South Dakota Secretary of State business search — LLC name check, trademark & domain lookup
South Dakota has no corporate income tax and no personal income tax, and its registry reflects it: a large share of entities are trusts and holding companies formed by people who live elsewhere. For a name search that means 'Holdings' and 'Trust' variants are unusually crowded, and 'Trust' itself needs state approval.
Check a South Dakota 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 South Dakota
- Type the exact name, suffix included. The checker runs it against the South Dakota registry, the federal trademark register and domain registrars in one pass.
- Read the close matches, not just the verdict. South Dakota 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. South Dakota will hold it for 120 days for $25. Confirm at the official South Dakota Secretary of State search first.
South Dakota naming rules: what the South Dakota Secretary of State will and won't accept
South Dakota applies one test to every proposed name: it must be distinguishable upon the records of the Secretary of State. In practice that means a name that differs from an existing one only by punctuation, spacing, capitalization or the entity suffix will be refused. Designators are fixed: LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company for an LLC, Corporation, Corp. and Incorporated for a corporation.
Some words need permission first. In South Dakota 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 $150, a corporation $150 and a name reservation is $25 and holds the name for 120 days. Online filings are immediate to 1 business day.
The ongoing obligation: Annual report, $50 online, due in the anniversary month. Skip it and the state eventually dissolves the entity, releasing the name back into the pool.
Source: the South Dakota Secretary of State, (605) 773-4845 — official website (fee schedule). Fees change; confirm before filing.
How busy is South Dakota right now?
In the year to August 2026, South Dakota recorded 13,415 new business applications — +15.2% on the year before, the 47th-highest total of any state and 14.5 per 1,000 residents (ranked 37th per person). April was the busiest month with 1,480 applications, and South Dakota accounts for 0.2% 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: 7,803 applications in calendar 2019.
What makes a name available in South Dakota?
- It must be distinguishable from names already on the South Dakota 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 Dakota.
- Registry clearance is not trademark clearance. The South Dakota Secretary of State checks its own records only — it will register a name that infringes a federal trademark. Check both.
About the South Dakota Secretary of State
The South Dakota Secretary of State maintains South Dakota's registry of corporations, LLCs, and other registered entities — it is the system of record for South Dakota business names. Useful official resources:
- Official South Dakota business entity search — the state's own lookup.
- South Dakota Secretary of State — official website — filings, forms, fees, and contact details.
Using the official South Dakota search
- Search here first. The checker above covers the South Dakota registry plus federal trademarks and domains in one pass — most dead-end names are eliminated in seconds.
- Open the official South Dakota entity search and look up your shortlisted name exactly as you plan to file it, including the entity suffix.
- Review matching records — check each match's status (active registrations block a name; dissolved ones usually don't) and how close the spelling is to yours.
- File or reserve promptly. Availability is first-come-first-served; a name that's clear today can be registered by someone else tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
- Are there words I can't use in a South Dakota business name?
- Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In South Dakota that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and Cooperative. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
- How many new businesses start in South Dakota each year?
- The Census Bureau counted 13,415 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 Dakota registration protect my name in other states?
- No. It protects the name inside South Dakota's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the South Dakota lookup.
- What does a South Dakota 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.
- Can I reserve a business name in South Dakota before I file?
- Yes. The South Dakota 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 Dakota?
- The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $150 for an LLC and $150 for a corporation, then annual report, $50 online, due in the anniversary month.
Still choosing a name? Try the South Dakota business name generator — every idea checked against the same registry.
Check other states
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming