Kansas LLC Name Search

You'll need to perform a Kansas LLC name search to check name availability and secure your business name.

We’ll help you set the foundation for your Kansas LLC with a distinct and legally compliant name.

Recommended: Northwest ($29 + State Fees) will register your business name when you form an LLC.

Check LLC Name Availability in Kansas

1. Do a Kansas Business Name Search

You can use Kansas’s Business Entity Search to check the availability of your desired name.

To perform the most effective search, search by entity name, type in the name you would like to use, excluding identifiers like “LLC”, and leave all other boxes blank. This will return all entities using the same or similar names.

If your business name is several words, you can even 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 Kansas Naming Guidelines

Choosing the right name for your LLC in Kansas is a critical step for your new business. To help you navigate this process, we've simplified the state's specific naming rules:

Uniqueness

Kansas law requires your LLC's name to be "distinguishable upon the record." In simple words, your chosen name should stand out from other business names already registered in Kansas. Even a slight spelling difference or an extra word could make your name distinct enough.

Distinguishability

The Kansas Secretary of State follows these rules to assess name uniqueness:

• Plural forms of words are different from their singular counterparts. For instance, "Cat" and "Cats" are distinct.
• Numbers and their word forms are distinct. For example, "10" and "ten" are separate.
• Certain words or their abbreviations are ignored when checking for name uniqueness, including "Company", "Corporation", "Foundation", "Institute", and "University", among others.
• Certain prepositions, articles, and conjunctions are also disregarded during name availability checks, including "An", "And", "&", "The", "To", and "With".
• The letter "a" is ignored only when it's used as an article in the name.
• Certain symbols, including "^", "", "~", "|", and "…" aren't permitted in online name applications.
• Symbols, punctuation marks, and special characters are eliminated when checking for name availability, but numbers and letters aren't.
• Roman numerals are considered as their alphabetical, not numerical, equivalents.

Exceptions

The Secretary of State may accept a name that normally wouldn't be approved in the following cases:

• Initials in the name spell a word when the punctuation is ignored, but that wasn't the intent.
• Alphabetical characters intended as Roman numerals cause a conflict with another name using the same characters as letters.
• Separate words in a name match an existing name when spaces between words are ignored.

Also, business names that were previously used but are now forfeited or canceled remain unavailable for one year.

Not sure what to name your business? Check out our LLC Name Generator.

Registering Your Kansas Business Name

If you're gearing up to launch your LLC in Kansas, it's important to know that the state doesn't require you to reserve a business name before filing your Articles of Organization. 

This process allows you to register your business name and start your LLC all at once. Whether you're ready to launch your LLC or still in the planning phase, we're here to guide you through every step.

Register Your Kansas LLC Name

In Kansas, registering your LLC name is a relatively straightforward process. You'll officially register your business name when you file the Kansas Articles of Organization. This crucial document marks the formal beginning of your business in the state.

The Kansas Secretary of State's website provides a comprehensive guide on how to complete the form and pay the necessary state filing fee.

Keep in mind: If you opt for a professional LLC formation service, they can manage both the registration of your LLC name and the setup of your LLC, making the process simpler. To learn more, see our Best LLC Services review.

Reserve Your Kansas Business Entity Name

Kansas’s Secretary of State Business Center handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 120 days.

To reserve a business name, you will need to create an account to file an application online or by mail.  Be sure to conduct a thorough search before completing your application to avoid rejection.

When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee. Checks must be made out to the “Secretary of State.”

After choosing a name for your LLC, take the next step and create a unique logo with our Free Logo Generator.

Kansas Temporary Reservation of Business Entity Name

File Online with the State of Kansas

- OR -

File by Mail

Fee: $30 (online), $35 (by mail)

Mail to:

Kansas Office of the Secretary of State
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 S.W. 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594

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:

• Search Kansas’s trademark records 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. You can do this by simply searching your business name on each major site, or use 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 Kansas's 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 name with a Temporary Reservation of a Business Entity 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.

What's Next?

Now that you have your name, it's time to take the next steps to establish your LLC. Check out our full guide on how to form an LLC in Kansas, where we can guide you every step of the way.

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