In recent years, Georgia has become an appealing state for entrepreneurs because of the low living costs and favorable transportations. In addition, the state has also earned one of the topmost ranks for its business-friendly environment for small businesses. But before you register a business name in Georgia, do you know that you are required to perform a Georgia Business entity search?
If you are an entrepreneur looking forward to starting a business in this globally recognized state of the US, then you should form a Georgia LLC or a Limited Liability Company. Even if you run a regular-scale business, you should consider this. With several benefits that include easy management, regulation, compliance, and tax filing, it is an ideal option for you to think about.
Georgia Business Entity Search
A business entity search is conducted in order to make sure that the business name you select doesn’t match any other registered business. This gives your preferred name an assurance that no other business has been registered by the same name in your state. Hence, before you go ahead and start your business, you should perform a Georgia business entity search. Similarly, you can even search out for any required information of a registered business by conducting a business name search.
Georgia LLC Naming Guidelines
Before performing a Georgia Business name availability search, you should make sure you are aware of the Georgia LLC naming guidelines. These are written below:
- Your Georgia LLC name should necessarily require you to add the phrase “LLC”, “L.L.C.”, or “Limited Liability Company”.
- The LLC name cannot consist of words that could confuse your Georgia LLC with any government body. This means you cannot use words like State Department, Treasury, Police, FBI, etc.
- Confined words like Bank, Attorney, Banking, University, etc may require a licensed individual and additional paperwork.
Georgia Business Entity Search Method
Different states in the USA have different procedures to conduct a business entity search. But what is the method to conduct a Georgia business entity search? Firstly you are required to open the government website of the Georgia Secretary of state business search.
You can conduct a Georgia business entity search to perform an inquiry or to check if your desired business name is available in the state of Georgia or not. Once you open the official Georgia SOS business search page, under the “Business Search” tab, you can conduct an inquiry with four methods:
1. Business Name
- Simply enter a partial or full name of a registered business you want to search for.
- Hit the search button and you will be provided with a list of business names that match your searched name.
- Now you can look out for the necessary details of a registered business in Georgia.
2. Control Number
Similarly, you can select the “Control Number” tab. After that, enter the valid ID number of a registered business and conduct the inquiry accordingly.
3. Registered Agent Name
Likewise, you can also select the “Registered Agent Name’ tab and enter the legally registered name of a business. Hit the “Search” button and perform the inquiry.
4. Officer Name
Under this tab, enter the valid officer name associated with a registered business. Perform the inquiry by clicking the “Search” button.
Reserve Your Georgia LLC Name
The Georgia secretary of state also allows you to reserve an LLC name. As a result, you can reserve your business name if you have not found your desired name using the Georgia business entity search. However, you can only register your business name for 30 days. In addition, a $25 fee must be paid in order to reserve the name. You can request a reservation for your Georgia LLC name by filing an online form as well as by mail. Moreover, if you wish to re-reserve the name after 30 days, you have to pay an additional $25.
Registering Your Georgia LLC Name
Once you have selected an LLC name by performing the name search on the portal of Georgia Secretary of State business search, now is the time to get it registered. You can register your Georgia LLC name by filing and submitting a form to the Georgia Secretary Of Search. File and register your articles of organization along with a Georgia registered agent. You can register an LLC through three different methods. You can either register it by mail, online or in person. The processing fee is somewhere between $100-$110.
Revising Your Georgia LLC Name
If you wish to change your Georgia LLC name, you are required to inform the state. Performing the Georgia business entity search again would also be helpful. File it by submitting an amendment and update the records of your LLC with the Georgia government. If you file it through the mail, the amendment cost is $30. And if you file it online, the fee is $20.
Domain & Trademark
Finding a domain name that matches your Georgia LLC name is also one of the most important aspects. Even if you can’t find an exact domain name, you can go with a similar domain name. If you want to secure your Georgia LLC name, you can trademark it by submitting an application for registration. It is always advised to trademark your LLC name, however, it is never compulsory.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I check if my desired business name is available in Georgia or not?
You can easily conduct a Georgia business entity search on the official portal of Georgia SOS business search.
2. For how many days can I reserve an LLC name in Georgia?
Georgia Secretary of State allows you to reserve a name for 30 days.
3. Can I get my LLC name registered the same day of filing it online?
Yes, you can get your Georgia LLC name registered within hours of filing it. You have to pay an additional fee of $250 for that.
4. What is the cost of registering a business name in Georgia?
The processing fee to register a business name in the state of Georgia is somewhere between $100 to $110.
5. Can I be my own registered agent of my Georgia LLC?
If you are a resident of Georgia, then yes, you can be your own registered agent.