Do you know the importance of a Kansas business entity search prior to naming your new business? If not, then keep reading. Here, we have provided all the information about what a business entity search is, along with how it can be done in Kansas. We’ve also mentioned the necessary steps that one should take after choosing a perfect name for your business.
Why Kansas? Kansas is located at the heart of the United States. The state of Kansas has a very skilled workforce and also welcomes new businesses with easy loans. For businesses shifting from one state to the other, the living cost becomes a major deciding factor. Thankfully, Kansas is a very fortunate location in terms of living costs also. For small start-ups, forming a Kansas LLC would be the fastest way to get your business running with all the security that an LLC provides.
Kansas Business Entity Search
Your Kansas business cannot be named out of the blue. It means you cannot name your business after a business entity that is still active in Kansas. To make sure of this, Kansas business entity search comes in very handy. Business entity search is a procedure for finding a name for your business that is not currently used by another entity in the state. Doing a business entity search is the first step for naming your Kansas LLC. This will assure that your preferred name is different from other entities in the state. We will now discuss the naming guidelines set by the Kansas secretary of state
Kansas LLC Naming Guidelines
Your LLC business name must follow the Kansas SOS naming rules. Some LLC naming rules vary from state to state and some are common. We’ve covered both the general and Kansas LLC naming rules.
- One general rule for LLC name is that you cannot name your business after an already existing LLC or corporation in Kansas. For this, you must check the availability of your business name by performing a Kansas business entity search.
- As a general rule, all LLC businesses should have the phrase limited liability company at the end of their name. (you can also use the short form L.L.C or LLC)
- Your business cannot be confused with any Kansas gov. agency or organization. That’s why words like Department of revenue, treasury, Kansas Police, and so on are restricted.
- You cannot use the word Olympic or any other word that is trademarked by the Olympic organization.
Kansas Business Entity Search Procedure
Kansas does not provide its businesses with a DBA, trade name, assumed name, or fictitious name. This means businesses in Kansas cannot legally operate with any other name except their legally registered name. So, what are the available options to do a Kansas business entity search? Well, there is only one method. You can conduct the Kansas Secretary of State business search by searching your desired business name.
Searching Business Name
You can do this by visiting the Kansas SOS business search page and make a search for the name that you want for your business.
-
If the name is currently not occupied by another entity, then the result page will show the “name is available”. This page will also display how you can reserve the searched name.
- If the name is currently in use by another entity, then you’ll get a message saying the “name is not available”.
- On this page, you can also visit the name availability guidelines to know about “How the Kansas secretary of state business search determines whether a name is available or not?”
Kansas LLC Name Reservation
If you are still not able to finalize a name for your LLC then you can always choose to reserve it for the time being. You can apply for a Kansas LLC name reservation online on the Kansas SOS website. The LLC name reservation cost in Kansas is $30 which will reserve the name for 120 days.
Kansas LLC Name Registration
Once you’ve come up with a perfect name for your Kansas LLC, it is time to make it officially yours by forming the documents for Articles of Organisations. The formation of this document officially creates your LLC in the state. The cost for filing the Articles of organization in Kansas is $165.
Revising your Kansas LLC Name
If your Kansas business name has a mistake or is no longer reflecting your business forte then you can choose to revise the name.
- To revise your Kansas LLC name, visit the Name Change Amendment page on the Kansas SOS website.
- To begin online filing, you will have to search your business name or Entity ID. Follow the directions mentioned on the result page to file for the name revision.
Domain and Trademark
If you have found a perfect name by performing a Kansas business entity search then it’s time to assign an appropriate domain name. If you want your website to be found easily then it is a wise choice to select a domain name that’s similar to your LLC name. Lastly, your Kansas LLC name must not breach another firm’s trademark in the state. Additionally, you can also trademark your business name in Kansas. To do this, fill the Kansas Trademark Application form and mail it to the Kansas SOS. The filing fee for this is $40 will be paid to the Kansas SOS.
Trademarking your name is not necessary if you have a small business that is going to operate only in Kansas. But if you are thinking of going national in the near future, then this could secure the name by federal law.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I find a unique name for my Kansas LLC?
As mentioned, go to the Kansas SOS business search page and conduct a business entity search for your proposed business name.
2. Can I reserve a name for my Kansas LLC?
Yes. As we mentioned, If you don’t want to start a business immediately in Kansas then you can reserve it by filing the Kansas LLC name reservation application.
3. Are there any rules for naming my Kansas LLC?
Yes. Every LLC has some general rules and some state-specific rules. We’ve mentioned the Kansas LLC naming rules above.
4. What is the cost of reserving a name for my Kansas LLC?
Kansas SOS charges the filing fee of $30 to reserve your preferred LLC name.
5. Can I renew my reservation for the Kansas LLC name?
Yes. But you can only renew once the first reservation period (120 days) ends. If you request before the expiration of the previous reservation, then the reservation request will be rejected.