an LLC. However, there are some benefits to having an LLC, even if you’re just starting out.
An LLC can help protect your personal assets from being seized if your business is sued, and vice-versa with public accounts. It can also make it easier to get funding from investors or lenders. And you can also protect your LLC name through the Texas Secretary of State website and safe guard your mailing address using a registered agent service.
There are many benefits to setting up an LLC for your business, but it's not required for licensed professionals. You'll want to consider the pros and cons before you form an LLC.