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New Business in California

As the home to New York City and dozens of major corporations, New York is an international center for finance and business.

Both New York City and New York state combine diverse cultures with a thriving economy. In addition to finance, the region is home to several other major sectors including media, tourism, entertainment and technology.

If You’re Thinking of Forming a New New York Corporation or LLC, You Can Start by Finding the Perfect Name

Our helpful New York LLC and corporation search tool lets you lookup business names in NY to see if they’re available. We’ll check your proposed business name against the registry of businesses held by the New York Department of State.

Once you’ve found the right New York business name, you can quickly register your NY LLC or corporation through us for one low fee. To search for New York business entities, just enter your details in the box below, and we’ll take care of everything else.

Use Our Free Business Name Search Tool to Find Out If Your Company Name Is Available

We’ll take care of the entity search.

We’ll tell you if your business name is available with the New York Division of Corporations. Just fill in your proposed business name, and we’ll search the company registrar for you.

New York Rules on Naming Your Business

Once you’ve checked to see if your New York business name is available, you’ll need to confirm it follows certain naming rules.

If your New York 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 New York state entity or that you will be carrying out activities your NY business is not legally able to provide.

Your business name must be unique and not similar to or confusable with another business name in New York.

Specific Naming Rules for New York

If you’re forming an LLC or corporation in New York, you will also need to follow the naming rules below:

Company Naming Rules
  • 1

    You must obtain consent from the appropriate licensing body or agency to use terms in your corporation name related to licensed professions or businesses

  • 2

    You cannot use any language considered obscene, derogatory or that states or implies any unlawful activity

  • 3

    You cannot use any language considered obscene, derogatory or that states or implies any unlawful activity

  • 4

    Prohibited words include: attorney, board of trade, chamber of commerce, community, cooperation, cooperative, corporation, incorporated, partnership, redevelopment, state police, state trooper, tenant relocation, urban development, urban relocation

Form Your New York LLC or Corporation Quickly and Easily

Ready to start your business? Incfile will take care of the paperwork for you and file it with the New York Department of State-all for as little as $0 + state fee.

Start a NY Business Now
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Common Questions About New York Business Searches

What Else Should I Know Before I Start My LLC or Corporation?

We’ve put together comprehensive guides on how to start an LLC or corporation in New York, including information on business formation, annual reports, registered agents, and New York business taxes. See the NY LLC or NY CORPORATION guides for more information.

How Do I Search the Business Registry of the New York Department of State?

Just use the New York business name search tool above and enter your proposed NY LLC or corporation name. We’ll search the business name database of the New York Department of State and tell you if there are any matches.

What Are the Rules on Naming My New York Business Entity?

New York 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 New York?

You can normally choose to conduct business under a different name in New York. This can be known variously as an “assumed name,” “fictitious name,” “doing business as name” or “trade name.” We can file your NY Fictitious Business Name with the New York Department of State on your behalf.

Can I Change the Name of My New York LLC or Corporation?

You can change your New York 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 New York corporation or LLC.

What Do I Need to Think About When Deciding on a New York Business Name?

The perfect New York business name can be elusive. We have a We have a complete guide to choosing the right NY business name — you'll want to choose a name that will:

  • Appeal to your customers
  • Help people remember your company
  • Best represent your product or services
  • Not be used by another business in New York
What’s the Best Way to Stop My New York Business Name from Being Used by Someone Else?

The easiest way to protect your New York business name is to incorporate your business in New York, 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 New York business name as a trademark. Note that filing a fictitious or “doing business as" (DBA) name in New York will not be sufficient to protect it.

What Organization Registers and Manages Business Names in New York?

Businesses are incorporated in New York via the Department of State. They manage the New York company register, and it is their business name database that we will search on your behalf.