How To Do a Business Entity Search in Ohio And Choose a Name For Your LLC

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Before you form your Ohio LLC, you should confirm that your chosen business name is available and conforms to Ohio state naming regulations; otherwise, the state may reject your application.

You confirm your name’s availability using the online Ohio business entity search database, which provides the names and business information of every registered entity in Ohio state.

The guidelines you’ll find in this post, along with tips on using the Ohio business entity search database and advice on what to do after you confirm your name is available.

Why do you need to do a business entity search?

Ohio doesn’t allow two or more business entities to operate using the same registered name.

To ensure the Ohio secretary of state approves your LLC Articles of Organization, you must confirm no other business is already using your desired name.

Ohio state naming guidelines

Most US states have naming guidelines you must follow when registering a business name.

In Ohio, those guidelines include:

Unique: Ohio law requires your business name to be distinguishable from any registered with the state.
Unacceptable Words: Your LLC name cannot contain profanities or words that slur religion, ethnic groups, heredity, or gender.
Required terminologies: Your Ohio LC name must have an approved designator, such as a limited liability company, liability company, LLC, or L.L.C.
Government Affiliation: You cannot include words that improperly imply your business is affiliated with a government department, like I.R.S. or F.B.I.
Entity-Specific Rules: Certain business entities must follow state agency regulations when choosing a business name.
Banks and Trusts: Your name can only include words that insinuate your business is a financial or insurance institution with prior permission.

Pro tip:

For further information on Ohio state naming regulations, visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s “Guide to naming availability” web page.

Next, we’ll break down how you use the Ohio business entity search database.

Conducting a business name search in Ohio:
step-by-step guide with tips

The Ohio business entity search database is very user-friendly.

However, for the best results, follow these guidelines:

To narrow your search, use the following words:

Visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s website

Visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s Business Search page, which maintains a public record of all registered businesses.

The Ohio Business entity search has the following category options:

Select your business name search options

The Ohio Business search results status page has three search status types:

The easiest way to search for Ohio businesses is by using your desired LLC name. Select the Search by Business Name option, enter your future LLC name into the search box, select All, and press Search.

Reviewing results

The results page will display any names that match or are similar to your search query.

If no matching names show, the following message will appear: “No data is available in the table,” and your name is available.

Matching names will appear in the “Search Results” table, where you can click on them for further information.

Review detailed business information

The Business Details and Filing page displays your selected search result information, including the entity type and number, status, county, location, filing, and expiration date.

Fictitious name (DBA)

A DBA allows you to trade using a catchy brand name if the business name you want is unavailable.

All entities can use a fictitious (Doing Business As) instead of their registered business name by filing an Ohio Trade Name Registration Form.

But before you apply for a DBA, you must ensure it’s available by searching the Ohio Secretary of State’s business name on the search website.

You can also apply for a DBA in Ohio by completing the registration form and mailing it to:

Mailing address:

Secretary of State

P.O. Box 670

Columbus, OH 43216

The Ohio State DBA filing fee is $39.

What can you do once you have an available business name?

After you confirm your new LLC name availability, there are 3 more ways to secure it to ensure no one else uses it.

Consider name reservation

If you need more time to form your Ohio LLC, you can reserve it for one year by registering a name reservation request with the Ohio Secretary of State.

The fee to reserve a business name in Ohio is $28.

Consider trademarking your name

You can also apply to register a trademark of your new LLC name to stop other businesses from using it by visiting the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and using their Trademark Electronic Search System.

You should also search the USPTO trademark website to ensure another company has not marked your desired name. If it is registered and you use it, you could be liable for trademark infringement.

Consider domain registration

Your last step (but not least) is to perform a domain name search to confirm if your new LLC name is available as a domain.

You can use websites like GoDaddy to confirm your name’s availability. If it isn’t available as you spell it, there are options and strategies you can use to choose a domain name that suits your business, niche, and target audience.

Ohio entity search FAQs

1Why you need to do a business entity search in Ohio?

You should perform a business entity search before applying to form your LLC to ensure your chosen name is available in Ohio State.

2How to check if the LLC name you want is available in Ohio?

Check the Ohio Secretary of State’s Business Search page to confirm a name is available.

3How much does it cost to reserve your LLC name in Ohio?

It costs $28 to reserve a business name for one year in Ohio.

4If you have a DBA, should you register its name in Ohio?

All businesses that want to use a DBA in Ohio must complete the Ohio Trade Name Registration Form and submit it online or by mail.

5What are the LLC naming guidelines in Ohio?

The Ohio State naming guidelines you should follow are:

Unique: Ohio law requires your business name to be distinguishable from any previously registered with the state.
Unacceptable Words: Your LLC name cannot contain profanities or words that slur religion, ethnic groups, heredity, or gender groups.
Required terminologies: Your Ohio LC name must have an approved designator, such as a limited liability company, liability company, LLC, or L.L.C.
Government Affiliation: You cannot include words that improperly imply your business is affiliated with a government department, like I.R.S. or F.B.I.
Entity-Specific Rules: Certain business entities must follow state agency regulations when choosing a business name.
Banks and Trusts: Your name can only include words that insinuate your business is a financial or insurance institution with prior permission.

6What should you do if your chosen LLC name has already been taken?

Just pick another one! Unfortunately, that's really all you can do, since you can't register a name that's the same or too similar to one that's already in use.

Conclusion

Those are the steps for doing a business entity search in Ohio.

Remember to follow Ohio’s naming guidelines, consider registering a trademark, and get your domain.

If you need any further help with forming an LLC in Ohio, check out our article on creating your Ohio LLC.

This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness.