How To Find A Registered Business Name In Dallas

Posted by: Apr 22, 2020

Texas has specific rules requiring yous to use a unique name when you set up a new business.

The strict naming rules that Texas used to have were loosened in 2018.

Even so, yous still have to make sure your business organization name is distinguishable from the names of other Texas businesses.

Checking concern proper name availability is an important step in the business concern formation process. Your business formation lawyer can assistance yous with this, as well as all other aspects of forming your concern.

How to Check Availability of a Business Name in Texas

There are three main means to check business organisation proper name availability in Texas.

Call

You can telephone call Land Concern Information at 512-463-5555. They are available Monday through Friday from viii a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time.

Email

Y'all can electronic mail the Texas Secretary of State at corpinfo@sos.texas.gov and request that they check name availability.

Online Database

You can also run an online search through the Texas Comptroller'southward taxable entity search or through the Secretary of Country's SOS Direct site. The taxable entity search is free, but SOS Direct charges $1 per search.

Other Options

You can also check Texas business name availability by fax or regular mail, but each of these options costs $5 and takes longer than a phone, electronic mail, or database search.

Preparing to Check Business Name Availability in Texas

Earlier you cheque the availability of a business organisation proper noun in Texas, you should be sure that your proposed name complies with the requirements of Texas police.

Identifies the Type of Business organisation Entity

Your business name must include a discussion that indicates the type of concern entity it is. The Texas Concern Organizations Lawmaking lists the words that may be used to identify each type of entity.

Corporation: "visitor," "incorporated," "corporation," or "limited."
Limited partnership: "express" or "limited partnership."
Limited liability company: "express liability company" or "limited company."
Cooperative clan: "cooperative."
Professional person association: "associated," "associates," "association," or "professional clan."
Professional express liability company: "professional limited liability company."

Abbreviations of these words are also permitted. For instance, the name of a limited liability visitor could apply the abbreviation "LLC" or "Ltd. Co." You lot tin choose whether to use periods in your abbreviation.

Distinguishable Name

The proper noun of your company must be distinguishable from the name of some other visitor. This requires at to the lowest degree ane key discussion in the name to exist different.

The following examples would not exist considered distinguishable:

Calculation different manufactures or conjunctions (Fun Zone and The Fun Zone),
Using a dissimilar business designation (Fun Zone, LLC, and Fun Zone, Inc),
Irresolute the spelling of a word but not the meaning (Pizza Express and Pizza Xpress), and
Adding punctuation, spaces, or capitalization that don't change the meaning (The Fat Cow and The Fat Moo-cow; Fun Zone and Fun Zone!)

On the other paw, the following would brand a name distinguishable:

Switching the order of names (Pizza Pie and Pie Pizza),
Using a unlike form of the word (Pizza Producers and Pizza Products),
Using the same words in a different language (The Fat Cow and La Vaca Gorda), and
Using words that audio the same but have a different meaning (The Prickly Pear and The Prickly Pair).

If you have a question about whether your proposed proper name would be distinguishable from an existing business proper name under the rules, consult a Texas business chaser.

Permitted Characters

Concern names may use:

Arabic numerals,
Roman letters, and
These symbols: " ! ' ? = + – $ % # * @ [ ] / () &

You lot tin can utilize both uppercase and lowercase letters, merely superscript characters are not recognized.

Word Restrictions

There are certain words you tin't utilize in your business name or that yous can use only with approval from a designated entity.

Prohibited words include:

Lottery or lotto,
Words implying that the concern is role of the land or federal government,
Grossly offensive words, and
Words that imply the business engages in illegal activity.

A number of words crave approval. For example:

Veteran, foreign, disabled, Spanish, legion, war, earth war, and other words implying that the concern helps veterans or their families must be approved by an appropriate veteran'south arrangement;
Bank, trust, bank and trust, trust visitor, and other similar words require written authorization by the Texas Banking Commissioner;
University, college, medical school, health science eye, school of medicine, schoolhouse of police, law school, and police eye require written say-so from the Texas College Educational activity Coordinating Board; and
Olympic, olympiad, and citius altius fortius require written authority from the U.Southward. Olympic Committee.

Words relating to professions that require licensing—engineers, architects, surveyors, etc.—may also be restricted. For example, to use the give-and-take "engineer" in your business name, you need to accept a licensed engineer associated with the business.

Can a Lawyer Help You Check Texas Business Proper name Availability?

Adam Curley, the experienced business organisation germination attorney at the Curley Law Business firm, tin can help you with every aspect of your business formation. This includes choosing a compliant business proper name and checking the availability of the concern proper name in Texas.

Adam has experience forming both small-scale and large businesses and can help y'all get your new concern off to a potent kickoff. Call or make full out a form online to schedule a consultation today.

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