How to Reserve an LLC Name

What Name Reservation Does

Reserving an LLC name holds that name with the state for a set period, preventing another business from filing it first while you finish preparing your Articles of Organization, gathering a registered agent, or lining up financing. It doesn't form your LLC, register a trademark, or give you any rights to use the name in commerce; it only blocks other state filings under that exact name for the length of the reservation.

Step 1: Search the State's Name Database

Before reserving anything, search your state's business entity database to confirm the name isn't already taken by another registered business. A name only needs to be "distinguishable" from others on file in most states, a standard that generally ignores minor differences like punctuation, articles ("a," "an," "the"), or singular versus plural form, so a name that looks different to you may still be rejected as too similar to an existing one.

Step 2: File the Reservation Application

Most states let you file a name reservation application online through the Secretary of State's website, typically for a flat fee. Fees vary: Arizona and California charge $10, among the lowest in the country, while Oregon charges $100, among the highest. Delaware charges $75 for a reservation lasting 120 days. The application usually just asks for the exact name you want to reserve and your contact information.

Step 3: Know How Long the Reservation Lasts

Reservation periods differ significantly by state. Delaware and Oregon hold a name for 120 days; New York holds it for 60 days, renewable twice for $20 each additional 60-day period; Maryland holds it for 30 days. Arizona's 120-day reservation isn't renewable, though you can reserve the same name again once it expires; California's 60-day reservation can be renewed for the same applicant, but not for back-to-back periods, requiring at least one day to pass between reservations. Check your specific state's rule before assuming a reservation can simply be extended indefinitely.

Step 4: File Your Articles of Organization Before It Expires

A name reservation isn't automatic protection forever; if it expires before you file your Articles of Organization, another business can take the name in the meantime. Treat the reservation period as a deadline to finish your other formation steps, such as choosing a registered agent and drafting an operating agreement, not as an open-ended hold.

Florida Doesn't Offer This Option

Florida is the exception: its Division of Corporations states that "preliminary name searches and name reservations are no longer available." If you're forming an LLC in Florida, your only way to secure a name is to file the Articles of Organization itself; there's no intermediate reservation step available while you prepare.

When Reservation Is Worth Using

Reservation is most useful when you've settled on a name but aren't ready to file immediately, for example while you're still finalizing a registered agent, waiting on a co-founder's signature, or lining up initial funding. If you're ready to file right away, you can usually skip reservation entirely and go straight to filing the Articles of Organization once you've confirmed the name is available.

Reserving a Name Doesn't Require a Registered Agent Yet

Unlike filing Articles of Organization, a name reservation application typically doesn't require you to have already lined up a registered agent; that requirement kicks in once you actually file to form the LLC. This makes reservation a useful way to lock in a name first while you're still finalizing other formation details.

What Happens if Someone Else Already Reserved the Name

If a name is already reserved by another applicant, it isn't available to you until that reservation expires, even if no LLC has actually been formed under it yet. In that case, you can either wait for the reservation to lapse, choose a different name, or, in some states, contact the agency to see whether the original applicant will release it.

A Reservation Doesn't Replace a Trademark Search

A name being available to reserve with your state only means no other business has registered that exact name there; it doesn't mean the name is free of trademark conflicts. Search the USPTO's trademark database separately if you plan to build a brand around the name, since state name availability and federal trademark rights are entirely different legal questions.

Don't Reserve a Name You're Not Ready to Commit To

Because reservation fees aren't typically refundable and some states limit how many times you can renew or re-reserve the same name back-to-back, only reserve a name once you're reasonably confident you'll use it, rather than reserving several candidate names speculatively.

Check Domain and Social Media Availability Too

Before reserving a name with the state, check whether a matching domain name and social media handles are available if online presence matters to your business. A name that's available with the state but already taken everywhere online may be worth reconsidering before you commit the reservation fee.

This Doesn't Affect Your Registered Agent Requirement

Reserving a name has nothing to do with naming a registered agent; that's a separate requirement you'll still need to satisfy when you file your Articles of Organization, regardless of whether you reserved the name beforehand.

Keep Proof of the Reservation Handy

Save your confirmation of the name reservation, including the reservation number and expiration date, so you can reference it when you file your Articles of Organization. Some states ask for this information directly on the formation filing to connect it to your existing reservation.

A Reservation Doesn't Transfer Automatically to a New Owner

If you reserve a name on behalf of a business that later changes hands before it's formed, check whether your state allows transferring the reservation to a new applicant; some do with a signed notice, others don't allow a transfer at all, which can mean starting the reservation process over under the new owner's name.