How to Do a New York LLC Name Search (2026 Guide)

Last Updated April 30, 2026 by the LLCForge Editorial Team. Verified against current state filing data and official Secretary of State sources.

Before you file Articles of Organization in New York, your LLC name has to be unique on the state’s records. You’ll run that check through the New York Department of State’s Corporation and Business Entity Database at apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry. The search is free and instant, but the name doesn’t lock in until your filing is approved (standard processing runs about 2 weeks, faster with expedite fees). Pick a name that’s already taken and your filing gets rejected, costing you the $200 filing fee and a restart.

How to Search New York LLC Names: Step-by-Step

1. Open the NY Corporation and Business Entity Database

Go to the New York Department of State’s public inquiry portal at apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry. This is the only authoritative source. Don’t rely on Google results or third-party sites, they can be months behind on dissolutions and new filings.

The page loads a search form with a single text field and a few dropdowns. You don’t need an account, and there’s no fee.

2. Choose your search type

Pick “Search by Entity Name” from the dropdown. Then select “Begins With” or “Contains” depending on how broad you want the result. Start with “Begins With” to see exact and near-exact matches, then run a “Contains” search to catch any name that uses your keyword anywhere in it.

3. Type your proposed name (without the LLC designator)

Enter just the distinctive part. If you want “Brooklyn Coffee Roasters LLC,” type “Brooklyn Coffee Roasters.” The designator doesn’t help distinguish your name under New York rules, so adding “LLC” to the search just narrows your view of what’s already out there.

Run the search and review the hit list. The state shows entity name, entity type, status (Active, Inactive, Dissolved), and date of formation.

4. Check active vs. inactive status

An “Inactive” or “Dissolved” entity name may still block you in some cases, especially if dissolution is recent. New York holds dissolved names in reserve for a period before releasing them. If you see a dissolved match, call the Division of Corporations at (518) 473-2492 to confirm whether the name is available.

5. Run variations and similar spellings

Search singular and plural forms. Search with and without “The.” Try common misspellings and obvious abbreviations. New York’s distinguishability rule blocks names that differ only by punctuation, articles (“a,” “an,” “the”), or entity type. “Brooklyn Coffee LLC” and “The Brooklyn Coffee, Inc.” would conflict.

6. Cross-check the federal trademark database

State availability isn’t the same as legal clearance. Search the USPTO’s TESS database at tmsearch.uspto.gov for federal trademarks on your name. A name that’s free in New York can still trigger an infringement claim from a national brand.

New York LLC Naming Rules

Required designator

Section 204 of the NY Limited Liability Company Law requires every LLC name to contain one of these: “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.,” or “LLC.” You can’t use “Ltd.,” “Co.,” “Inc.,” or “Corp.”, those are reserved for other entity types.

Distinguishability standard

Your name must be “distinguishable upon the records” from every active corporation, LLC, limited partnership, and reserved name on file. New York applies this strictly. Differences that don’t count:

• Adding or removing “the,” “a,” or “an”
• Changing punctuation, spaces, or capitalization
• Switching between “and” and “&”
• Changing from singular to plural
• Changing the entity designator (LLC vs. Inc.)

Prohibited words

You can’t use words that imply an unlawful purpose or suggest a connection with a state or federal agency. Words like “United States,” “Federal,” “National Reserve,” and “Bureau” are off-limits without authorization.

Restricted words requiring approval

Some words trigger pre-approval from another agency before the Department of State will accept your filing:

• Bank, banking, trust, savings, finance: Approval from NY Department of Financial Services
• Insurance, assurance, reinsurance: Approval from NY Department of Financial Services
• Education, academy, school, college, university: Approval from NY State Education Department
• Doctor, lawyer, attorney, CPA, architect, engineer: Must form as a Professional Service Limited Liability Company (PLLC), not a regular LLC
• Cooperative, co-op: Restricted to entities organized under the Cooperative Corporations Law
• Exchange, lottery, urban development, urban relocation: Various state agency approvals required

The full list of restricted words appears in NY LLC Law Section 204(e). Check before you commit to a name that includes any regulated industry term.

What If Your New York LLC Name Is Already Taken?

Try strategic variations

Small additions can make a name distinguishable under NY rules. Consider:

• Add a geographic descriptor: “Hudson Valley Coffee Roasters LLC” instead of “Coffee Roasters LLC”
• Add a descriptive term: “Brooklyn Specialty Coffee LLC”
• Add a distinguishing word: “Brooklyn Coffee Group LLC”
• Use a different industry term: “Brooklyn Coffee Studio LLC”

Run each variation back through the database. Don’t assume a one-word change is enough, the state examiner has the final call.

Reserve the name for $20

If you’ve found an available name but aren’t ready to file Articles of Organization, file an Application for Reservation of Name with the Department of State. The fee is $20 and the reservation lasts 60 days. You can renew twice for additional 60-day periods, giving you up to 180 days total. File by mail to the Division of Corporations or use the expedited service if you need faster turnaround.

File a DBA (Assumed Name) for branding flexibility

Your legal LLC name and your trade name don’t have to match. After you form your LLC, you can file a Certificate of Assumed Name (Form DOS-1338-f) for $25 with the Department of State. This lets you operate under a different brand name while keeping your registered LLC name. Useful if your legal name is “Smith Holdings LLC” but you want to do business as “Brooklyn Coffee Roasters.”

Trademark considerations

Clearing the New York database doesn’t protect you from trademark disputes. Before you invest in signage, packaging, or a website, search the USPTO database for federal marks and run a common-law search for unregistered uses. If your name has national reach, file a federal trademark application ($250 to $350 per class) to protect it.

After You Confirm Your New York LLC Name

Once your name clears, the next step is filing Articles of Organization with the NY Department of State ($200 filing fee). You’ll also need to satisfy New York’s publication requirement: publish notice of formation in two newspapers in your county for six consecutive weeks within 120 days of formation. After that, get an EIN from the IRS, designate a registered agent, and draft an operating agreement (required by NY law within 90 days of formation).

Full walkthroughs here: New York LLC guide, step-by-step New York formation, registered agent requirements, and the New York operating agreement guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a New York LLC name is actually available?

Search the Department of State’s database at apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry. If no active or recently dissolved entity uses the same or a confusingly similar name, you’re likely clear. The final determination happens when an examiner reviews your Articles of Organization. The only way to lock in availability before filing is to submit a name reservation.

How long does a New York LLC name reservation last?

60 days from the date the Department of State receives your Application for Reservation of Name. You can renew the reservation twice for additional 60-day periods, for a maximum of 180 days. Each renewal costs $20.

Does my LLC name have to match my domain name?

No. There’s no legal requirement that your LLC name match your website domain. Plenty of businesses register an LLC under one name and operate online under a different brand using a DBA (Certificate of Assumed Name). That said, matching helps with consistency, so check domain availability before you commit.

What makes two New York LLC names “distinguishable”?

The Department of State requires meaningful differences. Adding or removing “the,” changing punctuation, swapping “and” for “&,” or pluralizing a word doesn’t count. You need a different word or a substantively different combination. “Empire State Builders LLC” and “Empire State Building LLC” are distinguishable. “Empire State Builder LLC” and “Empire State Builders LLC” are not.

Can I use a name that an out-of-state company uses?

Yes, if that company isn’t registered in New York. The NY database only checks entities on file with the New York Department of State. A California LLC with the same name doesn’t block your filing. But if they hold a federal trademark for that name in your industry, they can sue you for infringement regardless of state registration.

What happens if my Articles of Organization are rejected for the name?

The Department of State returns your filing with a rejection notice. You lose the time spent waiting (and any expedite fee), but the $200 filing fee is typically returned or applied to a refile. You’ll need to pick a new name, run a fresh search, and resubmit. Reserving the name first is the cheap insurance against this.

Do I need to include “LLC” in my searches?

No, search by the distinctive portion of the name only. The designator (“LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “Limited Liability Company”) doesn’t make a name distinguishable, so including it just narrows your results and hides potential conflicts. Search “Hudson Valley Catering,” not “Hudson Valley Catering LLC.”

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.