Check LLC Name

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How to Check If an LLC Name Is Available in California

Last verified: November 1, 2026 · Sources are cited at the bottom of this page.

The short answer

Short answer: California's official search is the Secretary of State's bizfile Online Business Search at bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov. It is free and needs no login. The trap: California checks an LLC name only against other LLCs — never against corporations, trademarks, or county DBAs — and the Secretary of State calls the online search preliminary, not a formal availability check.

The official search

The California Secretary of State runs business records through bizfile Online.

A company record shows the entity name and number, formation date, status, the entity's standing with the Secretary of State and with the Franchise Tax Board shown separately, addresses, the agent for service of process, the Statement of Information due date, and officer, member, or manager names and addresses. The record does not show ownership percentages, EINs, or operating agreements — those are not filed with the state.

Note what is not in this registry at all: sole proprietorships, general partnerships, and fictitious business names (DBAs), which are filed with the county.

Step by step

  1. Open bizfile Online Business Search and start with the basic search.
  2. Search the most distinctive word in your name. Basic search is a keyword search — your terms can appear anywhere in a name — and results are capped at 500 matches. A common word like "Pacific" will flood the list. Searching the most unusual word, and including the entity suffix, narrows it down.
  3. Use Advanced Search to sharpen the check. Advanced Search adds a "begins with" mode plus filters for entity type, status, and initial filing date. Counterintuitively, the advanced "begins with" mode is often the more precise tool.
  4. Review every LLC match. California compares LLC names only against other LLCs, so focus your conflict check on LLCs and reserved names — but read the section below about what that leaves out.
  5. If you search by entity number, drop the leading "C" from older legacy numbers before searching.
  6. Treat a clean result as preliminary. The Secretary of State states plainly that the online search is not a formal name availability search, and warns against ordering signs or stationery or making financial commitments until your formation documents are actually filed.

California's name rules

The rules are in California Corporations Code §17701.08, with detailed regulations at Title 2, California Code of Regulations, Chapter 8.5.

Designator. The name must contain "limited liability company," "L.L.C.," or "LLC." "Limited" may be shortened to "Ltd." and "Company" to "Co."

Distinguishable and not misleading. The name must be distinguishable in the Secretary of State's records from:

It also must not be one the Secretary of State determines is likely to mislead the public. A name that differs only in its entity ending is not distinguishable.

Consent. A name that does not comply can sometimes be authorized if the current user consents in a signed record and agrees to change its own name, or if you provide a certified court judgment establishing your right to the name.

Prohibited words. The name may not include "bank," "trust," "trustee," "incorporated," "inc.," "corporation," or "corp." It also may not include "insurer," "insurance company," or other words suggesting the business issues insurance policies.

Reserving a name. A name can be reserved for 60 days, and reservations cannot be renewed back-to-back — at least one day must separate reservation periods, so you cannot hold a name indefinitely. The reservation fee is widely reported as $10; check the current Secretary of State fee schedule to confirm.

What the search can't tell you

If the name looks available

File Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the Secretary of State, online through bizfile Online.

Then watch two separate obligations — the classic California trap:

  1. Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) — due to the Secretary of State within 90 days of formation, then every two years. Fee: $20. File late past the delinquency notice period and the penalty is $250, with suspension or forfeiture for continued delinquency.
  2. The $800 annual LLC tax — owed to the Franchise Tax Board every year, even with zero income and zero activity, until the LLC is formally cancelled. Pay it with Form 3522 by the 15th day of the 4th month of the tax year (April 15 for calendar-year LLCs). Simply stopping business does not stop the tax. The LLC also files Form 568 each year, and LLCs with $250,000 or more of California-source income owe an additional income-based fee.

FAQ

Is the California LLC name search free? Yes. bizfile Online Business Search is free, requires no login, and lets you view filed documents at no charge.

Can a California corporation and LLC have the same name? Yes. California checks an LLC name only against other LLCs and reserved names — not against corporations or limited partnerships — so the same name can exist for both.

What words are banned in a California LLC name? "Bank," "trust," "trustee," "incorporated," "inc.," "corporation," and "corp." are prohibited, along with "insurer," "insurance company," and similar insurance wording.

How much does it cost to form a California LLC? The Articles of Organization filing fee is $70. Budget beyond that for the $800 annual LLC tax owed to the Franchise Tax Board from the first year.

What is the $800 California LLC tax? It is an annual tax owed to the Franchise Tax Board every year the LLC exists, whether or not it does business, until the LLC is formally cancelled. It is separate from the Secretary of State's $20 biennial Statement of Information.

Sources

Run the check now

Use the workflow tool below — it is pre-set to California and builds your printable checklist with the official links.

Name-Check Workflow Tool

Pick your state, choose your entity type, and type the name you want. The tool builds your step-by-step checklist — the official search, the trademark check, the domain check, and your filing options. It runs entirely in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere.