When you meet someone new, what’s the first thing you want to know about them? Their name. Your name is unique—it’s how people remember you.
The same goes for your North Carolina business: choosing your name is the most important step of forming your company. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just picking the name you like best from a list. That works for babies, but not businesses. North Carolina has several requirements that you’ll need to follow as you pick a name.
After brainstorming a business name either on your own or through a business naming tool, you’ll want to make sure it is available in your state. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll walk you through how to use the tool, and we’ll dig into a few ways you can make your name a complete success. Let’s get started.
Pro Tip: If you have found the perfect business name and would like to begin the process of registering your business with the state, there are a lot of business formation services—like LegalZoom and Zen Business—that can do it for you. Plus, many of them also offer a free registered agent service when you set your business up through their platform.
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How to Use the North Carolina Business Name Search Tool
You’ve picked a name. You’re pretty sure it’s the one. But before you seal the deal, you’ll need to ensure that it’s available for you to use. To do so, you’ll need to use North Carolina’s search tool. Theirs is called the Business Search.
But we’ll be honest. The tool isn’t exactly the most intuitive. You might be thinking, What’s next? If you don’t know what to do, this name search can be downright overwhelming. But with a few simple pointers, it can be a cinch.
1) Type in the name you’re hoping to use
Technically, your business name will include an entity type identifier like “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company.” For example, you might name your cupcake business “Carla’s Cupcakes.” But for purposes of this search, you can leave off the entity label and just type in “Carla’s Cupcakes.”
2) Make sure the tool’s settings are correct
To get the most value out of your search, you’ll want to put the right settings on the Business Search. We actually recommend completing two searches. First (and most importantly), you’ll want to check for any exact matches to your proposed name. That requires the “Starting With” filter. Then type in the full name you’re hoping to use (excluding the entity type label).
Next, we also recommend conducting a keyword search by using the “Any Words” filter. After that, you’ll type in a keyword from your name. For example, you might type in “cupcakes” for “Carla’s Cupcakes.” In response, the tool will pull up all business names that include that word. This second search isn’t a legal necessity, but it does give you a chance to ensure that your name stands out.
3) Examine the search results
Now it’s time to look through the results. Do any exact matches appear? What about similar ones from the keyword search?
In North Carolina, your name must be “distinguishable on the record.” In layman’s terms, that means your name cannot be the exact same as the name of another entity. It can’t be too similar to another name, either. North Carolina doesn’t list a ton of rules about what makes a distinguishable, though. One key rule to note is that an entity type label won’t make a name distinguishable. Likewise, small words such as prepositions, conjunctions, or even changing punctuation don’t make one name different from another.
As a general rule, it’s best to make your name different from other names thanks to a substantial word. That way, your name stands out.
Next Steps for Your North Carolina Business Name
The steps we’ve listed above are just the legal requirements for a North Carolina LLC name. But this is your business name we’re talking about. You don’t want to just “get by.” You want to go the extra mile and make sure your name is as great as your business concept. You want to protect it, too.
Let’s talk about what you can do to protect (and thrive with) the name you’ve chosen.
1) Double-check that your name meets state requirements
North Carolina’s search tool will only tell you if your name is available to begin with. It won’t, however, tell you if your name complies with state laws for your entity type. Here are some rules to name by:
- Your name cannot imply that your business is involved in activities that are prohibited by state and federal law. Additionally, your name cannot contradict the business purpose stated in your Articles of Organization.
- You cannot include certain words like “trust,” “insurance,” “realtor,” or other restricted words unless you have the approval of the right governing board or agency. You can find a comprehensive list of those words here.
- Your name cannot include any words that are viewed as unacceptable according to standards of common decency.
- Your name must include an abbreviation or wording that designates your entity type. For example, you must follow “Carla’s Cupcakes” with “L.L.C.,” “Limited Liability Company,” or some other label that shows you’re an LLC. Other business types will need to include an appropriate designation.
2) Make sure that your name stands out
The search tool will help you ensure that your name is available in North Carolina. It won’t tell you if there are similar names, though. It also won’t search names in other states. The search tool simply isn’t designed to do that.
We recommend that you also browse through local phone books and do a Google search with your name. Internet search engines pull up results that are close matches to the terms you enter. That includes similar names and businesses in other states. For example, going back to our “Carla’s Cupcakes” example, Google pulls up a hit for a cupcake shop in Virginia.
If that happened to you, it wouldn’t be a make-or-break issue right away. After all, you’re just focused on North Carolina results right now. That said, if you ever wanted to expand into other states later on, then you might encounter problems. Plus, having a truly unique name is a great selling point.
3) Make sure you like the name you’ve chosen
This might seem like an obvious one, but you don’t want to overlook it. You should like your business’s name. You should be proud to say it out loud, glad to write it down, excited when you hear someone say it…you get the idea.
Yes, you’re eager to start your business. But don’t get so excited that you settle on a lackluster name that makes you think, “meh.” If you don’t like the name, odds are your customers won’t, either.
A lot of guides will tell you to make sure your name is easy to say, easy to spell, memorable, and gives your customers a clear picture of what they can expect from your business. And those are all true tidbits of advice. Follow them. But at the end of the day, we think it’s important to pick a name that you like.
4) Protect your chosen name
By now, you’ve put in a lot of work to craft the perfect name for your business. Let’s make sure that work doesn’t go to waste. North Carolina gives you two methods to protect your name, and you can pick one or the other—not both.
For starters, you could file an Application to Reserve a Business Entity Name. This one has a $30 filing fee, but it gives you 120 days of exclusive use of your name without actually commencing your business. This is the perfect option if you’ve come up with an ideal name but you’re not quite ready to form your business yet.
But if you are all set to form your business, then you should go ahead and file the Articles of Organization. This one has a $125 filing fee, but it actually creates your business. And once your business is created, your name is protected, too.
5) Get a DBA or Assumed Name (Optional)
The most important name for your business is your legal name; it’s the name you’ll fill in on your Articles of Organization. But many businesses choose to have a second name, often called a DBA or assumed name. For instance, you might want to offer a second product line without renaming your entire business, or you just found a new nickname you like.
North Carolina works a bit differently than most states; instead of filing a form with the Secretary of State, you’ll need to file your Certificate of Assumed Name with your local register of deeds. This is a county-level registration. If you operate in more than one county, then, you’ll need to register in each. Thankfully, the filing fee is only $26, and it does not expire.
Want more info? Get the full scoop on registering an assumed name here.
Next Steps – Getting Started
We’ve gone into a lot of detail about searching for a North Carolina business name in this guide, but here’s the deal: choosing an LLC name is just one step in the much bigger process of starting a business.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all that goes into it, don’t panic. We’re here to help. You can catch the full guide to set up a North Carolina LLC, but here’s the fly-by version:
Choose a business name
Every business in North Carolina needs a name that’s both catchy and gives potential clients a good idea what the business does. The name also needs to be unique—both for legal reasons and so your business stands out from the competition.
Appoint your registered agent
Whether you elect to use a private North Carolina registered agent, serve as your own, or you hire a service like the one we’ve listed here, you can’t skip this step. Without a registered agent, you won’t become a legitimate, registered entity.
File your formation documents
If you’re forming an LLC, you’ll need to file the Articles of Organization; corporations file the Articles of Incorporation. Once you fill it out and file it, this document is what officially forms your business in the state. There is a $125 filing fee for both entity types. And if you need help with this step, there are plenty of good North Carolina LLC services online.
Beyond that, there are plenty of ongoing costs and maintenance requirements. We won’t go into a ton of detail here, though. Your registered agent (or online registered agent service) will help you keep tabs.
Conclusion
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Conducting a business name search is an important part of forming your business in North Carolina. The search saves you time and helps you set up a name that makes your business stand out. We hope this guide made it simple to name your business.