Montana LLC Name Search

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

We’ll help you establish your Montana LLC with a distinctive and legally recognized name.

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

Check LLC Name Availability in Montana

1. Do a Montana Business Name Search

You can use Montana’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.

Be sure to conduct a thorough search before completing your paperwork to avoid rejection. Also, remember that every state is different, for example, a Florida LLC name search is done through SunBiz.

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 Montana Naming Guidelines

When naming your limited liability company (LLC) in Montana, it's important to follow the state's specific guidelines to ensure compliance and avoid any naming conflicts. 

The Montana Code Annotated provides regulations that outline the requirements for naming your LLC.

Required LLC Identifiers

The name of your LLC, as stated in the Articles of Organization, must contain one of the following:

• "Limited Liability Company"
• "Limited Company"

You may also use the abbreviations:

• "l.l.c."
• "l.c."
• "llc"
• "lc"

Additionally, the word "limited" may be abbreviated as "ltd." and the word "company" may be abbreviated as "co." These elements help establish the legal structure and nature of your business.

Restricted Name Identifiers

Your LLC name cannot include business name identifiers or use language that implies your LLC is a different type of business. This ensures that your LLC is properly identified and distinguished as a limited liability company.

Name Distinguishability

To prevent confusion and ensure clarity, your LLC name must be distinguishable from other registered or reserved business entities. The name you choose should be unique and not too similar to the names of:

• Business corporations
• Nonprofit corporations
• Limited partnerships
• Limited liability companies organized or reserved under Montana laws

It should also be distinct from the names of:

• Foreign business corporations
• Foreign nonprofit corporations
• Foreign limited partnerships
• Foreign limited liability companies registered or qualified to do business in Montana

Furthermore, your LLC name must not conflict with any assumed business names, limited partnership names, trademarks, service marks, or other names that are registered or reserved with the Montana Secretary of State. Keep in mind that the corporate name of a domestic corporation that has dissolved remains protected for 120 days after its dissolution.

Name Use by Other Entities

The use of an LLC name by another LLC or limited partnership is governed by Montana law. For more information regarding this matter, refer to Section 35-14-401 of the Montana Code Annotated.

By following these naming guidelines, you can choose a name for your Montana LLC that is compliant with state regulations and helps distinguish your business from others. Remember to conduct a thorough search to ensure your desired name is available and not in conflict with existing entities.

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

Registering Your Montana Business Name

Whether you're prepared to launch or still in the planning stages, you’ll need to register or reserve your business name right away.

Register Your Montana LLC Name

Registering your LLC name in Montana is a straightforward task. Your business name becomes officially registered when you file the Montana Articles of Organization. This critical document marks the formal establishment of your business in the state.

The Montana Secretary of State's website provides detailed instructions on how to fill out the form and pay the necessary state filing fee.

Keep in mind: Utilizing a professional LLC formation service can simplify the process by handling the registration of your LLC name and the establishment of your LLC. To learn more, see our Best LLC Services review.

Reserve Your Montana Business Entity Name

Montana’s Secretary of State Business Services Division handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 120 days. Business name reservations are not renewable.

To reserve a business name, you will need to create an online account. Once you have created an account and logged in, you can reserve your name online. When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee for service. While you will pay more for expedited service, your request will have special priority and be processed faster.

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

Montana Name Reservation

File Online with the Montana Secretary of State

Fee: $10 standard, $20 24-hour expedited, $100 1-hour expedited

Considering Using an LLC Formation Service?

We reviewed and ranked the top LLC formation services.
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 Montana’s trademark records by using the Advanced search option of the Montana Business 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. 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 Montana'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 Name Reservation 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 Montana, where we can guide you every step of the way.

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