Start a Small Business 鈫� Start a Business in Florida 鈫� Business Entity Search in Florida
When starting an LLC in Florida, you must ensure your chosen business name is available and complies with the Florida naming rules; otherwise, the state might reject your application.听
You confirm your name’s availability by searching for a business name entity on the Florida Divisions of Corporation website.听
As for complying with the naming rules, I’ll walk you through those in this post and tell you what to do after registering your new LLC name to ensure you protect it online.听
When forming an LLC in Florida, you conduct a business entity search with the to confirm your name is not registered by another entity.
A business entity search also provides specific information about existing Florida entities, including LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, non-profits, and organizations.
Your new business name must comply with the following Florida LLC naming requirements:
Those are the Florida naming guidelines. Next, we’ll learn how to use the Florida Department of State website.
The following tips can simplify your experience when using the Florida Department of State website to search for a business name and ensure you find what you’re looking for.
Those include:
Now you’re ready to use the Florida Divisions of Corporations Business Entity Search tool:
To search for a business, visit the Divisions of Corporation’s website and select “Name.”
Type your desired business name into the entity name search bar and click Search Now.听
For example, I’ll use the name “Florida Extreme Fitness.”
Pro tip:
The search works best when you enter part of the name you’re looking for.
For instance, if you want to use Florida Extreme Fitness LLC, begin with “Florida Fitness,” which broadens the search and shows similar names.
If your name (or something similar) is already registered, it will show on the results page; if the exact name appears, it isn`t available for use; if the search shows no names, your chosen name is available.
My example shows several similar names and one exact match.听
Next, click on the name most similar to your desired business name, which will bring you to the “Detail by Entity Name” page:
Here, you will find detailed information about the company using your chosen business name, including:
You will also see the business statuses, which include:
A Doing Business As (also known as a fictitious name) is a name you can use other than your LLC legal name.听
Before using a DBA, you must conduct a name search using the to ensure it’s available.听
To register a DBA, visit the , complete the online form, and pay the $50 fee.
Once you confirm your name is available in Florida State, the following steps can stop other businesses from using it online and nationwide.
In most states, you can reserve a business name for 120 days; Florida, however, is the only state that doesn’t allow this.听
Registering your desired name when you form your LLC in Florida is the only way to secure it.
You can trademark your new name with the to stop other businesses from using it in the U.S. First, you must search the to ensure it’s available and to confirm you’re not registering a name in Florida that’s already trademarked.
Registering a domain name that is the same as or similar to your chosen Florida LLC’s name is crucial for creating an online presence and brand identity.听
Use a domain registration site like GoDaddy or Network Solutions to confirm your domain is available as a .com. If it isn’t, you can use a different Top-Level Domain (TLD), like a location domain or a net, org, or biz.
Registering your new LLC business is the first step in forming an LLC.听
Next, ensure it’s available as a domain and consider registering it as a trademark. Once you have those, you can create your brand to ensure your target audience sees and connects with your new business.
You do a business entity search in Florida to confirm your desired LLC name isn鈥檛 already in use.听
Visit the聽聽and enter your chosen business name in the entity search bar.
You cannot reserve a business name in Florida state.
You must register your desired DBA with the Florida Divisions of Corporation鈥檚 website before using it for your business.
This portion of our website is for informational or educational purposes only. 91吃瓜 is not a law firm, and the information on this website does not constitute legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, 91吃瓜 is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between 91吃瓜 and any other brands, services or logos on this page.
Products
Resources