How to Do a Business Name Search in Louisiana
One of the first and most important steps of any new business is finding the perfect name for your Louisiana LLC.
Checking the LLC name availability in Louisiana is an important step in the business formation process. It ensures your business name is distinguishable from the names of other Louisiana businesses so that you do not violate anyone’s intellectual property rights.
Our Louisiana LLC Name Search guide will show you how you can find available business names in Louisiana, and how to reserve and register your business name.
Louisiana Entity Name Search – How To Look Up an LLC in Louisiana?(Summary)
To look up Louisiana LLC name search availability, you can follow these steps:
- Visit the Louisiana Secretary of State website: The Louisiana Secretary of State’s website provides a business name search tool that allows you to check the availability of a business name. You can access their commercial search website at: Louisiana Business Filings search to check if your chosen business name is available.
- Access the Business Entity Database Search Tool: On the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website, navigate to the Business Services section and click on the “Search for Louisiana Business Filings” link. This will take you to the Business Search Tool.
- Enter the business name: In the Business Search Tool, you will find a search field where you can enter the desired business name. Input the name you wish to search for and click the “Search” button.
- Review the search results: The search results will display any existing businesses that match or closely resemble the name you entered. Take a look at the results to determine if the name you want is already registered or not.
- Check name availability: If the search results show no matches or similar names, it indicates that the name may be available for your business. However, it’s advisable to conduct a thorough search to ensure no conflicts or potential trademark issues exist.
What is a Louisiana Entity?
A Louisiana business entity is a business organization that has been legally formed and is recognized by the State of Louisiana. As with other states, Louisiana has its own set of regulations and requirements for forming, operating, and dissolving businesses within its jurisdiction. These processes are typically handled by the Secretary of State’s office.
The types of business entities you can form in Louisiana are similar to most other states and include:
- Sole Proprietorship: This is a type of business owned and run by one individual where there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business.
- Partnership: This is a business run by two or more persons who share the profits and bear the losses. Partnerships in Louisiana can be formed as general partnerships, limited partnerships (LP), or limited liability partnerships (LLP).
- Corporation: This is a separate legal entity owned by shareholders. It provides limited liability to its owners and is governed by a board of directors elected by the shareholders. Corporations can be for-profit or non-profit.
- Limited Liability Company (LLC): This is a hybrid type of legal structure that provides the limited liability features of a corporation and the tax efficiencies and operational flexibility of a partnership.
Louisiana Secretary of State Entity Name Search
In Louisiana, to form a corporation, LLC, or partnership, you’ll typically need to file certain documents (like Articles of Incorporation for a corporation or Articles of Organization for an LLC) with the Secretary of State’s office and pay any necessary filing fees.
Depending on the type of business, you may also need to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, register for state and local taxes, and get any necessary business licenses or permits.
Louisiana Name Search Links
http://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=76253
http://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=76254
Louisiana LLC Name Requirements
There are some requirements that you must know before searching for your Louisiana LLC name:
1. The abbreviations “LLC” and “L.L.C. must appear at the end of your Louisiana LLC name. The most commonly used abbreviation is “LLC”.
2. An LLC in Louisiana is not a Corporation. Your desired LLC name can’t use the words “Corporation”, “Incorporated” or their abbreviations (“Corp.” and “Inc .”).).
3. The name of your LLC must be distinctive. It must be distinct from all other Louisiana businesses.
Differentiability is not created by differences in designators (identifiers at end of business names) or in grammar.
- LLC, L.L.C, Inc., Corp.
- Single, plural, and possessive
- A, An, The
- and, or, &
- hyphens, slashes, periods, commas
Louisiana Name Database Search
1. Visit the Database
Visit the Louisiana Business Filings Search Page:
https://coraweb.sos.la.gov/CommercialSearch/CommercialSearch.aspx
2. Find your LLC
In the search box ” Name“, enter your desired LLC name.
You can leave out the “LLC” ending and punctuation.
It doesn’t matter if capitalization is used, but the state requires that the search box be in all uppercase
To ensure that you are thorough, enter only the first or two words of your LLC name. This will allow you to see all information that could be similar.
You can be more specific by entering a portion of the first word. Ex: If your Louisiana LLC name is Printing Solutions LLC, enter “print”.
3. Check out the Results
To browse the current list of Louisiana businesses, click the ” search” button.
If the message ” Total results: 0” appears in the Louisiana database, your chosen LLC name is unique.
If yours and ‘s names are not too similar (meaning that yours is distinctive), your Louisiana LLC name can be used.
Your desired LLC name search result appears in the list exactly as you entered it, the name won’t be available for use. It is possible to come up with unique names or creative variations.
Your desired Louisiana LLC name cannot be used if the results show a similar name. It is possible to come up with unique names or creative variations.
Tip Don’t worry if your chosen Louisiana LLC name isn’t distinguishable. Just file your paperwork with state. The state of Louisiana will return your filing if your name isn’t available and inform you that it needs to change.
After you have chosen a Louisiana LLC name that is distinctive and unique, you can now choose your LLC’s Registered Agent.
Louisiana Secretary of State (Contact)
Mailing Address
Louisiana Secretary of State
P.O. Box 94125
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125
Physical Address
8585 Archives Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Email: To reach the Commercial Division by email, fill out this form.
Phone: (225) 925-4704
Additional Steps
1. Trademark Search
When searching for a business name, it’s important to note that availability doesn’t necessarily mean the name is free to use if it’s already a registered trademark.
To avoid potential complications down the line, it’s wise to conduct a thorough trademark search using the Trademark Electronic Search System before finalizing a business name.
2. Choose a Registered Agent
After you have chosen an LLC name that is distinctive and unique, you can now choose your LLC’s Registered Agent.
3. Check if the Domain Name is Available
To check if a domain name is available, you can follow these steps:
- Go to a domain registrar website, such as GoDaddy.com or Namecheap.com.
- In the search bar on the homepage, type in the domain name you want to check.
- Click on the search button to see if the domain name is available or not.
- If the domain name is available, you will be prompted to purchase it. If it’s not available, the registrar will suggest some alternative options or you can try a different domain name.
4. Check if Social Media Name is Available
Check if a social media name is available for a new business name
5. Register Louisiana Business Entity
When you complete the required documents for filing a new business entity, you then register your business and business name with the state. The state of Louisiana will either approve your business name or reject it.
If you hire a good LLC service like Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness or Bizee, these LLC services have business name tools available for you to do a quick search.
6. Register an Employer ID Number (EIN) With the IRS
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify businesses and other entities for tax purposes.
7. Create a Brand Logo
Creating a business logo involves several steps. There are affordable online services that can design a logo for you and assist with the process.
Define your brand: Before you start creating a logo, you need to define your brand’s personality, values, and mission. This will help you create a logo that accurately represents your brand.
8. Write a Business Plan
Writing a business plan involves a comprehensive process that covers various aspects of your business, including the industry, market research, marketing and sales strategies, financial projections, and more.
9. Open a Business Bank Account in Louisiana
A bank account is generally required for a new Limited Liability Company (LLC) or corporation to separate personal finances from business finances and to establish a clear record of business transactions.
Contact Information for the Louisiana Secretary of State
You can reach the Louisiana Secretary Of State at 225-925-4704 if you have any questions.
I never realized how important it is to do a business name search until I read your post, Brian. Thanks for shedding light on this topic!
Thanks Matthew
Brian, I found your explanation of the importance of a thorough name search to be well-articulated. Your emphasis on avoiding potential legal and branding issues by choosing a unique business name resonated with me.
The step-by-step instructions you provided, along with the recommended resources like the Louisiana Secretary of State website, were incredibly helpful.
Thanks Abilgail
Hi Brian! I just finished reading your article on conducting a business name search in Louisiana, and I wanted to commend you on creating such a valuable resource. Your article provides aspiring entrepreneurs like myself with the necessary information and steps to navigate this crucial process
Thanks Emily