How Do I Look Up an LLC in Indiana? How to Check Business Name Availability

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Finding Available Business Names in Indiana

To find out if a business name is available in Indiana:

  • Go to the Secretary of State’s Website
  • Use the INBiz tool to search for registered Indiana business entities, including LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships
  • To check if the business name is also available as a web domain, visit GoDaddy and secure your URL

Steps to Conduct an LLC Name Search in Indiana

  1. Follow Indiana LLC naming guidelines
  2. Use the IN LLC lookup database to see if your name is legally available
  3. Avoid unimportant words like "the", "and", as well as numbers and letters
  4. Ensure the name isn’t deceptively similar to existing names

To lookup a business entity in Indiana, you can search by:

  • Business Name
  • ID Number
  • Registered Agent’s Name
  • Principal Name

The business name registration process in Indiana differs from licensing, which is handled by the Department of Revenue.

Verifying Business Name Availability Beyond Indiana

  • Verify your desired business name against state and federal databases
  • Use your state’s business name checker to ensure no identical or very similar names are registered
  • Check with the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s electronic search system to avoid infringement charges

Choosing a name:

  • Ensure the chosen name represents your brand and resonates with target customers
  • Changing your business name later can be complicated and expensive

Indiana Business Name Rules

To legally secure your business name in Indiana:

  1. Search the state database for availability and adherence to regulations
  2. Consult trademark databases to prevent infringement
  3. Select a distinctive, meaningful name that represents your brand
  4. Check for website domain availability to establish an online presence

Additional Considerations

  • Indiana offers a business-friendly environment with favorable infrastructure and workforce
  • Choosing the right business entity impacts liability and taxes, seek professional advice
  • Trademarking protects your brand and helps in standing out from the competition

Remember to use official government and trademark databases to check name availability and consider registering a DBA if operating under a name different from the legal entity name.

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