We’re here to help you find the right business name for your Florida LLC. From searching for a business name with the FL Department of State to understanding naming rules or creating a “Doing Business As” name to register your entity, you’re in the right place.
The business name you select cannot be in use by any other corporation or LLC in the state. This is why it's so important to perform a Florida Secretary of State business search before you begin your formation paperwork.
It’s not enough for your LLC name to be unique. It also cannot be similar to the name of another LLC or corporation in the state. In addition, you cannot use any of the following features in an attempt to differentiate your business name from that of another business:
- Suffixes, such as Corporation, Company, Incorporated, Incorporation, Limited, Corp., Co., Inc., Ltd., LLC, etc.
- Definite articles, such as “A,” “An,” or “The”
- The conjunction "And," or “&"
- The singular, plural or possessive forms of words
- Abbreviations, punctuation, symbols, fonts, typefaces, etc.
All LLCs must use one of the following in their names, usually at the end of the name: “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC.”
Most states will not allow you to form LLCs with names that:
- Are similar to the name of a federal or state agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Florida Department of Revenue, Treasury, etc.)
- Suggest affiliation with a federal or state agency or organization
- Use the term “Olympic” or any terms that are trademarks of the International Olympic Committee
- Imply a purpose that would be illegal for your business to carry out
Specific Rules for Florida Business Names
In addition to the general rules listed above, you'll need to follow some Florida LLC laws that apply to naming your business.
The Art of Choosing a Business Name
The perfect business name can be elusive. We have a complete guide to choosing the right business name, but essentially, you'll want to choose a name that will:
Appeal to your customers
Be memorable enough to stand out
Best represent your product or services
Not be used by another business
Need help coming up with business name ideas? Try our free name generator.
Florida Business Entity Search
Once you have an idea of the name you want, you’ll need to perform a Florida business search to make sure another company isn't already using that name.
You can use the state's online portal to perform a Sunbiz business search.
You can also use our simple and convenient Business Name Search Tool, which will search the Florida company registry for you.
Trademarks and Service Marks
You must be careful that your Florida LLC name doesn't infringe on the trademark or service mark of another business. The easiest way to ensure you're not infringing is to perform a trademark search through Incfile. If the trademark isn't already in use, you can even register it yourself.
Let Incfile run a trademark search for you.
Florida DBA or Fictitious Name
You're permitted to do business under a different name from your legal LLC name. In Florida, doing business under a different name is known as either a “Fictitious” or “Doing Business As” name. You might choose to use a different name from your FL formal LLC name for a variety of reasons.
For example, your LLC might be called Florida Keys Media, LLC, and you have a chain called Island Treasure Bookstores. You'll need to register a fictitious name to let the Florida Secretary of State (FL SOS) know.
First, perform a Sunbiz fictitious name search to ensure you're selecting a unique name. Then you can register the name online, or you can have Incfile do it on your behalf through our Assumed Business Name service.
The FL SOS also requires you to advertise the fictitious name you register at least once in a newspaper that is located within the county where your principal place of business is located.
Note: A trade name is not the same as a trademark. Learn more about trademark vs. DBA.
Register Your Business Name with the Florida SOS
You’ve performed a Florida Secretary of State business search, checked availability, followed the naming rules and determined whether you need an assumed name. Now you can register your LLC name in one of two ways.
If you don’t want to form your LLC right away, you can reserve the business name. You'll do this by submitting a letter to the Florida SOS. The name will be reserved for 120 days. If you're starting your business right away, you don't need to reserve a name.
If you’re ready to start your LLC, you can indicate your chosen business name when you file your Articles of Organization with the Florida SOS. Or you can have Incfile do this for you.
Form Your LLC in Florida for $0 + State Fee ($125)
FAQs About Naming Your Florida LLC
Use our free Business Name Search Tool and enter your chosen business name. You can also perform a search of the state's registry, which will tell you whether any corporations or LLCs in the state are already using that name.
Yes. Most LLCs will be bound by general rules (applicable to all LLCs) and specific rules (applicable in the state of Florida). We’ve detailed these rules above.
Yes. You can conduct business under an assumed name. Details are above.
Yes. The Florida SOS allows you to reserve a name if you're not ready to start your business immediately. Details are above. If you do want to start your business right away, you don't need to reserve a name.
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