Kentucky LLC Name Search

You'll need to complete a Kentucky LLC name search to check LLC name availability for your new business.

This guide will help you establish your Kentucky LLC with a unique and recognizable name.

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

Check LLC Name Availability in Kentucky

1. Do a Kentucky Business Name Search

You can use the Kentucky Business Name Search to check the availability of your desired name.

To perform the most effective search, enter the entity name you would like to use, excluding identifiers like “LLC.” This will return all entities using the same or similar names.

If your business entity 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 Kentucky Naming Guidelines

In the state of Kentucky, there are specific rules and requirements you must follow to ensure your business name is accepted by the Secretary of State. Let's break them down into easily understandable and actionable steps.

General Guidelines

The characters and symbols allowed in your business name are:

• Letters of the English alphabet, with no importance given to case, typeface, or font.
• Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) and Roman numerals (I, V, X, etc.).
• Certain symbols that can be reproduced and recorded by the Secretary of State's Office, including ! @ # % > & * ( ) - + " ' : ; / ?.

Depending on the type of LLC you're creating, there are additional requirements:

• Limited Liability Companies (LLCs): The name must contain "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Company," "LLC," or "LC."
• Professional Limited Liability Companies: The name must contain "Professional Limited Liability Company," "Professional Limited Company," "PLLC" or "PLC."

Name Availability

Before you decide on a name, it's important to ensure it's available. Here's how:

• You can call (502) 564-3490 or write to the Kentucky Office of the Secretary of State to check if your preferred business name is available.
• This service is free, and responses are provided through the same method you used to make the request.

Bear in mind, these are preliminary checks. They don't guarantee that the name will still be available when you're ready to file your LLC documents.

The final say on name availability happens when you submit your business formation documents, such as your Articles of Organization, to the Secretary of State's office.

Distinguishability

When checking if your desired LLC name is available, keep these factors in mind:

• The name you select must be different from all other business entity names already on file with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
• Keywords identifying the type of business entity (like "LLC" or "Corporation") aren't considered when checking name availability.
• Common articles ("a," "an," "the"), conjunctions ("and," "or," "but"), and punctuation are ignored when considering name distinguishability.
• Upper and lower case letters are not considered distinct, meaning "BIG BLUE LLC" and "Big Blue LLC" would be seen as the same.

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

Registering Your Kentucky Business Name

Once you’ve decided on a name for your Kentucky LLC, you can progress to filing the Articles of Organization. If you aren’t ready for registration, you can also reserve your name.

Register Your Kentucky LLC Name

Registering your LLC name in Kentucky is a relatively straightforward task. The official registration of your business name occurs when you file the Kentucky Articles of Organization. This significant document signifies the formal establishment of your LLC in the state.

The Kentucky Secretary of State's website offers comprehensive instructions on how to fill out the form and pay the necessary state filing fee.

Remember: Choosing a professional LLC formation service can simplify your journey by handling the registration of your LLC name and the setting up of your LLC. To learn more, refer to our Best LLC Services review.

Reserve Your Kentucky Business Entity Name

The Kentucky Secretary of State Business Services Division handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 120 days.

To reserve a business entity name, you must file an application by mail. There is no online option. 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 “Kentucky State Treasurer” in order to file.

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

Kentucky Application for Reservation of a Business Entity Name

File by Mail

Fee: $15

Mail to:
Division of Business Filings
Business Filings
P.O. Box 718
Frankfort, KY 40602

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 Kentucky 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 its availability for use across the internet. This will help ensure you have full, unrestricted use of your business entity 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 Kentucky’s trademark records to see if your business name or associated slogans, logos, or others are in use by another business entity in your state. 
• Search the electronic records from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to find any federally registered trademarks associated with your business entity name.

Social Media Search

Just as important, or more so, than finding a domain name that fits your business is ensuring the availability of your business name for use across social media platforms. To do this, simply search your business name on each major site, or use a tool such as Namecheckr to search across all platforms at once online.

Bottom Line

Having a name for your business is an important first step for creating a successful Kentucky LLC, and one that is incredibly easy to do. Once you have found your preferred name using the Kentucky Secretary of State Business 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 an 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 Kentucky LLC.

What's Next?

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

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