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How to Check If an LLC Name Is Available in Ohio

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

The short answer

Short answer: Ohio's official search is the Secretary of State's Business Search at businesssearch.ohiosos.gov. It is free and needs no login. The trap: a cancelled company's name stays in "held" status for a full year after cancellation, and registered trade names block new names too — so a name attached to a business that no longer exists can still be unavailable.

The official search

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

The database covers the business entities registered with the Secretary of State — LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships, foreign as well as domestic — plus registered trade names and fictitious names filed with the office.

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 Articles of Organization are reviewed. The Secretary of State also publishes a Guide to Name Availability explaining exactly how it judges whether two names are too close — worth reading before you fall in love with a name.

A results list shows the entity number, name, type, filing date, an expiration date where one applies, status, and location. A detail record adds the filing type, original filing date, the statutory agent's name, address, and appointment date, and a table of the company's filings. Member and manager names are not displayed — Ohio does not put LLC ownership on the public record.

Step by step

  1. Open the Business Search and start with a Business Name search. Enter your name without "LLC" — the designator does not help, and leaving it off finds more.
  2. Leave the status filter on "All." This matters in Ohio: a name can be blocked by a company whose status is Cancelled, because cancelled names stay protected for a year (see below). Filtering to Active only would hide exactly the records that can stop you.
  3. Search the most distinctive word in your name by itself. If you want "Buckeye Welding Works," search "Buckeye" alone and read everything that comes back.
  4. Try a Prior Business Name search on your strongest variations. Ohio lets you search names companies used to have — how you spot a competitor who renamed rather than disappeared.
  5. Check the trade names in your results. A registered trade name carries exclusive rights and counts against your name just like an LLC or corporation does. A fictitious name in the results does not block you — Ohio treats the two very differently (see below).
  6. If no close match appears, the name is probably available — but only the Secretary of State's review of your actual filing is definitive.

Ohio's name rules

The rules are in Ohio Revised Code §1706.07 of the Ohio Revised Limited Liability Company Act (Chapter 1706).

Designator. The name must contain "limited liability company" or one of these abbreviations: "L.L.C.," "LLC," "limited," "ltd.," or "ltd." Ohio is unusually permissive — "Limited" or "Ltd." on its own satisfies the rule.

Distinguishable. The Secretary of State must refuse your Articles if the name is not distinguishable on its records from:

  1. Any other LLC, domestic or foreign registered in Ohio
  2. Any corporation, domestic or foreign licensed in Ohio
  3. Any limited liability partnership
  4. Any limited partnership
  5. Any trade name currently registered with the Secretary of State

Differences that do not count. Under the Secretary of State's Guide to Name Availability, punctuation, symbols, contractions, and abbreviations do not make a name distinguishable — "P.L.A.Y." is the same name as "Play." Neither do articles ("a," "an," "the") or conjunctions ("and," "or," "but," "for," "nor"): "Knight & Day" is not distinguishable from "Knight and Day."

Restricted words. A name may not improperly imply affiliation with a government agency. Some words may need another regulator's approval first — banking words such as "bank" and "trust," for example, are described in the Secretary of State's guidance as requiring approval from the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.

Trade names vs. fictitious names. Ohio splits its version of a DBA in two. A registered trade name must be distinguishable and grants exclusive rights, so it blocks later names. A fictitious name grants no exclusive rights — several businesses may use the same one — and your LLC name does not need to be distinguishable from fictitious names.

One exception. If the holder of a conflicting name signs a written consent on the Secretary of State's form, you may use a name that would otherwise be rejected.

Reserving a name. Ohio lets you reserve a name under §1706.07(E) using Form 534B: $39 for 180 days — a longer hold than most states offer. A reservation is optional; it does not establish an LLC.

What the search can't tell you

If the name looks available

File Articles of Organization (Form 610) with the Secretary of State, online through Ohio Business Central, or by mail or in person. Note the form number: Form 610 (revised September 2025) replaced the old Form 533A, so guides citing 533A are out of date.

Ongoing: there is no annual report.

Ohio is one of the easiest states to maintain an LLC, because there is nothing to file every year:

FAQ

Is the Ohio LLC name search free? Yes. The Business Search is free and requires no login.

Can a cancelled company's name still block mine in Ohio? Yes. A business name stays in "held" status for one year after the entity is cancelled, so a name that looks abandoned may not be available yet. Search with the status filter set to "All," not just "Active."

Does my Ohio LLC name have to end in "LLC"? It has to contain a designator, but Ohio's list is generous: "limited liability company," "L.L.C.," "LLC," "limited," "ltd.," or "ltd." Even "Limited" alone qualifies.

What is the difference between a trade name and a fictitious name in Ohio? A registered trade name is distinguishable-checked and grants exclusive rights, so it can block your LLC name. A fictitious name grants no exclusive rights and does not block a filing.

How much does it cost to form an Ohio LLC? The Articles of Organization (Form 610) filing fee is $99. After that, Ohio charges LLCs no annual report fee — $0 a year if nothing changes.

Can I reserve an Ohio LLC name before I file? Yes. Form 534B reserves a name for 180 days for $39.

Sources

Run the check now

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