Colorado LLC Name Search
Before establishing your Colorado LLC, you’ll need to complete a Colorado LLC name search with the Secretary of State.
In this guide, we’ll help you ensure your chosen name is available and compliant with the state's regulations.
Recommended: Claim your domain name before it's gone. Verify its availability with GoDaddy.
Check LLC Name Availability in Colorado
1. Do a Colorado Business Name Search
You can use the Colorado Business Name Availability Search.to check name availability.
If your name is available, the website will also prompt you to search the Colorado Business Database. To perform the most effective search, type in the name you would like to use, excluding identifiers like “LLC.” This will return all entities using the same or similar names.
If your business name is several words, you can search just the first two words to ensure you pull up all possible similar names.
2. Search Available Domain Names
Another important consideration to make when selecting a business name is whether or not your desired web domain name is available.
Having a URL that clearly matches your business name is important. This seemingly small step can make a big difference in how prospective customers find your business.
The best way to determine if your desired URL is available is to search for it online using your preferred domain registry, such as GoDaddy.
3. Follow Colorado Naming Guidelines
The Colorado Secretary of State's office can provide guidance and tools for checking name availability. By following the steps outlined here, you can navigate this process and lay a solid foundation for your new business.
Distinguishability of Names
In the state of Colorado, the availability of a business name depends on whether it is distinguishable or different from existing names recorded with the Secretary of State. The use of specific articles, terms, and abbreviations can establish this distinguishability.
What Makes a Name Distinguishable?
The following elements can contribute to the distinguishability of a name:
- Use of articles such as 'the' and 'a'
- Inclusion of terms and abbreviations, for example, 'LLC' in the business name
For instance, the names 'ABC LLC' and 'ABC Limited Liability Company' are considered distinguishable. Additionally, using different spacing or hyphenation in a name, such as “ABC LLC” vs. “A-B-C LLC,” creates distinguishability.
However, certain elements do not contribute to distinguishability:
- Use of punctuation marks such as periods, commas, underscores, and apostrophes
- The difference between uppercase and lowercase letters
Therefore, the names “ABC llc,” “abc LLC,” “ABC LLC,” and “A.B.C. LLC” are considered indistinguishable.
Checking Name Availability
In Colorado, there are two methods to verify if a name is available for use:
- Name Availability Search: This method confirms if a specific name is available, but it will not display similar names.
- Business Database Search: This method will display names similar to the one entered but won't confirm if the name is specifically available.
For optimal results, avoid using terms and abbreviations (like "LLC," "Corp," "Inc," etc.) and small words in your search.
Trade names and trademarks are not included in the name availability search.
Entity Term or Abbreviation
Per Colorado state statute, most business entities are required to include a term or abbreviation, like “LLC,” “Inc,” or “Corp,” in their name. This helps identify the entity type of the business.
Status Changes for Existing Business Names
The addition of words like “Delinquent”, “Dissolved”, “Withdrawn”, or “Colorado Authority Terminated” to a business name signifies a change in the business's status. This change makes the original name available for others to use while indicating the new status of the original business. More information can be found in section 7-90-601, C.R.S.
Legal Name vs. Trade Name and Trademarks
The legal name of your business is the name used on your formation documents. If your business operates under a different name than the one on its formation documents, that name is considered a "trade name" or a "doing business as” (DBA) name.
Trade names must be registered with the Secretary of State. However, registration of a trade name or a trademark doesn't provide exclusive rights to the name. To ensure exclusive rights, you should consider registering your trade name or trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
As with all aspects of creating and operating a business, consulting with legal counsel or a business advisor is advised. This will ensure that you fully understand the implications of your decisions and are in compliance with all legal requirements.
Not sure what to name your business? Check out our LLC Name Generator.
Registering Your Colorado Business Name
As you prepare to launch your LLC in Colorado, keep in mind that the state does not require you to reserve a business name before filing your Articles of Organization.
This facilitates a streamlined process, enabling you to register your business name and start your LLC concurrently. We're here to help, whether you're ready to launch or still in the planning stages.
Register Your Colorado LLC Name
In Colorado, registering your LLC name is a straightforward task. Your business name will be officially registered when you file the Colorado Articles of Organization. This critical document serves as the formal start of your business in the state.
The Colorado Secretary of State’s website offers detailed instructions on how to complete the form and pay the associated state filing fee.
Remember: Using a professional LLC formation service can make the process even simpler by handling the registration of your LLC name and the establishment of your LLC. To find out more, see our Best LLC Services review.
Reserve Your Colorado Business Entity Name
The Colorado Secretary of State's Business Organizations Division handles all LLC naming questions and requests.
In order to reserve a business name, a Statement of Reservation of Name must be filed online. An available business name may be reserved for 120 days. When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee.
After choosing a name for your LLC, take the next step and create a unique logo with our Free Logo Generator.
Colorado Reservation of a Business Entity Name
File Online with the Colorado Secretary of State
File OnlineFee: $25
Considering Using an LLC Formation Service?
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Find out which is best for you.
Other Considerations
While reserving the name for your LLC is straightforward, there are some other things you should think about when choosing the best name for your business. You may want to do a Trademark and Social Media search for your name to see if it's available for use across the internet. This will help ensure you have full, unrestricted use of your business name.
Trademark Search
Conducting a trademark search of your business name and associated slogans or logos before registering can help prevent costly litigation in the future. Discovering that another entity has trademarked your business name does not automatically disqualify you from using it.
However, it is important to know who is using the name, what industry they operate in, and where they are located to be sure you do not inadvertently infringe upon anyone’s intellectual property rights.
To complete this step:
- Do a Colorado trademark search to see if your business name or associated slogans, logos, or others are in use by another business in your state.
- Search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s electronic records to find any federally registered trademarks associated with your business name.
Social Media Search
Just as important, or more so, than finding a domain name that fits your business is ensuring that your business name is available for use across social media platforms. To do this, search for your business name on each major site, using a tool such as Namecheckr to search across all platforms at once.
Bottom Line
Having a name for your business is an important first step for creating a successful LLC, and one that is incredibly easy to do. Once you have found your preferred name using the Colorado Business Entity Search, you'll want to secure your domain name so that your customers will be able to find your business online.
Reserving your entity name with a Colorado Application for Reservation of Name will help you stand out from the competition. With your name secured, you will be ready to take the next steps to formalize your LLC.
FAQs
You can perform a Colorado LLC name search by visiting the Colorado Secretary of State's business database. Input your proposed LLC name in the search field, and review the results to ensure your chosen name is unique and available.
Carrying out a Colorado LLC name search helps to verify that your proposed LLC name isn't already in use by another business in the state. This proactive step can help avoid potential legal challenges and trademark disputes down the line.
You should conduct a Colorado LLC name search during the initial stages of forming your LLC. Moreover, if there has been a lapse since your last search and the name is not yet registered, it's advisable to recheck its availability before the registration process.
In Colorado, your LLC's name must be distinct, must include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C.," and cannot contain words that might confuse your business with a government agency or suggest it serves a purpose it does not.
If you find that your desired LLC name is available after using the state’s Name Availability Search tool, you can select “File a document” to reserve your name or file the Articles of Organization.