Business Entity Search in Nebraska and Choosing an LLC Name

Choosing the right name when you start an LLC in Nebraska can make a world of difference. You want to choose the best name from the beginning so you can build a brand and a reputation that customers will know they can look to and trust. Customers will come back to a company they trust, and you want to give them a sense of continuity.

Unfortunately, choosing a name for a business is a lot more complicated than simply picking the name you like the best. Besides finding a name you like, you will also need to make sure that your name is unique by conducting a state business entity search, file with the Secretary of State, and then protect your chosen name. Failure to follow the steps correctly can lead to legal problems, including lawsuits.

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

There are several reasons you will need to search before you decide on your new name:

• Before you start a new business, it is always helpful to research the market.
• Having the same name as another business will confuse customers. It is important to have your own identity.
• A name that is too similar to that of another business could lead to legal disputes and even lawsuits. You could be accused of trademark infringement.

The Nebraska Secretary of State maintains a helpful website explaining name procedures and a corporate and business search page. The Secretary of State’s Corporate and Business Search is free to use. You can also check the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s trademark database for federally registered names.

Nebraska state naming guidelines

There are legal guidelines for naming your LLC in Nebraska. The most important thing is that the name identifies your business as an LLC, so it must include “limited liability company,” “limited company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “LC” or “L.C.” (“Limited” can be shortened to “Ltd.” and “Company” to “Co.”).

Your name also can’t be the same as or deceptively similar to a name already on file with the Secretary of State. Words such as Bank, Trust, Cooperative and Barber Shop come with extra requirements.

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

1. Search the state database to make sure that your name isn’t already taken in Nebraska.
2. Try different search options to make sure that you are getting accurate results. The Secretary of State’s Corporate & Business search will pull up information on all entities, trade names, trademarks, and service marks registered in the state of Nebraska. There are multiple ways you can search:

• You can type the beginning of the name.
• You can use keywords.
• You can do a sound-alike search.
• You can ask for exact matches only (a search you should only use in certain circumstances because the results will be too narrow).
• And you can search by account number if you know that.

3. You should try the same search several different ways to make sure you find everything relevant. Even if the name passes minimal requirements, it is still better to have a name that stands out.

4. Review your results. Are there already businesses with names similar to yours? Are you getting any ideas of what might work better, considering what kinds of names are already registered?

5. You can reserve the LLC name for $30. If you also want a DBA, it will cost you $110 to register on paper and $100 online (plus newspaper publication costs).

What can you do once you have an available name?

Once you have a name you like, that is available, you need to decide how you are going to protect it. Here are 3 of the main ways you can preserve and protect the name of your LLC:

1. You can reserve the name for 120 days by submitting the Application for Reserved Name (available on the Secretary of State’s website) with the $30 fee. Reservations must be submitted in writing. See our full Nebraska LLC cost breakdown for other fees.
2. A trademark has many important benefits. You can create a brand, with personalized symbols and designs that make your business stand out from your competitors. A federal trademark is easy to maintain: after registration, you file a maintenance declaration between the 5th and 6th years and renew every 10 years. Most importantly, the trademark protects your business in case there are any disputes in court.
3. You should start thinking about domain registration as soon as possible. You want people to be able to easily find your business online. Most people will visit your website, even if you have a brick-and-mortar business, and you want to make the right impression. Depending on where you sign up, you can get help creating a website that promotes your business and shows off your unique brand.

Conclusion

Choosing the name of your LLC is just one of the most important steps. There are legal and tax implications to the choices you make, so you want to make sure that you get everything right the first time.

Tailor Brands is passionate about helping people build and grow their businesses. We can assist with over 20 different business services, including web hosting, tax services, insurance, and trademark. Our registered agents can act on your behalf when it comes to receiving legal documents. Don’t wait to start living out your dreams when we can help you get started today.

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