California business · updated
California LLC names: the Secretary of State’s rules, and how to check yours
Every new California LLC needs a name the Secretary of State will accept. Here are the rules in plain English, a free check you can run below, how to search the state’s records on bizfile Online, and what it costs, including the $800 yearly tax that surprises a lot of new owners. Every rule links to the official California page it comes from.
Runs in your browser against the California name rules, then points you to the official search. Nothing you type is sent to Spark.
En español: cómo abrir una LLC en California paso a paso →
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The LLC ending | The name must include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC” or “L.L.C.” “Limited” and “Company” may be shortened to “Ltd.” and “Co.” If you leave the ending off, “LLC” will be added. | SOS name guide (Corp. Code 17701.08), Form LLC-1 |
| Words you can’t use | Bank, trust, trustee; incorporated, inc., corporation, corp.; insurer or insurance company, or any words suggesting the LLC issues insurance policies. | SOS name guide (17701.08(e)) |
| Distinguishable | The name must be distinguishable in the Secretary of State’s records. | SOS name guide (2 CCR 21001.2) |
| Doesn’t count as different | Adding or dropping the ending (LLC, Inc.), capital letters, superscript or subscript, typeface, punctuation, symbols or spaces, and “&” instead of “and”. A space change counts only if it creates new words with a different meaning. | 2 CCR 21004(b) |
| Likely to mislead | A name can imply a government tie when it pairs a city, county, state, country or region with words such as Agency, Commission, Department, Bureau, Division, Municipal or Board. | 2 CCR 21003 |
| Olympic words | Olympic, Olympiad, Citius Altius Fortius, Paralympic and Paralympiad “may require the authorization or permission of the United States Olympic Committee.” | SOS name guide |
| No professional services | “A domestic or foreign LLC may not render professional services.” | SOS LLC information sheet |
| What the state ignores | The Secretary of State doesn’t consider trademark rights, whether the other business is still active, or money you’ve already spent on the name. | SOS name guide (2 CCR 21006) |
| Final decision | “A final determination on the availability of a business entity name is made only when the document” is filed. | SOS name guide (2 CCR 21005(b)) |
What “the same name” looks like in practice
Say Golden Coast Pools LLC is already on the records. Under the California rules (2 CCR 21004(b)):
- GOLDEN COAST POOLS, L.L.C. or Golden Coast Pools Inc.: not distinguishable (capital letters, punctuation and the ending don’t count). An LLC can’t use “Inc.” anyway.
- Golden-Coast Pools LLC or Golden Coast Pools! LLC: a hyphen or a symbol doesn’t make it new, and neither does “&” in place of “and”.
- Golden Coast Pool Service LLC: different words, so it can be distinguishable, but the Secretary of State decides when you file.
California is clear that a search isn’t a ruling: the Business Search is “only a preliminary search and not intended to serve as a formal name availability search” (SOS).
How to search a name in California, step by step
1. Search the Secretary of State’s records
Use the Business Search on bizfile Online. Type only the main words, without LLC, and try close versions too.
2. Reserve the name if you’re not ready to file
Reservations are online only through bizfile, cost $10 and hold the name for 60 days. You can reserve it again, but there must be at least one day between reservation periods (SOS name reservations, SOS fees).
3. Check the county too
Fictitious business names (DBAs) are filed with the county clerk, not the Secretary of State, so a local shop may already trade under your name. Search your county’s fictitious business name records and Google Maps for your town.
4. Check federal trademarks and the .com
The state doesn’t look at trademarks, so search the USPTO trademark database and check the web address with Spark’s free name check.
Using a different name: the fictitious business name (DBA)
- When you need one: for an LLC, a fictitious name is “any name other than the exact name that is on record with the Secretary of State’s Office” (Sacramento County). You file the statement with the county clerk where your business is.
- How long it lasts: a fictitious business name statement “expires five years from the date of filing” (Sacramento County).
- Newspaper notice: publish it once a week for four weeks in a newspaper in your county, starting within 45 days of filing. The time went from 30 to 45 days on January 1, 2023 (Los Angeles County, SB 1495); some county pages still say 30 days.
- Cost: each county sets its fee. Los Angeles County, for example, charges $26 for one name and one registrant, plus $5 for each extra name or registrant (Los Angeles County).
What it costs
| Filing | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) | $70 (online: 5 days or less; paper: 10+ days) | SOS |
| Name reservation, 60 days (online only) | $10 | SOS |
| Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) | $20, within 90 days of filing and every two years after; $250 penalty if late | SOS, Form LLC-12 |
| Faster handling (optional) | $350 within 24 hours, $750 same day; 4-hour service $500 (drop-off, precleared) | SOS service options |
| Annual LLC tax (Franchise Tax Board) | $800 a year, even if the LLC isn’t doing business, until you cancel it; the first payment is due by the 15th day of the 4th month after you file | FTB |
| LLC fee on California income over $250,000 | $900 to $11,790, by income level | FTB |
| Fictitious business name | Set by your county (Los Angeles: $26) | LA County |
| Seller’s permit (if you sell goods) | Free (a security deposit may be asked) | CDTFA |
| EIN from the IRS | Free | IRS |
The IRS: “Beware of websites that charge for an EIN.” Fees from the official pages linked above as of October 26, 2026.
Timing and three things to know in 2026
- No first-year break on the $800: the first-year exemption applied only to tax years beginning in 2021 through 2023, so a new LLC in 2026 owes the $800 (FTB).
- Statement of Information sign-in: “Effective August 1, 2026, web User Access is required for Statement of Information filings” (SOS). Set up your bizfile login when you form the LLC.
- BOI reports: FinCEN’s final rule, in effect since August 14, 2026, permanently removes beneficial ownership reporting for U.S. companies (FinCEN).
Picking a name that passes, and works
A name the state accepts still has to work for customers. Make it easy to say on the phone, spell after hearing it once and find on Google. Leave your city out if you might grow past it. Spark’s free name generator gives you starting points with the .com checked, the state-by-state search list covers the other states and DC, and the five free checks guide walks through the rest.
Questions people ask
What does a California LLC name have to include?
"Limited Liability Company", "LLC" or "L.L.C." The words "Limited" and "Company" may be shortened to "Ltd." and "Co." If you leave the ending off Form LLC-1, the Secretary of State adds "LLC".
What words can't a California LLC use?
"Bank", "trust", "trustee", "incorporated", "inc.", "corporation", "corp.", "insurer" or "insurance company", or words suggesting it issues insurance policies. A name that implies a government tie can be refused, and Olympic words may need the U.S. Olympic Committee's permission.
How do I check if an LLC name is available in California?
Search the Secretary of State's records in the Business Search on bizfile Online. It's only a preliminary search; the final decision on a name is made when your Articles of Organization are filed.
Can I reserve an LLC name in California?
Yes, online through bizfile. It costs $10 and holds the name for 60 days. You can reserve it again, but there must be at least one day between reservation periods.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in California?
The Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) cost $70, the Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) costs $20 within 90 days, and every LLC owes the $800 annual tax to the Franchise Tax Board, due by the 15th day of the 4th month after you file. An EIN from the IRS is free.
Does the state's approval give me the rights to the name?
No. California's rules say the Secretary of State doesn't consider trademark rights when it accepts a name. Search federal trademarks as well.
Not legal or tax advice. This page summarises official California Secretary of State, Franchise Tax Board, CDTFA, county, IRS and FinCEN pages as of October 26, 2026. Fees and rules change; confirm with the Secretary of State, a tax professional or an attorney before you file.
Keep going
cómo abrir una LLC en California (español) · business name search by state · Texas LLC names · Florida LLC names · New York LLC names · free name check · naming guides by industry
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