Why do you need to do a business entity search?

To form an LLC in Missouri, you must choose a unique name that is available and not already registered with the Missouri Secretary of State. 

Doing a state business entity search is how you confirm your desired name’s availability. 

Missouri state naming guidelines

Missouri State has naming guidelines (rules) you must follow when applying to reserve your business name and before filing your Articles of Organization. 

The Missouri State naming guidelines include:

• Distinguishable: Your LLC’s name must be distinguishable from any domestic or foreign business entities registered with Missouri State.
• Required designators: Your LLC name must have the terms Limited Liability Company, LLC, or L.L.C. at the end of your business name.
• Government affiliation: Your name cannot include terms similar to those of federal or state government organizations or agencies, such as FDA, FBI, Missouri Police, Missouri Comptroller, Treasury, etc.
• Restricted terminologies: You cannot use certain words in your LLC name, including “Olympic” or any other terms trademarked by the International Olympic Committee. Or words that suggest your business is a financial institution without prior approval from the Missouri Financial Commission or Commissioner.

You can learn more about Missouri Business Naming Regulations on the Secretary of State’s website. 

Conducting a business name search in Missouri: Step-by-step guide with tips

You search for available LLC names using the Missouri Business Registration Online Portal tool or the Missouri Taxable Entity Search on the Secretary of State website. 

But before you do, here are some tips to help you get the best results:

• The entity search tool ignores special characters and punctuation marks, so you don’t need to use them.
• The search isn’t case-sensitive, so lowercase and uppercase letters are considered the same when searching for business names.
• For best search results, only enter the first word of the name you’re searching for when searching for a name with multiple words.
• You can broaden your search results by entering the first three letters of the name you’re searching for.

Visit the Missouri Secretary of State Business Entity Search

Start by visiting the Missouri Taxable Entity Search or the Business Registration Online Portal to check if your chosen LLC name is available. 

Select your business name search options

You can search for registered corporation and LLC names using the following criteria:

• Business name
• Registered agent
• Name availability
• Charter No.

Search options include:

• Starting with
• All words
• Any words
• Exact match

Select “business name,” enter your search query, and click search. 

The search tool automatically selects “starts with.” If no names appear in the search results, search again using” exact match.” 

You do not need to include an LLC designator, as the database will generate results relative to any names similar to your search name.

For my example, I will use the Missouri Fitness Club:

Reviewing results

Your desired LLC name is available if the search results show no existing business names.

Missouri Fitness Club is available for use:

You can also use the Search for a Business Entity option.

For example, Club Fitness:

If your search query matches or is like existing entity names, it will appear in the search results. Club Fitness returns several results; click on the name closest to your search term for further information:

Here, you will see additional information about the business using your desired LLC name, including:

• The business name
• Name type (Club Fitness is a fictitious/DBA name filing)
• Entity status (our example shows expired so that the name could be available)
• Date formed
• Business address
• Charter No.
• Expiration date

Fictitious name (DBA)

A fictitious name, or a Doing Business As (DBA), allows you to conduct business using a name other than your LLC’s official name. 

Businesses often use fictitious names for branding and marketing when their official names don’t suit their niche and target audience. 

You register a fictitious name by completing the online Missouri Fictitious Name Certificate and paying the $7 fee. 

What can you do once you have an available business name?

Missouri differs from most other US states because you must reserve your LLC name after confirming availability and before filing your Articles of Organization. 

Other steps to consider are running a trademark search to avoid trademark infringement and buying a domain. 

Consider name reservation

Missouri State requires you to file for a Name Reservation Certificate.

A name reservation costs $25, lasts 60 days, and can be extended to 180 days by applying 30 days before the reservation expires. 

You can apply for a Missouri Name Reservation online or by mail. 

Consider trademarking your name

You must conduct a trademark search before reserving your LLC name in Missouri because, even though it may be available, another business may have registered it as a trademark. 

You can conduct a trademark search in two ways:

1. Visit the federal U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to confirm your name is available nationally.
2. Search the Missouri Taxable Entity Search database to confirm your desired name isn’t trademarked in Missouri. 

The trademark filing fee in Missouri is $55 per class” (“class” means services and goods).

Consider domain registration

Most businesses need a website where their prospects can review their products or services, check testimonials, book an appointment, or order goods.

Every website needs a domain matching the business, niche, and target audience.

Use a domain registrar website like GoDaddy to find and buy an available domain. If your name isn’t available as a .com, many options and strategies exist to create the perfect business domain. 

Conclusion

Now that you know how to do a business entity search in Missouri, you can confirm the availability of your desired name and reserve it for when you’re ready to form your Missouri LLC.  

Don’t forget to do a federal and Missouri state trademark search to avoid disappointment and legal issues down the road, and buy the domain to begin creating your LLC’s branding and marketing campaign.  

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