How many new businesses start in Kentucky each year?

The Census Bureau counted 77,684 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +40.6% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

Does a Kentucky registration protect my name in other states?

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

What does a Kentucky 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 Kentucky before I file?

Yes. The Kentucky Secretary of State charges $15 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.

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

The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $40 for an LLC and $50 for a corporation, then annual report, $15, due june 30.

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

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

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

Kentucky's $40 LLC filing and $15 annual report make it one of the least expensive states in the country to keep a company registered. The state's online search shows an entity's full status history, so a name that appears free may have been dissolved recently — and Kentucky lets a dissolved entity reinstate and reclaim its name.

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

Check this name →

How to check a business name in Kentucky

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

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

Kentucky applies one test to every proposed name: it must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State. The examiner ignores punctuation, spacing, capitalization and the suffix when comparing, so two names that look different on paper can still collide. An LLC name must end in LLC, L.L.C., L.C. and Limited Liability Company; a corporation uses Corporation, Corp., Incorporated and Inc., among others.

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

On cost: forming an LLC costs $40, a corporation $50 and a name reservation is $15 and holds the name for 120 days. Online filings are usually immediate.

Keeping it: Annual report, $15, due June 30. An entity that stops filing loses good standing, and with it the exclusive claim to its name.

Source: the Kentucky Secretary of State, (502) 564-3490 — fee schedule. Fees change; confirm before filing.

How busy is Kentucky right now?

The U.S. Census Bureau counted 77,684 business applications from Kentucky in the twelve months ending August 2026 — +40.6% on the year before, the 28th-highest total of any state and 16.9 per 1,000 residents (ranked 24th per person). July was the busiest month with 7,976 applications, and Kentucky 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: 32,908 applications in calendar 2019.

What makes a name available in Kentucky?

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

About the Kentucky Secretary of State

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

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

Before you file in Kentucky: 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 Kentucky 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 — Kentucky 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 many new businesses start in Kentucky each year?: The Census Bureau counted 77,684 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +40.6% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.
Does a Kentucky registration protect my name in other states?: No. It protects the name inside Kentucky's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Kentucky lookup.
What does a Kentucky 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 Kentucky before I file?: Yes. The Kentucky Secretary of State charges $15 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.
How much does it cost to register a business name in Kentucky?: The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $40 for an LLC and $50 for a corporation, then annual report, $15, due june 30.
Are there words I can't use in a Kentucky business name?: Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Kentucky that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and Cooperative. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.

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

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