How to Do a Business Name Search in California (2026)
How to Do a Business Name Search in California (2026)
Before you file anything, you need to know whether the name you want is already on the California Secretary of State's records. A California business name search answers that question. It is free, takes a few minutes, and catches the most common conflicts. It does not guarantee approval, though. People who treat it as a guarantee often end up renaming a business after they have printed signs and opened a bank account.
This guide is informational only. It is not legal or tax advice. Entity, naming, and tax decisions depend on your facts, so consider talking with a qualified California attorney or CPA before you file, especially if you have investors, plan to rely on a trademark, or run a licensed trade.
Step 1: Run the free search on bizfile Online
The Secretary of State's Business Search is on bizfile Online at bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business. You can search by entity name or entity number. Results show the entity name, entity number, entity type, and status, so you can see whether a match is an LLC, a corporation, or a limited partnership.
Search several versions of your name. Try it with and without “LLC,” with “and” and with “&,” and with and without spaces or punctuation. A close match is a warning sign, because the Secretary of State ignores many of those differences when it compares names.
Understand what this search is. It is a preliminary search, not a formal availability determination. The Secretary of State makes the final decision only when your filing is reviewed. Staff opinions given by phone or email are advisory, and so is a name reservation.
Do not spend money on the business yet. Hold off on stationery, signs, branded inventory, and paid advertising until your formation document is filed and you have a filed copy in hand.
What “distinguishable” means
Since January 1, 2021, the Corporations Code and 2 CCR 21004 have required a business name to be “distinguishable in the records of the Secretary of State” from existing names of the same entity type. The name also must not be likely to mislead the public. The test is narrower than many people expect. It looks at the text in the state's records, not at whether customers could confuse two businesses.
The regulation lists the differences that do not count. Names that differ only in these ways are treated as the same:
- Entity identifiers, such as LLC, Inc., and Corp.
- Upper or lower case, and typeface
- Punctuation, symbols, or spaces. A B C Corp., AB C Corp., A.B.C. Corp., and A-B-C Corp. are the same name. Good Time Rest Home LLC and Goodtime Rest Home LLC are the same name.
- An ampersand in place of “and.” A & B Corporation and A and B Corporation are the same name.
The search does not consider whether the other business is still active, or whether it works in a different line of business or area. Letters are not read as Roman numerals, so a name written with a numeral is not matched to the same name written with letters.
The same-entity-type limit
Names are checked only against names of the same entity type. A proposed corporation name is checked only against other corporations. An LLC name is checked only against other LLCs. A limited partnership name is checked only against other limited partnerships. A clear result for an LLC name tells you nothing about the corporations on file, and the reverse is also true.
This is the limit that catches people. A clear result does not mean the name is free to use. Names are not checked against trademarks or service marks, and they are not checked against fictitious business names filed with a county. A name that clears the state search can still infringe a federal trademark or match a DBA already on file in your county. Before you commit, run two more searches:
- The USPTO trademark database, for federal trademarks and service marks.
- The fictitious business name index kept by the county clerk-recorder in the county where you do business.
Reserving a name
A name reservation holds a name while you prepare your filing. It costs $10 and lasts 60 days. You file it online through bizfile Online. The Secretary of State's name availability page has the details.
Keep these limits in mind:
- The reservation lasts 60 days, not 120. It can be renewed for the same applicant or party, but not for consecutive 60-day periods. There must be at least one day between reservations.
- A reservation does not guarantee that the name meets every requirement for your entity type. Compliance is checked when the formation document is filed.
- A reservation does not clear the name against trademarks or fictitious business names.
Name rules by entity type
Passing the distinguishable test is only part of the job. The name must also follow the rules for the entity you choose.
| Entity type | Formation document and fee | Name rules |
|---|---|---|
| LLC | Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), $70 | Must contain “limited liability company,” “L.L.C.,” or “LLC.” “Limited” may be “Ltd.” and “company” may be “Co.” Cannot contain bank, trust, trustee, incorporated, inc., corporation, or corp. Cannot contain words suggesting insurance (Corporations Code 17701.08). |
| Corporation | Articles of Incorporation, $100 | No designator is needed. “Bank” and “trust” require approval from the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. “Professional Corporation,” “Prof. Corp.,” “P.C.,” or “PC” may be used only by a professional corporation. |
Some words are refused no matter the entity type. Names that suggest a government connection, such as agency, commission, department, bureau, division, municipal, or board, or that use the name of a city, county, or state, can be refused as misleading. Insurance words can also mislead unless the business is an insurer or the name adds a word such as “agency” or “broker.”
Two structure limits also matter. An LLC cannot render a licensed professional service, so professionals use a professional corporation instead. California does not allow a domestic series LLC.
What else to check before you commit
Trademarks and domains
Run the USPTO search described above. Check whether the matching domain name and social media handles are available. These are not state matters, and the Secretary of State does not review them, but a matching domain makes the business easier to find. Owning a domain does not give you trademark rights.
Fictitious business name (DBA)
If you will operate under a name other than your legal entity name, you need a Fictitious Business Name Statement. You file it with the county clerk-recorder in the county of your principal place of business. Filing is due within 40 days of starting business under the name. The statement must be published in a newspaper once a week for four weeks, and it expires after five years. The statutory fee is $10 plus $2 for each additional name or owner (Business and Professions Code 17929), but counties set their own fees. In the counties checked, fees ran from $23 to $90, and the newspaper publication fee is separate. Confirm your county clerk-recorder's current schedule before you budget. The Secretary of State's fictitious business names page explains the process.
City and county requirements
California has no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and the CDTFA seller's permit is not a business license. Most cities charge a local business tax or registration certificate. Of the state's 483 cities, 445 report revenue from one, but there is no common formula, so the answer depends on the city. Counties license only regulated activities. Confirm the local requirement with your city's tax or revenue office.
Tax registrations and trade licenses
Register with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) if you sell taxable goods. The seller's permit is free. The statewide sales tax base is 7.25%, and with district taxes, city rates run from 7.25% to 11.75%. Register with the Employment Development Department (EDD) if you have employees. Regulated trades need licenses from state boards. For example, the Contractors State License Board uses a $1,000 threshold for contractor licensing, so confirm the current figure with the board.
LLCs owe the $800 minimum annual franchise tax from their first year if they were organized or registered in 2024 through 2026. An LLC whose first taxable year begins in 2027, 2028, or 2029 pays $400 in year one under RTC 17941(g)(2), so confirm the first-year amount with the Franchise Tax Board (FTB). The LLC fee applies once California-source total income reaches $250,000, $500,000, $1,000,000, or $5,000,000, and runs $900, $2,500, $6,000, or $11,790 at those levels. A newly incorporated or qualified corporation or S corporation owes no $800 in its first taxable year.
Ongoing filings
An LLC files a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) for $20 within 90 days of filing its articles, then every two years during the six-month window ending on the last day of the anniversary month. A corporation files a Statement of Information (Form SI-550) for $25 within 90 days of filing its articles, then every year. If the FTB assesses a penalty after a Secretary of State notice, it is $250.
Putting it in order
- Run the bizfile Online search with several variations of the name.
- Search the USPTO trademark database and your county's fictitious business name index.
- Reserve the name for $10 if you need time. The reservation lasts 60 days.
- File the formation document. An LLC-1 costs $70. Online filings are normally processed within about 5 business days or less, and paper filings take 10 or more business days. Expedited options are $350 for 24-hour service, $750 for same-day service if received by 9:30 a.m., and $500 for 4-hour drop-off service, which requires precleared filing.
- After filing, register with the CDTFA, EDD, your city, and any state licensing board your trade requires.
Frequently asked questions
Does a clear bizfile search guarantee that my name is available?
No. It is a preliminary search. The Secretary of State makes the final decision when your filing is reviewed.
Can a staff member's phone opinion protect my name?
No. Staff opinions are advisory only. The filed document is the only final result.
How long does a name reservation last?
It lasts 60 days and costs $10. It can be renewed for the same applicant or party, but not for consecutive 60-day periods.
If the Secretary of State clears my name, can I use it?
Not necessarily. The state search does not check trademarks, service marks, or fictitious business names. Search those separately and confirm your local and licensing requirements.
Do I need a state business license?
California has no general state business license. Most cities require a local business tax or registration certificate, and some trades require a license from a state board.
For free one-on-one help, the California Small Business Development Center network is at californiasbdc.org. For questions about your specific structure or tax position, consult a qualified California attorney or CPA.