Vermont LLC Name Search

You'll need to perform a Vermont LLC name search to check name availability for your new business venture.

We’ll explain how to form your Vermont LLC with a distinctive and legally recognized name.

Recommended: Claim your domain name before it's gone. Verify its availability with GoDaddy.

Check LLC Name Availability in Vermont

1. Do a Vermont Business Name Search

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

To perform the most effective search, select “Contains,” 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. 

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 Vermont Naming Guidelines

When starting a business in Vermont, it is important to follow specific naming requirements to ensure your chosen business name is acceptable for registration. Here's what you need to know:

Distinguishable Name

To register a business name in Vermont, it must be distinguishable from existing names on record. The following criteria are used to determine name distinctiveness:

• Different word order: Names with the same key words in a different order are considered distinguishable. For example, "Gray Theater, LLP" and "Theater Gray, LLP."
• Addition, omission, or substitution of key words: Names that include additional words or numerals, or have differences in words or numerals, are distinguishable. For example, "241 Main Street, LLC" and "Main Street, LLC."
• Different words with similar meanings: Names that have key words with similar meanings but different words are considered distinguishable. For example, "Theater Red, LC," "Theater Rouge, LC," and "Theater Rojo, LC."
• Homophones: Names with words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings are distinguishable. For example, "241 Main Street, PLC" and "Two for One Main Street, PLC."

Indistinguishable Characteristics

Certain elements are not considered when determining name distinctiveness:

• Punctuation marks, special characters, and spacing: Differences in these elements do not make a name distinguishable. For example, "A B C Corp.," "ABC Corp.," and "A-B-C Corp."
• Articles, prepositions, and conjunctions: The presence or absence of these words does not make a name distinguishable. For example, "The Painted Pony," "A Painted Pony," and "Painted Pony."
• Abbreviations, contractions, or alternate spellings: Differences in abbreviations or alternate spellings do not make a name distinguishable. For example, "Vermont Catamounts" and "VT Catamounts."
• Homographs: Words spelled the same but with different meanings are not considered distinguishable. For example, "down" (in a lower position) and "down" (soft, furry feathers).
• Arabic numerals for Roman numerals or word form: Differences in the representation of numbers do not make a name distinguishable. For example, "241 Main," "Two Four One Main," and "Two Hundred Forty One Main."
• Tense differences: Differences in verb tenses do not make a name distinguishable. For example, "Swim RLLP" and "Swam RLLP."

Content Restrictions

Business names in Vermont must adhere to certain content restrictions:

• Vulgar language: Names with vulgar or offensive language will not be approved.
• Discriminatory language: Names that denigrate individuals or groups based on protected characteristics are not allowed.
• Indecent language: Names that depict sexual or excretory organs or their activities are prohibited.
• Obscene language: Names that appeal to a prurient interest or depict offensive sexual conduct are not allowed.

By following these naming requirements and avoiding prohibited content, you can choose a suitable and distinguishable name for your Vermont LLC.

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

Registering Your Vermont Business Name

Whether you're prepared to launch your LLC or still in the planning phase, we're here to guide you through the process.

Register Your Vermont LLC Name

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

The Vermont 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, refer to our Best LLC Services review.

Reserve Your Vermont Business Entity Name

Vermont’s Secretary of State Corporations Division handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 120 days. If you have yet to form your business entity using the reserved name when the business name reservation expires, you may renew the name reservation up to two times only.

Vermont’s online business services can be found here. To reserve a business name, you must create an online account and file online. When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee. Cheques must be made out to the "Vermont Secretary of State."

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

Vermont Business Name Reservation

Filing by Mail: If you want to file by mail with a paper cheque you must complete the online form and select this option at the end as your method of payment.

Fee: $20

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 Vermont’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 Vermont'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 the Online Business 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 Vermont, where we can guide you every step of the way.

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