Business owners and other authorized individuals can submit a name change for their business. The specific action required may vary depending on the type of business. If you need acknowledgement of the name change, please ask for one to be sent.
Follow the chart below to determine who the authorized individual is to make the business name change for your type of business:. Write to us at the address where you filed your return, informing the Internal Revenue Service IRS of the name change.
Note: The notification must be signed by the business owner or authorized representative. If you are filing a current year return, mark the appropriate name change box of the Form type you are using:. If you have already filed your return for the current year, write to us at the address where you filed your return to inform us of the name change.
In addition:. If you are filing a current year Form , mark the appropriate name change box on the form: Page 1, Line G, Box 3. In some states, a state-level name search is not required for informal business structures like sole proprietorships or general partnerships. Choose your state from the dropdown above to see its rules. We recommend that you check to see if your business name is available as a web domain URL too. Even if you don't plan to make a business website today, you may want to buy the web address to prevent others from acquiring it.
Next, a quick search on the U. Trademark Electronic Search System will tell you whether someone else has already trademarked your name. Once you know the name is available, you can choose to apply for a trademark for your business, although the cost is sometimes too high for a startup or fledgling business.
To learn more about trademarks and the steps you will need to get one, read our How to Trademark Your Business Name guide. You can do this by looking up some search terms related to your industry and brand. You may decide on a different business name to make yourself stand out. This will be different based on your chosen business entity. Business structures can be formal or informal and are the way that your business is set up, operated, and taxed.
We cover all the following naming needs for the following business structures:. An LLC, or Limited Liability Company , is the simplest way of structuring your business to protect your personal assets in case your business is sued. LLCs require unique names that must follow certain naming requirements, here are a few common ones:. Choose your state from the dropdown above to see a full list its LLC naming rules.
For step-by-step instructions of common LLC naming scenarios, skip ahead to:. A corporation is a separate legal entity from its owners with a basic operational structure consisting of shareholders, officers, directors, and employees. A C corp business structure will protect your personal assets.
Corporations require a unique name and must meet certain naming requirements, here are a few common requirements:. Choose your state from the dropdown above to see a full list its corporation naming rules. For step-by-step instructions of common corporation naming scenarios, skip ahead to:. A sole proprietorship is the simplest business type. This business structure must operate under the surname of the owner. Choose your state from the dropdown above to see a full list its sole proprietorship rules.
General partnerships are similar to sole proprietorships. The difference is that a partnership consists of two or more people. General partnerships must include the surnames of the partners. Choose your state from the dropdown above to see a full list its rules for partnerships. Choose your state from the dropdown above to see the state-specific things you will need to do to register your business name.
A name reservation is not required to be filed, in most states, to open a new company or file for a DBA. However, there are benefits to filing a name reservation, like if you find a unique name for your business, but do not want to form your LLC or Corporation right away. Registering a business name is part of the LLC filing process: once your LLC is filed in the state, your name is registered.
While the name can be reserved beforehand, this is typically not necessary to file for an LLC. Registering a business name is part of the corporation filing process: once your corporation is filed, your name is registered. While the name can be reserved beforehand, this is not typically necessary to file. Filing a DBA Doing Business As allows your existing or new business to do business as a name other than your legal business name.
This can be helpful for getting a brand name established, or to change the name of a business without having to file an amendment to an original filing. A DBA can be filed by all business structures covered in this article; however, LLC and corporation filing can sometimes be different than filing for sole proprietorships and general partnerships in some states.
Or, use a professional service to file your DBA for you. To legally name a business, you will need to form a company with the desired name, file a DBA, or file an amendment to change its legal name.
Making a business name official requires forming a company with it, filing a DBA for an existing company, or submitting an amendment to the legal name of an existing business. A legal name can be changed by filing an amendment to the business's formation documents. A business can choose to operate under other names by filing for a DBA, also known as a trade name, fictitious name, or assumed name.
The first step in starting a business is to choose the right business idea, followed by planning and forming your business. Learn how to start a business by reading our full, in-depth guide that discusses these subjects and more.
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