Connecticut LLC Name Search

Nailing down a great name for your Connecticut LLC can be challenging. 

You want the name to be unique and easy to remember while conveying what your business does. You also want it to be SEO-friendly so that it can easily be found on Google. That’s a lot of boxes to check. 

And even if you’ve already found the perfect business name, you need to make sure it’s available. That takes several steps, as detailed in this handy guide.

Connecticut LLC Entity Search 

The most important consideration when choosing an LLC name in Connecticut is to make sure it’s available and legally acceptable. Here’s how to confirm you can use your preferred business name. 

1. Check for availability in Connecticut

Go to the state of Connecticut’s Business Records Search webpage and enter your business name. You should also search for similar business names, as you don’t want a name that can be easily confused with other businesses in Connecticut.

2. Check Connecticut’s LLC name regulations

In Connecticut, your LLC name must include “limited liability company” or an abbreviation (LLC or L.L.C.) and cannot have words that could confuse your LLC with any government agency.

In addition, your business name cannot include words like bank, insurance, or university without approval from certain state authorities.

3. Check Trademarks

It’s important to make sure the name has not been trademarked. Check with the US Patent and Trademark Office to ensure the name is available nationally. 

4. Check domain name availability

You’ll want to make sure the domain name is available. You can check at a site like GoDaddy.com and use .com or .org, as those give your business more credibility.

5. Google it

Do a Google search to ensure the name is not being used in the U.S. or internationally. This is particularly important if you plan to have a strong online presence for your business.  

Once you’ve confirmed these, it’s a good idea to reserve the name with the state.

How to File a Connecticut LLC Name Reservation

Visit the Secretary of State’s Business Services website to reserve an LLC name in Connecticut. If you don’t already have a CT.gov account, you will need to register to complete the application. 

Once your account has been created, log in and choose Reserve a Name from the left navigation menu on the dashboard page.

Click the Start Now button on the next screen to begin the application process.

Enter the required information on several screens, including your desired business name. Once you are finished, review your application and make any necessary changes before confirmation and payment.

Alternatively, you can complete and submit a paper form.

Once your application is processed, your LLC name will be reserved for 120 days.

Doing Business As (DBA)

You may want to do business under a name other than your LLC name. You’ll need to register a “doing business as” or DBA name. There are two main reasons you might want to use a DBA.

• Suppose you want to add new product lines. For example, if your business name is “JJ’s Waffles,” you want to expand and offer “JJ’s Muffins.”  You can have multiple DBAs under the umbrella of your one LLC. 
• When you have a DBA, you can have a business bank account under that name. So if you add “JJ’s Muffins,” customers can pay “JJ’s Muffins,” and you can deposit those payments into the bank account with that name.

In Connecticut, a DBA is known as a trade name. To register a trade name in Connecticut, you’ll need to file with the town clerk in the town where you’ll do business. Head to the Connecticut Town Clerks Association website to look up your local clerk.

In Closing

Choosing a business name is crucial to entrepreneurial success, so if you’ve found a good one, don’t let somebody else get it! Instead, just take the steps detailed above to ensure it’s available and legally acceptable before nailing it down. 

You don’t want to run into an issue later that could impact the success of your business.