Can I reserve a business name in South Carolina before I file?

Yes. The South Carolina Secretary of State charges $25 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 South Carolina?

The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $110 for an LLC and $135 for a corporation, then llcs: none (unless taxed as a corporation); corporations file an annual report with the tax return ($25 license fee minimum).

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

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

How many new businesses start in South Carolina each year?

The Census Bureau counted 101,791 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +15.2% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

Does a South Carolina registration protect my name in other states?

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

What does a South Carolina LLC name have to end with?

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

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

South Carolina LLCs file no annual report with the Secretary of State unless they've elected corporate taxation, which makes the $110 formation close to a one-time cost. The state's search shows a distinct 'Good Standing' status that matters here: a name held by an entity that has lost good standing is still not available.

Run the South Carolina check — One search covers the South Carolina registry, federal trademarks and the domain. Free, no signup.

Check this name →

How to check a business name in South Carolina

Start with the registry. Search the South Carolina registry for the exact name; it's the check that decides whether you can file at all.
Then the two checks the state doesn't do. A federal trademark reaches across state lines, and the .com decides whether customers find you — both run here automatically.
Lock it in. South Carolina will hold it for 120 days for $25. The system of record is the South Carolina Secretary of State; confirm there before paying a filing fee.

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

The rule that matters most in South Carolina 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.

Certain words trigger a review. In South Carolina that list includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer, Cooperative and Redevelopment — using one implies a regulated activity and the filing will be held until the relevant regulator consents.

What it costs: forming an LLC costs $110, a corporation $135 and a name reservation is $25 and holds the name for 120 days. Online filings usually 1-2 business days.

The ongoing obligation: LLCs: none (unless taxed as a corporation); corporations file an annual report with the tax return ($25 license fee minimum). Skip it and the state eventually dissolves the entity, releasing the name back into the pool.

As published by the South Carolina Secretary of State, (803) 734-2158 — official website (fee schedule). Fees change; confirm before filing.

How busy is South Carolina right now?

Businesses in South Carolina filed 101,791 new business applications in the twelve months to August 2026 — +15.2% on the year before, the 19th-highest total of any state and 18.6 per 1,000 residents (ranked 15th per person). April was the busiest month with 11,013 applications, and South Carolina accounts for 1.6% 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: 51,499 applications in calendar 2019.

What makes a name available in South Carolina?

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

About the South Carolina Secretary of State

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

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

Before you file in South Carolina: 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 South Carolina 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 — South Carolina 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

Can I reserve a business name in South Carolina before I file?: Yes. The South Carolina Secretary of State charges $25 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 South Carolina?: The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $110 for an LLC and $135 for a corporation, then llcs: none (unless taxed as a corporation); corporations file an annual report with the tax return ($25 license fee minimum).
Are there words I can't use in a South Carolina business name?: Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In South Carolina that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and Cooperative. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
How many new businesses start in South Carolina each year?: The Census Bureau counted 101,791 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +15.2% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.
Does a South Carolina registration protect my name in other states?: No. It protects the name inside South Carolina's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the South Carolina lookup.
What does a South Carolina LLC name have to end with?: One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company and Limited Company. The checker searches the name with and without the suffix, because the suffix alone never makes a name distinguishable.

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

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