Does an Alabama registration protect my name in other states?

No. It protects the name inside Alabama's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Alabama lookup.

What does an Alabama LLC name have to end with?

One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company. The checker searches the name with and without the suffix, because the suffix alone never makes a name distinguishable.

How much does it cost to register a business name in Alabama?

The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $200 for an LLC and $200 for a corporation, then business privilege tax return (department of revenue); no separate sos annual report.

Are there words I can't use in an Alabama business name?

Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Alabama that includes Bank, Banc, Trust, Insurance and Engineer. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.

How many new businesses start in Alabama each year?

The Census Bureau counted 77,865 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +24.8% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

Alabama Secretary of State business search — LLC name check, trademark & domain lookup

Alabama does something most states don't: it makes you reserve your business name before you can file the formation paperwork. That turns the name check from a nicety into step one, and it's why an Alabama search should also show you whether the name is close to an existing one — the Secretary of State will reject a reservation that isn't distinguishable.

Is it taken in Alabama? — Enter the name exactly as you'd file it; the Alabama registry, USPTO and domain registrars are checked together.

Check this name →

How to check a business name in Alabama

Check the name as you'd file it. With the designator (LLC) attached — Alabama compares the whole string.
Verify at the source. The official Alabama Secretary of State search is the record that counts; registrations change daily.
Don't stop at the state line. A clear Alabama result says nothing about federal trademarks or the domain; the checker covers both in the same run.

Alabama naming rules: what the Alabama Secretary of State will and won't accept

The rule that matters most in Alabama is distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State. Swapping 'Inc.' for 'LLC', adding 'The', or changing a comma does not make a name distinguishable here. For an LLC the accepted endings are LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company; corporations take Corporation, Corp. and Incorporated.

Some words need permission first. In Alabama that list includes Bank, Banc, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and University — using one implies a regulated activity and the filing will be held until the relevant regulator consents.

The fees are straightforward: forming an LLC costs $200, a corporation $200 and a name reservation is $25 and holds the name for 365 days. Alabama is one of the few states that REQUIRES a name reservation before you file a domestic LLC or corporation. Online filings typically 1-2 business days.

After you file: Business Privilege Tax return (Department of Revenue); no separate SoS annual report. Skip it and the state eventually dissolves the entity, releasing the name back into the pool.

Source: the Alabama Secretary of State, (334) 242-5324 — official website (fee schedule). Fees change; confirm before filing.

How busy is Alabama right now?

Businesses in Alabama filed 77,865 new business applications in the twelve months to August 2026 — +24.8% on the year before, the 27th-highest total of any state and 15.1 per 1,000 residents (ranked 31st per person). July was the busiest month with 8,605 applications, and Alabama accounts for 1.3% of all U.S. filings.

Each application is a competitor for the same short, natural-sounding names, so the more active the state, the less a week-old search result is worth.

Where America starts businesses — all 50 states ranked →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 2019 comparison: 41,505 applications in calendar 2019.

What people are checking in Alabama

Over the last three months, visitors ran 37 Alabama checks here, and 92% of them came back clear at the state level. The words that came up most: Raw, Chi, Cleaning, Carla and Coin. (Aggregate figures only — we don't publish individual searches.)

What makes a name available in Alabama?

It must be distinguishable from names already on the Alabama registry — usually more than a difference in punctuation, spacing, or an entity suffix.
Only active registrations block a name. A dissolved or revoked entity with the same name typically doesn't stop you — though a recently inactive one can carry a reinstatement risk worth knowing about (our checker flags exactly that case).
Entity suffixes are required, not decorative. An LLC's legal name must carry an LLC designator; a corporation needs Inc., Corp., or an equivalent accepted in Alabama.
Registry clearance is not trademark clearance. The Alabama Secretary of State checks its own records only — it will register a name that infringes a federal trademark. Check both.

Note: naming rules, fees, and reservation windows are set by Alabama statute and change over time — treat the Alabama Secretary of State's own guidance as final for filing decisions. This page is a practical guide, not legal advice.

About the Alabama Secretary of State

The Alabama Secretary of State maintains Alabama's registry of corporations, LLCs, and other registered entities — it is the system of record for Alabama business names. Useful official resources:

Official Alabama business entity search — the state's own lookup.
Alabama Secretary of State — official website — filings, forms, fees, and contact details.

Confirming the result on the Alabama Secretary of State's site

Treat the checker as the fast filter and the state's own search as the final word. Once a name comes back clear here, open the Alabama entity search and type the name the way it will appear on the formation document — designator and all. Read down the list of matches rather than stopping at "no exact match": look at each record's status (only active ones block you) and at how close the spelling is, because Alabama rejects near-duplicates as well as duplicates. If the name is still clear, reserve it or file the same day; registrations are first-come, first-served and the registry moves daily.

Frequently asked questions

Does an Alabama registration protect my name in other states?: No. It protects the name inside Alabama's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Alabama lookup.
What does an Alabama LLC name have to end with?: One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company. The checker searches the name with and without the suffix, because the suffix alone never makes a name distinguishable.
Can I reserve a business name in Alabama before I file?: Yes. The Alabama Secretary of State charges $25 to reserve a name for 365 days — Alabama is one of the few states that REQUIRES a name reservation before you file a domestic LLC or corporation.. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.
How much does it cost to register a business name in Alabama?: The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $200 for an LLC and $200 for a corporation, then business privilege tax return (department of revenue); no separate sos annual report.
Are there words I can't use in an Alabama business name?: Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Alabama that includes Bank, Banc, Trust, Insurance and Engineer. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
How many new businesses start in Alabama each year?: The Census Bureau counted 77,865 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +24.8% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

Still choosing a name? Try the Alabama business name generator — every idea checked against the same registry.

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