Massachusetts LLC Name Search
You can check name availability for your new business by completing a Massachusetts LLC name search.
We’ll help you start your Massachusetts LLC with a unique and legally compliant business name.
Recommended: Claim your domain name before it's gone. Verify its availability with GoDaddy.
Check LLC Name Availability in Massachusetts
1. Do a Massachusetts Business Name Search
You can use Massachusetts’s Business Entity Search to check the availability of your desired name.
To perform the most effective search, 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.
NOTE: You can also do a search for reserved business names on the Secretary of the Commonwealth website.
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 Massachusetts Naming Guidelines
When starting a business in Massachusetts, it's important to choose a name that complies with the state's guidelines for limited liability companies (LLCs). These requirements are outlined below.
Name Components
Every LLC in Massachusetts needs to have a specific component in its name to clearly indicate its business structure. The name of your LLC:
- Must include "limited liability company," "limited company," or one of the following abbreviations: "L.L.C.," "L.C.," "LLC," or "LC."
- Can include the name of a member or manager of the LLC.
Unique and Distinguishable Names
Your chosen LLC name should be unique and not misleadingly similar to any other existing business name. The name must be distinguishable from:
- Any corporation, limited partnership, or LLC organized under the laws of Massachusetts.
- Any foreign corporation, foreign limited partnership, or foreign LLC registered in Massachusetts.
You may use a name that is similar to another organization's name only if you obtain written consent from that organization. The consent document should be previously filed with the State Secretary.
Choosing a name that meets all the guidelines outlined by Massachusetts will ensure a smoother registration process. It's recommended that entrepreneurs verify the availability of their chosen name before proceeding with the rest of their LLC registration.
Not sure what to name your business? Check out our LLC Name Generator.
Registering Your Massachusetts Business Name
Whether you're ready to launch or still laying the groundwork, let’s take a look at how to both reserve and register your LLC’s name with the state.
Register Your Massachusetts LLC Name
In Massachusetts, registering your LLC name is a fairly straightforward task. Your business name gets officially registered when you file the Massachusetts Certificate of Organization. This vital document signifies the formal commencement of your business within the state.
The Massachusetts Secretary of Commonwealth's website provides detailed instructions on how to fill out the form and pay the necessary state filing fee.
Remember: If you hire a professional LLC formation service, they can take care of the registration of your LLC name and the setup of your LLC, simplifying the process. To learn more, see our Best LLC Services review.
Reserve Your Massachusetts Business Entity Name
Massachusetts’s Secretary of the Commonwealth Corporations Division handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 60 days. Reservations may be extended for an extra 60 days with an additional $30.
Massachusetts’s online Business Resources can be found on their website. To reserve a business name, you must file an application in person or by mail. When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee. Checks must be made out to the “Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
After choosing a name for your LLC, take the next step and create a unique logo with our Free Logo Generator.
Massachusetts Business Name Reservation
File by Mail
Download FormFiling Fee: $30
Mail to:
Secretary of the Commonwealth
One Ashburton Place, Room 1717
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
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 Massachusetts’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 the Massachusetts 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 Business Name Reservation Form 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
To perform an LLC name search in Massachusetts, use the Massachusetts Secretary of Commonwealth's Corporations Division online search tool. Input your proposed LLC name and review the results to ensure that your chosen name is unique and available.
A Massachusetts LLC name search is essential to verify that your proposed LLC name isn't already registered by another business in Massachusetts. This step helps to prevent potential legal conflicts and potential trademark infringement in the future.
It's advisable to conduct a Massachusetts LLC name search during the early planning stages of your LLC. If a substantial amount of time has passed since your last search and you haven't yet registered the name, it's recommended to perform a new search prior to registration.
In Massachusetts, your LLC name must be distinguishable, must include "Limited Liability Company", "L.L.C.", or "LLC", and cannot contain words that could confuse it with a government agency or suggest it serves a purpose it does not.
If using the state’s Name Reservation Search tool, you can choose to file a name reservation immediately. You can reserve it for 60 days by filing a Name Reservation application with the Massachusetts Secretary of Commonwealth and paying the required fee.