Wisconsin Secretary of State Business Search

1. Follow Wisconsin Naming Guidelines

We recommend making sure your business name meets guidelines before completing your business name search.

Choosing a company name is the first and most important step in starting your LLC. Be sure to choose a name that complies with Wisconsin naming requirements and that potential clients can search for.

Be sure to follow these naming guidelines:

• Your entity name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or one of its abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.).
• Your entity name cannot include words that could confuse your Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin LLC.
• Your name must be distinguishable from any Wisconsin corporation, limited liability partnership, or limited partnership.
  • For example, Sample Business LLC, Sample Business LLP, Sample Business LP, and Sample Business Inc. are all indistinguishable.

For a complete list of LLC naming rules in Wisconsin, read their Limited Liability Company Statute.

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

2. Do a Wisconsin Business Name Search

Before filing your name reservation request, you can use Wisconsin’s Business Entity Search to check the availability of your desired name. To perform the most effective search, type in the name you would like to use, excluding identifiers like “LLC.” 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. Wisconsin also offers a specific Name Availability Search.

Be sure to conduct a thorough search before completing your paperwork to avoid rejection.

3. Search Available Domain Names

Another important consideration to make when selecting a business name 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 Wisconsin Business Entity Name

The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions' Division of Corporate and Consumer Services handles all LLC naming questions and requests. Business names can be reserved for 120 days.

To reserve a business name, you must file an application by mail. When reserving your entity name, you will have to pay a filing fee. Checks must be made out to the “Department of Financial Institutions.” Expedited services are available for an additional fee.

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 entity 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:  

• Do a Wisconsin trademark search to see if your entity name or associated slogans, logos, or others are in use by another business in your state. You’ll need to create an account with the Department of Financial Institutions.
• 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 online social media platforms. To do this, search for your business name on each major site, using a tool such as Namecheckr to search across all platforms at once.