Michigan LLC Name Search – How to Name Your LLC


Steve Goldstein
Steve Goldstein
Business Formation Expert
Steve Goldstein runs LLCBuddy, helping entrepreneurs set up their LLCs easily. He offers clear guides, articles, and FAQs to simplify the process. His team keeps everything accurate and current, focusing on state rules, registered agents, and compliance. Steve’s passion for helping businesses grow makes LLCBuddy a go-to resource for starting and managing an LLC.

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Forming an LLC requires a different business name, which must be unique and adheres to the guidelines. The great thing is Michigan’s Secretary of State page includes a name availability checker. Check out LLC Name Search to learn more.

Meanwhile, if you’re interested in learning more about starting a Michigan LLC or forming an LLC in general, you can check out How to Start an LLC.

How to Name an LLC in Michigan

Time needed: 5 minutes

There are guidelines to follow in doing a Michigan LLC name search. To learn more, check out LLC Naming Guidelines or read Foreign LLC Application for Registration if you’re planning to register a foreign LLC.

  1. Check Name Availability

    Search the Business Entity Records in Michigan’s Official Secretary of State page to check if your chosen business name is available. You may also try typing your trademark, business, or domain name on any search engine to generate businesses with similar names and to ensure your trademark is unique and meets the state’s requirements.

    Check out How to File a DBA to learn more about registering a DBA or trademark. For social media pages, use Social Searcher to avoid using similar page names.

  2. Check Domain Availability

    If your business name is still available, you must register for a domain name using Namecheap, Google Workspace, or other domain name sites. So customers can easily find your business over the Internet. Use the Kinsta app to manage your domains efficiently.

  3. File Name Reservation

    A Name Reservation Certificate is required along with a Certificate of Formation. You can reserve a name online, by mail, or in person with a $25 filing fee (plus tax for online).

    File your Certificate of Formation and Name Reservation online on the Secretary of State Online Services page of Michigan. You may also download the pdf file of the Name reservation form and submit it with the processing fee to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau — Corporations Division, P.O. Box 30054, Lansing, MI 48909.

Check Name Availability
Reserve Name Online
Download Reservation form

Guidelines to Follow in Naming LLC

  • Use a business name with the abbreviation “LLC” or the phrase “Limited Liability Company.”
  • Your decided business name must not coincide with any existing government entity. Otherwise, you might have to face legal lawsuits when filing your LLC.
  • Use the LLC name availability checker to ensure your business name is unique.
  • Get a license first if you plan on using restricted words to avoid any complications.

Note that you must put adequate effort into naming your LLC because this name will be with your business for a long time. Making your LLC name unique is vital as it would prevent people from confusing your business with others, not to mention it would be easier for them to recall your business, products, or services.

How To Do a Michigan LLC Online Name Search

As a part of your LLC registration process, it is important to have a suitable name for your LLC in accordance with the State naming guidelines. So, when you select a name for your LLC, you also need to run a quick search on the Michigan Business Entity Search page to check whether the name is unique and there is no other business running in the State with the same name.

1. Access the Business Entity Search Tool on the State website

The Michigan Secretary of State website offers a Business Entity Search Tool to assist you in finalizing a name for your business LLC. This tool is helpful in deciding the uniqueness and availability of the name. Also, keep a list of backup names ready, so you can select a final name in a few attempts.

2. Run the Search

After you navigate to the Search page, you can run the search by Business name. To begin the search process, you need to enter the name in the blank space and then click on the “Search” tab. You can also conduct the search using other available options, i.e., Business Identification Number, Filing Number, and Individual name.

3. Perform the Search

To finally search the name, there are different types of strategies available on the search page. The first type of strategy is the one where you can type in the keyword and you have to select the option “Begins with”. This way, it will show the names of the competing businesses in Michigan starting with the same name as your proposed name. Or, there are other options such as “exact match”, “Keyword” and “Soundex”. So, if you type in the words that your business’s name contains or exactly matches, this will give the results for all the competing businesses.

While conducting the search, you can exclude usage of identifiers such as “LLC” to access wider results from different forms of business structures running in a similar name. Conduct thorough research of the name by using the provided filters before filing it with the Authorities.

If you also wish to use a Trademark for the distinct identity of your business in the State, you can run a trademark search on the Trademark Database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to see whether the chosen name is already in use by any other business entity.

If you also plan on conducting your business online through a website, you should also check if a domain name similar to your chosen business name is available or not.

F.A.Qs

What is a Trade Name?

A trade name (doing business as (DBA) name) is the official name under which a proprietor or company chooses to do business.

Is having a domain name necessary?

Having a domain isn’t necessary, but it is recommended. If you have a domain name, customers will find you more accessible through online means with your online website.

What if my name is unavailable?

For domestic LLC, you can simply brainstorm for another name if the one you pick is no longer available. For foreign LLC, you must think up a “fictitious name,” which you’ll use only in the state.

How Do I Reserve an LLC Name in Michigan

To reserve an LLC name in Michigan you need to submit a name reservation request form to the Massachusetts Secretary of State by mail or online by paying a filing fee of $25.

So, how do you go about reserving an LLC name in Michigan? It’s actually a relatively simple process that can be done online through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) website. Before you start the reservation process, it’s important to make sure that the name you want is available and compliant with Michigan’s LLC naming guidelines.

When choosing a name for your LLC, you’ll need to make sure that it is distinguishable from the names of other businesses registered in Michigan. This means that your LLC name must not be too similar to the names of existing businesses and must contain certain words such as “Limited Liability Company” or an abbreviation like “LLC.”

Once you have determined that your chosen LLC name is available and compliant with Michigan’s naming guidelines, you can move forward with reserving it. To reserve an LLC name in Michigan, you will need to file a Name Reservation Request form with LARA and pay a small fee. This form can be downloaded from the LARA website and should be submitted online for faster processing.

When filling out the Name Reservation Request form, you will need to provide information such as the proposed LLC name, the name and address of the individual filing the request, and the intended use of the reserved name. Once you have completed the form and paid the fee, LARA will review your request and either approve or deny the reservation.

If your LLC name reservation is approved, it will be held for a period of up to 180 days. During this time, no other individual or business will be able to register a business using the same name. This gives you the peace of mind knowing that your chosen name is reserved for your use when you are ready to officially register your LLC.

In conclusion, reserving an LLC name in Michigan is a relatively straightforward process that can give you a head start in securing your business identity. By following Michigan’s naming guidelines and completing the necessary paperwork, you can ensure that your chosen name is available and protected until you are ready to officially form your LLC. Don’t wait until the last minute to reserve your LLC name – take the necessary steps now to secure your business’s future success.

In Conclusion

LLC names are important as it is the main identity of your business. While naming your LLC make sure to choose the one that suits the nature of your business. Follow the naming guidelines before you start filing your LLC name

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