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

The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $160 for an LLC and $85 for a corporation, then annual report, $50 online, due the 15th day of the fourth month after the fiscal year end.

Are there words I can't use in a Kansas business name?

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

How many new businesses start in Kansas each year?

The Census Bureau counted 43,425 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +30.3% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

Does a Kansas registration protect my name in other states?

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

What does a Kansas LLC name have to end with?

One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C., 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 Kansas before I file?

Yes. The Kansas Secretary of State charges $30 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.

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

Kansas is unusual in charging more to form an LLC ($160 online) than a corporation ($85). Its KanAccess online filings post immediately, and its annual report is tied to your fiscal year rather than a fixed date — worth noting on the calendar the day you pick the name.

Check a Kansas business name now — Enter the exact name you're considering — it's searched against state registry records, federal trademark filings, and domain registrars. Free, no signup to start.

Check this name →

How to check a business name in Kansas

Type the exact name, suffix included. The checker runs it against the Kansas registry, the federal trademark register and domain registrars in one pass.
Read the close matches, not just the verdict. Kansas refuses names that aren't distinguishable — a near-miss on the list is the one that will block you.
Reserve or file while it's clear. Kansas will hold it for 120 days for $30. Confirm at the official Kansas Secretary of State search first.

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

Every Kansas filing is screened for a single thing before anything else: the name must be distinguishable upon 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., L.C. and Limited Liability Company; corporations take Corporation, Corp. and Incorporated.

A few words are gated. In Kansas that list includes Bank, Trust, Insurance and Engineer — using one implies a regulated activity and the filing will be held until the relevant regulator consents.

What it costs: forming an LLC costs $160, a corporation $85 and a name reservation is $30 and holds the name for 120 days. Online filings are immediate.

After you file: Annual report, $50 online, due the 15th day of the fourth month after the fiscal year end. Skip it and the state eventually dissolves the entity, releasing the name back into the pool.

Source: the Kansas Secretary of State, (785) 296-4564 — official website (fee schedule). Fees change; confirm before filing.

How busy is Kansas right now?

In the year to August 2026, Kansas recorded 43,425 new business applications — +30.3% on the year before, the 37th-highest total of any state and 14.6 per 1,000 residents (ranked 36th per person). July was the busiest month with 4,767 applications, and Kansas accounts for 0.7% of all U.S. filings.

Every one of those applications is a name someone else is about to claim — which is why a search that was clear last month deserves a fresh run before filing.

Where America starts businesses — all 50 states ranked →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 2019 comparison: 22,526 applications in calendar 2019.

What makes a name available in Kansas?

It must be distinguishable from names already on the Kansas 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 Kansas.
Registry clearance is not trademark clearance. The Kansas 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 Kansas statute and change over time — treat the Kansas Secretary of State's own guidance as final for filing decisions. This page is a practical guide, not legal advice.

About the Kansas Secretary of State

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

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

Before you file in Kansas: a two-minute double check

Run the name through the checker above — registry, USPTO and domain in one pass.
Repeat the search on the official Kansas lookup, spelling the name exactly as it will be filed, with the designator.
For every match returned, note the status. Active blocks; dissolved or revoked usually doesn't; a recent lapse deserves a second look.
Compare spellings, not just exact hits — Kansas treats near-identical names as the same name.
Clear on both? Reserve or file straight away. Names are first-come, first-served.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to register a business name in Kansas?: The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $160 for an LLC and $85 for a corporation, then annual report, $50 online, due the 15th day of the fourth month after the fiscal year end.
Are there words I can't use in a Kansas business name?: Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Kansas that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance and Engineer. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
How many new businesses start in Kansas each year?: The Census Bureau counted 43,425 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +30.3% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.
Does a Kansas registration protect my name in other states?: No. It protects the name inside Kansas's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Kansas lookup.
What does a Kansas LLC name have to end with?: One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C., 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 Kansas before I file?: Yes. The Kansas Secretary of State charges $30 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.

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

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