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How to Check If an LLC Name Is Available in Mississippi

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

The short answer

Short answer: Mississippi's official search is the Secretary of State's Business Search at corp.sos.ms.gov. It is free and needs no login, and it offers a rare "Sounds Like" mode that catches names that merely sound like yours. The trap: Mississippi's annual report is also free — $0 — but it is still mandatory every year by April 15, and skipping a report nobody ever bills you for can get your LLC administratively dissolved.

The official search

The registry is run by the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division.

The database covers corporations, nonprofit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and LLPs registered with the Secretary of State, both Mississippi-formed and out-of-state entities registered here. Sole proprietorships do not register as entities with the Secretary of State, so they do not appear.

There is no separate "name availability" tool that gives a yes or no. You judge availability from the search results, and the Secretary of State makes the final decision when your Certificate of Formation or name reservation is reviewed — by law, the office must reject a certificate whose name does not comply with the rules below. One warning: only sos.ms.gov is the official source. Look-alike sites with similar names are private businesses, not the state.

A results list shows the business name, Business ID, entity type, status, and the date the entity was created. A detail record adds the registered agent's name and Mississippi address, the officers or members on file, and the filing history.

Step by step

  1. Open the Business Search and stay on the Business Name tab. Mississippi also lets you search by Business ID, Officer Name, or Registered Agent, but the name tab is the one for availability checks.
  2. Start with Exact Match, entering your name without "LLC." This rules out a direct collision.
  3. Run All Words and Any Words. All Words finds names containing every word you entered, in any order. Any Words finds names containing any one of them — run it on your most distinctive word alone to see the whole neighborhood.
  4. Run Sounds Like. This phonetic mode is Mississippi's best feature: it catches near-miss names that sound like yours but are spelled differently, exactly the kind that can block a filing.
  5. Run Starting With on the first word or two of your name, to catch names that open the same way.
  6. Check every result, whatever its entity type. Your name is tested against corporations, nonprofits, limited partnerships, and LLPs as well as LLCs — and against names that are merely reserved. If nothing distinguishable appears, the name is probably available, but only the Secretary of State's review of your actual filing is definitive.

Mississippi's name rules

The rules are in Miss. Code § 79-29-109 of the Revised Mississippi Limited Liability Company Act.

Designator. The name must contain "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC."

Distinguishable. The name must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State from the name of any domestic or foreign corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or LLC that is organized or registered in Mississippi and has not been dissolved — and from any name reserved or registered with the Secretary of State that has not expired.

Prohibited words. The name may not contain "bank," "banker," "bankers," "banking," "trust company," "insurance," "trust," "corporation," "incorporated," or any combination, abbreviation, or word of similar import. Note a recent change: a 2024 amendment removed "partnership" and "limited partnership" from this prohibited list, so older guides that still ban those words are out of date.

Member names. The name may contain the name of a member or manager, but it does not have to.

Using a name that is not distinguishable. The statute allows an LLC to apply for authorization to use a non-distinguishable name in limited situations — for example, with the other entity's written consent alongside its agreement to change its own name, or under a court order. Read § 79-29-109(3) carefully before counting on this route.

Reserving a name. Mississippi allows name reservations under § 79-29-111: $25 for 180 days, filed through the Secretary of State. The reservation may be renewed once for another 180 days if you file the renewal within 30 days before it expires. A reservation is optional — it does not form an LLC.

What the search can't tell you

If the name looks available

File a Certificate of Formation (Form F0100) with the Secretary of State, online through the business portal at corp.sos.ms.gov. Mississippi calls this document a Certificate, not Articles of Organization.

Ongoing: the annual report (Form F0108).

FAQ

Is the Mississippi LLC name search free? Yes. The Business Search is free and requires no login. You only need an account when you are ready to file documents.

What does the "Sounds Like" search do? It returns names that are phonetically similar to yours, even if they are spelled differently. It is the best mode for catching near-miss conflicts that an Exact Match search would miss.

How much does it cost to form a Mississippi LLC? The Certificate of Formation (Form F0100) filing fee is $50.

How much is the Mississippi LLC annual report? Nothing, for a domestic Mississippi LLC — the fee is $0. It is still mandatory, it is due by April 15 every year, and failing to file can lead to administrative dissolution. Foreign LLCs pay $250 for the same report.

Can I reserve an LLC name in Mississippi? Yes. A reservation costs $25 and holds the name for 180 days. It can be renewed once, for another 180 days, if you renew within 30 days before it expires.

Sources

Run the check now

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