Check LLC Name

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How to Check If an LLC Name Is Available in Colorado

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

The short answer

Short answer: Colorado's official records are on the Secretary of State's website, coloradosos.gov, and searching is free with no login. The trap: Colorado runs two different tools. The Name Availability Search gives a bare yes or no and hides what conflicted, while the Business Database Search shows the actual records. Run the database search first, or you will never see the near-miss names.

The official search

The registry is run by the Colorado Secretary of State, Business Organizations Division.

Use the current coloradosos.gov address — the old sos.state.co.us address still circulates but is legacy. Unusually, Colorado's database covers all business organizations on record plus registered trade names and trademarks in the same system, so one search covers records that live in separate systems in most states.

Each entity has a Summary page showing its name, status (Good Standing, Noncompliant, Delinquent, Dissolved, and so on), ID number, entity type, formation date, periodic report month, jurisdiction, principal office addresses, and registered agent. From the Summary page you can view filing history and documents, get a certificate of good standing, and file forms. Colorado does not publish LLC members or managers — the Articles state only whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed, not who the people are.

Step by step

  1. Start with the Business Database Search, not the availability tool. Select Organization Name and enter your proposed name, or part of it. A name search returns entities with similar names — that list of near-misses is exactly what you need to see.
  2. Review every similar name. Check each one's type and status. Remember that trade names registered with the Secretary of State are in this same register and can block an entity name.
  3. If you are checking a specific business, search by its Organizational ID Number instead — an 11-digit number shown on its Summary page.
  4. Then run the Name Availability Search. Enter your exact proposed name, including the designator. The tool answers only "The name is available" or "The name is not available" — it will not show you which record caused a "no."
  5. If the verdict is no, go back to the database list and work out which similar name is the problem before trying a variation.
  6. Know the limit of both tools. Final confirmation still happens when you file.

Colorado's name rules

The rules are in C.R.S. §7-90-601 (entity names) and §7-80-204 (LLC articles).

Designator. Colorado's list is unusually permissive. The name must contain one of: "Limited Liability Company," "Ltd. Liability Company," "Limited Liability Co.," "Ltd. Liability Co.," "Limited," "L.L.C.," "LLC," or "Ltd." Even a bare "Limited" or "Ltd." works here — most states reject both.

Distinguishable. The name must be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State from every other entity name on record and every reserved name.

Colorado's math is the opposite of most states. Here, the designator, spacing, and hyphenation do count: per Secretary of State guidance, "ABC LLC" is a different name from "ABC Limited Liability Company" or "A-B-C LLC." But periods, commas, underscores, apostrophes, and letter case do not count — "ABC Inc" and "A.B.C. Inc" are the same name. In most states designator swaps never help; in Colorado they can save a name. Do not build a brand on that technicality without a trademark check, though — the verdict covers only the state's register.

Prohibited and restricted content. A name may not violate other law, such as words implying a regulated or governmental activity, and "cooperative" is restricted to cooperatives. Before relying on a regulated word like bank, trust, or insurance, check the Secretary of State's naming guidance for the current restrictions.

Reserving a name. A Statement of Reservation filed online costs $25 and holds the name for 120 days.

What the search can't tell you

If the name looks available

File Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State through "File a Business Document" on coloradosos.gov.

Ongoing: the Periodic Report.

One pleasant surprise: certificates of good standing are free online in Colorado — most states charge for them.

FAQ

Is the Colorado LLC name search free? Yes. Both the Business Database Search and the Name Availability Search are free and require no login.

What is the difference between Colorado's two search tools? The Business Database Search shows you the actual records, including similar names. The Name Availability Search gives only a yes-or-no verdict on your exact name and does not reveal what conflicted. Use the database search first.

Can changing "LLC" to "Limited Liability Company" make a taken name available in Colorado? Possibly — Colorado counts designator, spacing, and hyphenation differences toward distinguishability, which is the opposite of most states. But a name that passes on a technicality can still be a branding and trademark risk.

How much does it cost to form a Colorado LLC? $50 for the Articles of Organization, filed online only. The filing is effective immediately once payment clears.

How much is the Colorado LLC periodic report? $25 per year, filed online within a five-month window around your formation-anniversary month. Late filing brings Noncompliant status and a $50 penalty; after 60 days the entity becomes Delinquent.

Sources

Run the check now

Use the workflow tool below — it is pre-set to Colorado 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.