The official search
The registry is run by the North Dakota Secretary of State (Business Services), through its FirstStop portal — the same system used for business filings.
- Search page: https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business
- Cost: Free
- Login: None required to search
The Business Search covers LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and other entities registered with the Secretary of State, plus registered trade names. Trademarks have their own separate search inside FirstStop — and that second search matters, because registered trademarks count against your name too (see the rules below).
There is no separate tool that gives a yes-or-no availability verdict. You judge availability from the results, and the Secretary of State makes the final decision on whether a name is distinguishable when your filing is reviewed.
A results list shows the business name, entity type, SOS Control ID number, status, standing, and initial filing date. North Dakota shows status and standing as two separate fields: a business can be "Active" but "Not in Good Standing" if it has missed a filing. Opening a record adds registered agent information and filing history.
Step by step
- Open the FirstStop Business Search and type your proposed name into the Business Name search — leave off "LLC" so you catch every entity type, not just LLCs.
- Switch to Advanced Search and run a "Contains" search on the most distinctive word or words in your name. This finds conflicts where your word appears anywhere in an existing name. Run a "Starts With" search as well.
- Tick "Active Entities Only" on a second pass for the cleanest picture of names in use — but check the unfiltered results too, because reservations can still matter.
- Run the separate Trademark Search in FirstStop on the same words, and check the trade names in your results. A registered North Dakota trademark or trade name (DBA) can block an LLC name even when no business entity uses it.
- If nothing conflicting appears, the name is probably available — but only the Secretary of State's review of your actual filing is final.
North Dakota's name rules
The rules are in North Dakota Century Code § 10-32.1-11, part of the state's Uniform Limited Liability Company Act.
Designator. The name must contain "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC," written in English (ASCII) characters.
Distinguishable. The name must be distinguishable in the records of the Secretary of State from all of the following:
- Every LLC, corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, and limited liability limited partnership on file, domestic or foreign
- Every reserved name
- Every fictitious partnership name registered under Chapter 45-11
- Every trade name registered under Chapter 47-25
- Every trademark or service mark registered under Chapter 47-22
That list is broader than most states'. Items 3, 4, and 5 are why a clean entity search is not the whole check in North Dakota.
If your name is too close. North Dakota allows a cure: file the other holder's written consent with your articles (a Consent to Use Business Name, reported at a $10 filing fee), or a court judgment establishing your prior right to the name.
Prohibited terms. An LLC name may not contain "corporation," "incorporated," "limited partnership," "limited liability partnership," or "limited liability limited partnership," or abbreviations of those terms. The words "limited" and "company" may be used only as part of "limited liability company." The name also may not imply an unlawful purpose, or a purpose different from the one stated in your articles. Words such as "bank," "banker," "banking," "trust," and "trust company" should be treated as requiring prior state financial-regulator approval — do not use them without checking first.
Reserving a name. North Dakota's reservation is the best deal in the country: $10 holds a name for a full 12 months under § 10-32.1-12, and the reservation can be renewed for another 12 months. File the Reserved Name Application through FirstStop. Most states give you 120 days for more money.
What the search can't tell you
- A final verdict. FirstStop shows you the records; it does not rule on your name. The Secretary of State decides distinguishability when your Articles or reservation are reviewed.
- Federal trademarks and domains. The state trademark search covers North Dakota registrations only. It says nothing about USPTO trademarks or whether the matching .com is available.
- Unregistered names in use. A business operating under an unregistered name will not appear, even though it may have common-law rights in the name.
If the name looks available
File Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State, normally online through FirstStop (the paper form is SFN 58701).
- Cost: $135. The same fee applies online or on paper, and to a foreign LLC registering in North Dakota.
- Processing: Online filings are generally processed quickly, but the Secretary of State does not publish a guaranteed turnaround — check FirstStop for the current service standard before relying on a date.
Ongoing: the annual report.
- Fee: $50 per year.
- Due date: on or before November 15 — the report must be delivered before November 16 each year. Your first report is not due until November 15 of the year after the calendar year your LLC took effect, so a company formed in 2026 first reports by November 15, 2027.
- Late penalty: an extra $50 if you file after November 15, making a late report $100 in total.
- If you keep missing it: an LLC that still has not filed within six months after the deadline is terminated by operation of law — automatically, with no hearing. Reinstatement costs $135 plus the back reports.
- Farm and ranch LLCs are different: farming/ranching LLCs file their annual report by April 15, not November 15. Do not use the November date if your LLC is a farming LLC.
FAQ
Is the North Dakota LLC name search free? Yes. The FirstStop Business Search is free and requires no login. You only pay if you file something — $10 to reserve a name or $135 to form the LLC.
What is the difference between Status and Standing in FirstStop? Status says whether the entity exists as active or inactive. Standing says whether it is compliant. A company can be Active but Not in Good Standing, usually because an annual report is overdue.
Can a trade name or trademark block my North Dakota LLC name? Yes. Under § 10-32.1-11, your name is tested against registered trade names, fictitious partnership names, and state trademarks and service marks, in addition to entity names.
How long does a North Dakota name reservation last? Twelve months — unusually long — for a $10 fee, and it can be renewed for another 12 months.
How much does it cost to form a North Dakota LLC? The Articles of Organization filing fee is $135. The annual report after that is $50 a year, due by November 15.
Sources
- North Dakota Secretary of State — FirstStop Business Search: https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business
- North Dakota Secretary of State — Limited Liability Company (LLC) page (registration $135, annual report $50): https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-liability-company-llc?ref=nickfogle.com
- NDCC Chapter 10-32.1, Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (§§ 10-32.1-11 name, 10-32.1-12 reserved name, 10-32.1-89 to -92 reports and fees): https://law.justia.com/codes/north-dakota/title-10/chapter-10-32-1/