Texas LLC Search

1. Follow Texas Naming Guidelines

We recommend making sure your business name meets guidelines before completing your Texas entity search for your limited liability company.

Choosing a business name for your business entity is the first step in starting your Texas LLC. Be sure to choose a name that complies with Texas naming requirements and is easily searchable by potential clients.

Be sure to follow these naming guidelines:

• Your name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or one of its abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.).

• Your name cannot include words that could confuse your LLC with a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).

• Restricted words (e.g. Bank, Attorney, University) may require additional paperwork and a licensed individual, such as a doctor or lawyer, to be part of your LLC.

For more information, check out the Texas Secretary of State's naming guidelines.

Not sure what to name your business? Check out our LLC Name Generator.

2. Do a Texas Business Entity Search

Before filing your name reservation request, you can use the Texas Business Entity Search to check the availability of your desired name.

You can do a nationwide search through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s database, but it is not required.

The Texas Secretary of State offers an online search tool that allows you to search for businesses by name, file number, or registered agent.

You can also search for businesses in a specific county or city using the county clerk’s office or city secretary’s office website.

To perform the most effective search, type in the name you would like to use, excluding identifiers like “LLC”, and leave all other boxes blank. This will return all entities using the same or similar names. If your business name is several words, you can even search just the first two words to ensure you pull up all possible similar names.

Be sure to conduct a thorough search before completing your business formation documents to avoid rejection and stay in compliance with the Texas administrative code.

3. Search Available Domain Names

Another important consideration to make when selecting a name for your limited liability company is whether or not your desired web domain name is available. Having a URL that clearly matches your business name is important. This seemingly small step can make a big difference in how prospective customers find your business.

The best way to determine if your desired URL is available is to search for it online using your preferred domain registry, such as GoDaddy.

4. Reserve Your Texas Business Entity Name

Texas’s Secretary of State Corporations Section handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 120 days. If you have yet to form your business entity using the reserved name when the business name reservation expires, you may renew the name reservation 30 days prior to it expiring.

Texas’s online business services can be found on the Texas Secretary of State website. To reserve a business name, you must file an application online or by mail. When reserving your name, you will have to pay a filing fee. Checks must be made out to the “Secretary of State.”

After choosing a name for your LLC, take the next step and create a unique logo with our Free Logo Generator.

Trademark Search

Conducting a trademark search of your business name and associated slogans or logos before registering can help prevent costly litigation in the future. Discovering that another entity has trademarked your business name does not automatically disqualify you from using it. 

However, it is important to know who is using the name, what industry they operate in, and where they are located to be sure you do not inadvertently infringe upon anyone’s intellectual property rights. 

To complete this step:  

• Search Texas’s trademark records by creating an account on the Texas Secretary of State website and logging in to see if your business name or associated slogans, logos, or others are in use by another business in your state. 
• Search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s electronic records to find any federally registered trademarks associated with your business name.

Social Media Search

Just as important, or more so, than finding a domain name that fits your business is ensuring that your business name is available for use across social media platforms. You can do this by simply searching your business name on each major site, or use a tool such as Namecheckr to search across all platforms at once.

Business Bank Account

To transact business in your LLC name or assumed name, you'll need a business bank account.

When you're ready to open a business bank account, you'll need to do a Texas business entities search. The search will reveal if there are any limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, corporation, s-corporation, etc. in the state of Texas with your desired LLC name.

To search for your business entity, go to the Texas Comptroller's website and select "Search for a Business." You'll be able to search by name or file number. If you don't know the file number, you can request it from the office of the county clerk where your business is registered.

Note that, unlike other states, Texas does not let businesses have the same LLC or corporation name as another business entity. Even registering a DBA or Fictitious name (Assumed Name Certificate) in Texas requires a double check to make sure it is not in use by another entity.

Registered Agent

If you're starting a business in Texas, you'll need to appoint a registered agent. A registered agent is an individual or business that agrees to accept service of process on behalf of your LLC. This means that if your LLC is ever sued, the court papers will be served on your registered agent.

The Texas Secretary of State maintains a database of all business names registered in the state. You can search the Texas Secretary of State database to find the registered agent for any Texas business.

When you're appointing a registered agent for your LLC, you should choose someone who is reliable and easy to get in touch with. You may want to appoint yourself, a friend, or a family member, or you can hire a professional registered agent service.