If you want to start a new business in Texas, you need the right name. We’ll look up your proposed business name in Texas and see if it’s available for you to form a corporation or LLC.
Trust us to check your proposed business name against the registry of businesses held by the Texas Secretary of State.
Once You’ve Found the Right Texas Business Name, You Can Quickly Register Your TX LLC or Corporation Through Us for One Low Fee
To search for Texas business entities, just enter your details in the box below, and we’ll take care of everything else.
Free Business Name Search
We’ll take care of the entity search.
Rules about How you should name your texas business
All businesses formed in Texas must be named following certain rules.
Your business name must be unique and not similar to or confusable with another business name in Texas.
If your Texas business is an LLC, it must contain “Limited Liability Company” or an abbreviation. If it’s a corporation, it must contain a word like “Incorporated,” “Corporation” or something similar.
Normally, you cannot imply connection with a Texas state entity or that you will be carrying out activities your TX business is not legally able to provide.
Additionally, there are several naming rules specific to the state of Texas.
Texas Limited Liability
Company Naming Rules
In addition to the general rules listed above, the Texas Secretary of State has some specific business naming rules for your LLC. You will need to follow these rules if you want to name your TX business appropriately. Here are some direct quotes from the Texas Secretary of State:
Where prohibited by §31.005 and §181.004 of the Texas Finance Code, an entity name cannot include the words "bank," "bank and trust," "trust," "trust company" or a similar term, phrase or foreign language word unless accompanied by a no objection letter from the Banking Commissioner
Where prohibited by §61.313 of the Texas Education Code, an entity name cannot include the words "College," "University," "School of Medicine," "Medical School," "Health Science Center,""School of Law," "Law Center," or "Law School," whether in English or in another language, unless accompanied by a no objection letter from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Where prohibited by §5.062 of the Texas Business Organizations Code, an entity name cannot include the words "Veteran," "Legion," "Foreign," "Spanish," "Disabled," "War," or "World War" if the name implies the entity is created for the benefit of war veterans and their families, without written approval issued from a veterans organization pursuant to §5.062 of the Texas Business Organizations Code.
The words "insurance" or "surety" must be accompanied by other words that remove the implication that the entity purpose is to be an insurer.
Texas Corporation Naming Rules
The words “Incorporated,” “Corporation,” “Limited” or their abbreviations generally need to appear in your business name, normally at the end. The Texas Secretary of State will not typically allow you to name S Corporations or C Corporations that breach the following rules:
Are very similar to the name of a federal or TX agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Texas Department of Revenue, Texas Police, Treasury, etc.)
Suggest affiliation with a federal or TX agency or organization
Use the term “Olympic” or any terms that are trademarks of the Olympic organization
Form Your Texas LLC or Corporation Quickly and Easily
We have a full guide to starting a new business in Texas. Learn about how to start a TX LLC or a TX corporation.
Common Questions About Texas Entity Searches
How Do I Search the Business Registry of the Texas Secretary of State?
Just use the Texas Business Name Search Tool above and enter your proposed TX LLC or corporation name. We’ll search the business name database of the Texas Secretary of State and tell you if there are any matches.
What Are the Rules on Naming My Texas Business Entity?
Texas business entities do have to follow some general and specific naming rules. We’ve covered the main ones above.
Can I Do Business Under a Different Name Than My Legal Name in Texas?
You can normally choose to conduct business under a different name in Texas. This can be known as an “assumed name,” “fictitious name,” “doing business as name” or “trade name.” We can file your TX Fictitious Business Name with the Texas Secretary of State on your behalf.
I Need to Change the Name of My Texas Business Entity — Can You Help?
You can change your Texas legal business entity name by filing an amendment to your Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization. We can file an amendment on your behalf, including changing the name of your Texas corporation or LLC.
Can You Help Me Choose the Right Texas Business Name?
The perfect Texas business name can be elusive. We have a complete guide to choosing the right TX business name — you'll want to choose a name that will:
What’s the Best Way to Stop My Texas Business Name from Being Used by Someone Else?
The easiest way to protect your Texas business name is to incorporate your business in Texas, generally as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or a corporation. We can help you do that — just choose “Incorporate Now” above to get started.If you want extra protection, you could consider registering your Texas business name as a trademark. Note that filing a fictitious or “doing business as" (DBA) name in Texas will not be sufficient to protect it.
What Texas Agency Is Responsible for Managing and Registering Business Names in TX?
Businesses are incorporated in Texas via the Secretary of State. They manage the Texas company register, and it is their business name database that we will search on your behalf.