Does a Minnesota registration protect my name in other states?

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

What does a Minnesota 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 Minnesota before I file?

Yes. The Minnesota Secretary of State charges $55 to reserve a name for 365 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.

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

The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $155 for an LLC and $155 for a corporation, then annual renewal, no fee if filed on time, due december 31.

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

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

How many new businesses start in Minnesota each year?

The Census Bureau counted 78,300 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +14.0% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

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

Minnesota's name reservation is good for a full year, the longest in the Midwest, and its annual renewal is free as long as it's filed by December 31. Miss it and the entity is dissolved administratively — after which the name goes back into the pool, which is how 'available' names in Minnesota sometimes turn out to have a recent owner.

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

Check this name →

How to check a business name in Minnesota

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

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

The rule that matters most in Minnesota is 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. Designators are fixed: LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company for an LLC, Corporation, Corp. and Incorporated for a corporation.

A few words are gated. In Minnesota that list includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Cooperative 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 $155, a corporation $155 and a name reservation is $55 and holds the name for 365 days. Online filings are immediate.

Keeping it: Annual renewal, no fee if filed on time, due December 31. An entity that stops filing loses good standing, and with it the exclusive claim to its name.

As published by the Minnesota Secretary of State, (651) 296-2803 — fee schedule. Fees change; confirm before filing.

How busy is Minnesota right now?

In the year to August 2026, Minnesota recorded 78,300 new business applications — +14.0% on the year before, the 26th-highest total of any state and 13.5 per 1,000 residents (ranked 40th per person). April was the busiest month with 8,278 applications, and Minnesota 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: 46,020 applications in calendar 2019.

What people are checking in Minnesota

33 Minnesota names were checked on this site in the past 90 days, and 78% of them came back clear at the state level. The words that came up most: Works, Supply, Group, Electric and Moto. (Aggregate figures only — we don't publish individual searches.)

What makes a name available in Minnesota?

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

About the Minnesota Secretary of State

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

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

Before you file in Minnesota: 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 Minnesota 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 — Minnesota 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

Does a Minnesota registration protect my name in other states?: No. It protects the name inside Minnesota's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Minnesota lookup.
What does a Minnesota 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 Minnesota before I file?: Yes. The Minnesota Secretary of State charges $55 to reserve a name for 365 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.
How much does it cost to register a business name in Minnesota?: The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $155 for an LLC and $155 for a corporation, then annual renewal, no fee if filed on time, due december 31.
Are there words I can't use in a Minnesota business name?: Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Minnesota that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Cooperative and Engineer. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
How many new businesses start in Minnesota each year?: The Census Bureau counted 78,300 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +14.0% 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 Minnesota business name generator — every idea checked against the same registry.

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