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How to Check If an LLC Name Is Available in Louisiana

Last verified: November 2, 2026 · Sources are cited at the bottom of this page.

The short answer

Short answer: Louisiana's free public search is the Secretary of State's Commercial Search at coraweb.sos.la.gov — not geauxBIZ, which is the filing portal. The trap: Louisiana tests your name against registered trade names and partnerships as well as corporations and LLCs, so a name can look free and still be blocked by a trade name you never saw.

The official search

The registry is run by the Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division. Louisiana splits its online services across two systems, and using the right one matters:

The database covers LLCs, corporations, nonprofit and professional corporations, and partnerships registered with the Secretary of State, plus registered trade names. Businesses registered only at the parish level do not appear.

There is no separate yes-or-no availability tool. You judge availability from the results, and the Commercial Division decides when your filing is reviewed. Questions: 225-925-4704.

A results list shows the entity name, charter number, entity type, status, and city. A detail record adds the domicile address, filing date, registered agent name and address, officers or members/managers as reported on the company's filings, and its filing history.

Step by step

  1. Open the Commercial Search and choose Search by Entity Name.
  2. Enter your name without "LLC" and search. Louisiana's name search is reported to match from the beginning of the name, so a full, long name can miss things — also run a shorter version.
  3. Search the most distinctive word or fragment alone. If your name is "Pelican State Plumbing," search "Pelican" by itself. This is how you catch near-misses a starts-with search would otherwise hide.
  4. Try the other modes if you need them. You can also search by charter number, trade registration number, or name reservation number, and by officer name or agent name.
  5. Check every record type, not just LLCs. Because Louisiana tests distinguishability against corporations, partnerships, reserved names, and registered trade names too, a conflict can come from any of them.
  6. If nothing too close appears, the name is probably available — but only the Commercial Division's review of your actual filing is final.

Louisiana's name rules

The rules are in La. R.S. 12:1306 of the Louisiana Limited Liability Company Law.

Designator. The name must contain "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "L.C." Read that list literally — the statute lists "L.L.C." and "L.C.," and many guides loosely add a bare "LLC" that the statute does not list. A low-profit LLC uses "low-profit limited liability company," "L3C," or "l3c" instead.

Distinguishable. The name must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State from:

  1. Any corporation, partnership, or other LLC organized in Louisiana
  2. Any foreign corporation, partnership, or LLC registered or qualified to do business in Louisiana
  3. Any name reserved under R.S. 12:1307 or R.S. 12:1-402(A)
  4. Any trade name registered with the Secretary of State

The statute lists narrow exceptions (for example, the existing holder consents in writing and changes its own name), but for a new founder, treat any close match as a block.

Prohibited content. The name may not imply the LLC is organized for a purpose that is unlawful or different from its articles, may not contain "doing business as" or "d/b/a," may not imply the company is a government agency of Louisiana, a political subdivision, or the United States, and may not contain immoral, deceptive, or scandalous matter.

Reserving a name. Louisiana allows name reservations under R.S. 12:1307 using Form 398: $25 for 120 days, filed through geauxBIZ or by mail to the Commercial Division. A reservation is optional — it holds the name while you prepare, but it does not create an LLC.

What the search can't tell you

If the name looks available

File Articles of Organization (Form 365) together with the Initial Report (Form 973) with the Commercial Division, online through geauxBIZ or by mail, fax, or in person. Louisiana will not accept the Articles without the Initial Report, which names your registered office, agent (with signed acceptance), and initial members or managers. Paper signatures must be notarized.

Ongoing: the annual report.

FAQ

Is the Louisiana LLC name search free? Yes. The Commercial Search is free and needs no login. You only need a geauxBIZ account when you file a document, reserve a name, or file an annual report.

What is the difference between the Commercial Search and geauxBIZ? The Commercial Search is the public lookup — use it to check names and inspect existing businesses. geauxBIZ is the filing portal — use it to reserve a name, file your Articles of Organization, and file annual reports.

Can a trade name block my Louisiana LLC name? Yes. Under R.S. 12:1306, your name must be distinguishable from trade names registered with the Secretary of State, as well as from corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and reserved names.

How much does it cost to form a Louisiana LLC? The Articles of Organization fee is $125 as of October 1, 2026 (it was $100 before), and the required Initial Report is filed with the Articles at no separate fee. Reserving a name first is optional and costs $25 for 120 days.

When is the Louisiana LLC annual report due? On or before the anniversary date of your LLC's organization each year. The fee is $35, there is no late fee, but missing three years in a row leads to revocation of your Articles.

Sources

Run the check now

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