The state of Connecticut has one of the fastest-growing economies in the US. The state also offers several incentives programs for the new businesses to shine. To start a new business, naming it becomes more crucial than you think. Business entity search comes in quite handy to name your new business. But do you know how to do a Connecticut business entity search? if not then follow along and we will guide you through the whole process of naming your business.
For new small-time businesses, forming a Connecticur LLC can benefit you in many ways. A Connecticut LLC will help your business to run without the complicated regulations that come with corporations. An LLC also has various tax benefits and is cheaper to form than other business types.
Connecticut Business Entity Search
A business entity search is an online tool offered to check for the business name availability in a particular state. The state of Connecticut also has a Connecticut secretary of state business search portal to facilitate business entity search to new entrepreneurs in the state. A Connecticut business entity search will ensure that your selected business name is unique from any already established entity in the state. Further, there are also some additional guidelines for naming your LLC in Connecticut. These are as follows.
Connecticut LLC Naming Guidelines
- Your Connecticut LLC name must have the term “limited liability company” or its abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.).
- You Connecticut LLC must not be confused with any federal or state government agencies. That’s why you are prohibited from using words like Connecticut Police, State Department, FBI, and so on.
- You cannot use terms that reflect other business structures like Corporation, Cooperative, Partnership, etc, or their abbreviations.
- The name should not reflect a business that’s illegal to carry out in a Connecticut state or country.
- Lastly, Your LLC name should be unique from any currently active entity in Connecticut. This also includes Connecticut reserved names. For this, you must do the Connecticut business entity search by visiting the Connecticut SOS business search portal. This will be explained further in the article.
Connecticut Business Entity Search Methods
Now that we know what a business entity search is, let’s talk about “How to conduct a Connecticut business entity search?” The Connecticut Secretary of State business search page mentions the following three methods for a business entity search.
- Business Name
- Business ALEI
- Filing Number
1. Search By Business Name
You can search your desired business name and find out whether it is currently occupied by another entity in the state.
- Go to the Connecticut SOS business search webpage and search your preferred business name.
- If there are zero results to your searched term then you can use that name for your business without any worries.
- If there is a registered business associated with your searched term then the result page will show its name along with details like its status (Active, dissolved, etc), registered agents name, principal name, etc.
- You can click on any entity to get further details like its address, business ALEI, formation date, and so on.
2. Search By Business ALEI
To get more details about a particular business in Connecticut, you can search by using its ALEI number.
This will give you the result of a business associated with that number as shown in the image below.
3. Search By Filing Number
You can also search any Connecticut-based business for more details by searching the filing number on the Connecticut Secretary of State business search page. This will give you a single result of the business associated with that unique filing number.
Reserve Your Connecticut LLC Name
After finding a suitable business name, if you are not ready to start the business immediately, then the Connecticut SOS allows you to reserve the name for 120 days. To reserve your business name in Connecticut, file the Name Reservation application with the Connecticut SOS. the name reservation filing fee is $60.
Register Your Connecticut LLC Name
Once you’ve performed the Connecticut SOS business search and finalized a name, now is the time to make it yours by filing the Articles of Organization. The cost of filing the Connecticut Articles of Organization is $120. It will take about 3 to 5 business days to process the LLC formation. The formation of Articles of Organization will officially form your LLC in Connecticut.
Domain and Trademark
You should assign a domain name that is similar to your business name. This way your customers will be able to find your services easily. You can also choose to secure your business name, logo, or slogan by filing a trademark. You can register your business trademark in Connecticut by filing the Trademark Registration form with the SOS. The cost for filing a Connecticut trademark is $50 per good/service.
Frequently Asked Questions
As we mentioned, you can perform a Connecticut business entity search for your desired name.
Yes. Connecticut SOS allows you to reserve a business name for 120 days.
It can take anywhere from 3 to 5 business days for the approval of your LLC formation in Connecticut.
The filing fee for reserving a business name in Connecticut is $60.
It can take anywhere from 3 to 5 business days for the approval of your LLC formation in Connecticut. 1. How do I know if a business name is available to use in Connecticut?
2. Can I reserve a business name in Connecticut?
3. How long will it take for the approval of my LLC in Connecticut?
4. What is the cost of reserving a business name in Connecticut?
5. How long will it take for the approval of my LLC in Connecticut?