Alaska Business Name Search and Choosing an LLC Name

Before registering your business in Alaska, it’s important to make sure your desired name is available and not already in use. The Alaska Business Name Search tool helps you check for name availability, view existing entities, and avoid conflicts. In this post, we’ll show you how to use the tool and what to keep in mind when choosing a name for your Alaska LLC.

Are you looking to create an LLC in Alaska? If so, one of the first steps you’ll need to take is choosing a name for your company. But along with choosing one that aligns with your branding, you also have to select one that is available.

To confirm whether the name you want to use is available in Alaska, all you have to do is conduct a business entity search. Here is everything you need to know about this process.

Why do you need to do a business entity search when starting an LLC?

In Alaska, business names are required to be unique and distinguishable from the name of any other company doing business in the state. But how do you know if the name you’ve chosen is unique? This is where a business entity search comes into play.

With a business entity search, you can easily search all of the businesses in Alaska to make sure your name is unique and distinguishable. This is not only important for complying with state naming guidelines, but having a unique name is also key for branding purposes and to avoid confusing your customers.

State Naming Guidelines

LLCs in Alaska have a lot of freedom regarding what they are allowed to name their businesses, but there are a few state naming guidelines you’ll be required to follow. These guidelines include:

Unique and distinguishable

We’ve mentioned this one already, but your business name cannot too closely match the name of any other Alaska business.

Inclusion of required words

Your LLC’s name will need to include “Limited Liability Company” an abbreviation of this term.

Prohibited words

Businesses in Alaska are not allowed to use certain words in their names unless they obtain the appropriate permissions and licenses. This includes prohibited terms like “Bank,” “Trust,” “Insurance,” “Corporation,” or any words suggesting government affiliation. They are also not allowed to contain certain words deemed offensive or inappropriate.

No misleading information

Your business name cannot imply that your LLC exists for a purpose other than what is stated in its Certificate of Organization. For example, you wouldn’t be allowed to name your company “Frontier Accounting Services” if it’s a retail store that doesn’t actually offer accounting services.

Conducting a business name search in Alaska – step-by-step guide with tips

Once you’ve decided what you’d like to name your Alaska LLC, the next step is to ensure the name you’ve picked is available by conducting a business name search. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

Search the Alaska business name database

You can search all of the businesses in Alaska by using the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s business name database. This database provides two different search options:

• Business name: This is the most common search method. By searching your business name and its possible variations, you can confirm it is unique and distinguishable.
• Entity ID: If you would like to find a specific business and you know its entity ID, you can search for it by typing in this number.

Tips for conducting a business entity search

If you are conducting a business entity search to confirm that the name you want to use is available, there are a few strategies you can use to make the process more effective. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the Alaska business name database:

• Use keywords: In addition to searching for the exact name you want to use, try searching for related keywords and their variations as well. This will help you locate any businesses with names similar to yours.
• Check plurals and synonyms: Always check for the plural version of your name, and it’s a good idea to check for common synonyms as well.
• Consider misspellings: Lastly, check for common misspellings or alternate spellings of the name you’d like to use.

Review the results

Once you’ve searched a business name using the Alaska business name database, you’ll be given a list of results displaying all the businesses in the state that match that name. You can review these search results to learn more about the companies listed, including details such as the business type, entity ID number, the full business name, and its status.

What can you do once you have a name [that is available]?

Once you’ve chosen a name that is available and complies with state naming guidelines, you’ll want to protect it so that no one else is able to claim it. There are a few different ways to do this. If you aren’t ready yet to file your LLC with the state, you can still go ahead and reserve your name for 120 days by filing a Name Reservation form with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.

You can also consider trademarking your business name for even more protection. You can file for a trademark at the state level through the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development or at the federal level through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

If you plan to build a website for your business now or at any point in the future, it’s a good idea to purchase your domain name ahead of time as well.

Conclusion

Choosing a name for your LLC and confirming its availability is a key first step to forming your company. If you would like assistance with this step and the entire rest of the process, Tailor Brands can help! We make forming an Alaska LLC easy and affordable with our LLC formation packages. Check out these plans and the services they include, or feel free to contact us today to learn more about what we can do for your business.

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