New York business · updated
New York LLC names: the Department of State’s rules, and how to check yours
Every New York LLC needs a name the Department of State will accept, and New York adds a step most states don’t have: publishing a notice in two newspapers within 120 days. Here are the name rules in plain English, a free check you can run below, how to search the state’s records, and what it all costs. Every rule links to the law or the official New York page it comes from.
Runs in your browser against New York’s LLC name law, then points you to the official search. Nothing you type is sent to Spark.
En español: cómo abrir una LLC en Nueva York paso a paso →
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The LLC ending | The name “shall contain without abbreviation the words ‘Limited Liability Company’ or the abbreviation ‘L.L.C.’ or ‘LLC’.” | LLC Law §204(a) |
| Distinguishable | The name must be distinguishable from other LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and reserved names on the Department of State’s records. | §204(b), DOS |
| Words an LLC can’t use | Board of trade, chamber of commerce, community renewal, corporation, incorporated, partnership, state police, state trooper, tenant relocation, urban development, urban relocation, and their abbreviations or derivatives. | §204(e) |
| Financial words | Acceptance, annuity, assurance, bank, benefit, bond, casualty, endowment, fidelity, finance, guaranty, indemnity, insurance, investment, loan, mortgage, savings, surety, title, trust and underwriter need the Superintendent of Financial Services’ approval. | §204(f) |
| Doctor, lawyer, attorney | “Doctor” and “lawyer” only when the name clearly shows a purpose other than practicing medicine or law. “Attorney” is listed as prohibited for LLCs. | §204, DOS restricted words |
| Other approvals | “Exchange” (Attorney General); academy, college, institute, school, university, library, museum and similar words (Commissioner of Education or Board of Regents); “blind” or “handicapped” (another state office’s approval); Olympic words, “United Nations” and “cooperative” are restricted too. | §204(g)–(i), DOS restricted words |
| A search isn’t approval | The entity database “should not be used to determine the acceptability of an Entity Name,” and a name found available isn’t approved until you file. | DOS, DOS |
How to search a name in New York, step by step
1. Search the Department of State’s database
The Corporation and Business Entity Database covers LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and assumed names (DOS). New York doesn’t publish a detailed test for what counts as the same name, so search the main words and the close versions: singular and plural, “and” and “&”.
2. Ask for an official answer if you’re unsure
The Department checks name availability in writing for $5 per name; “Requests for name availability cannot be handled by telephone” (DOS).
3. Reserve it if you’re not ready to file
A reservation costs $20 and holds the name for 60 days, with up to two 60-day extensions at $20 each, asked for before the current one ends (DOS, LLC Law §205).
4. Check federal trademarks and the .com
Search the USPTO trademark database and check the web address with Spark’s free name check.
New York’s extra step: publishing your LLC
This is the part people miss. Under LLC Law §206 (nysenate.gov):
- Within 120 days after your Articles of Organization take effect, publish a copy of the Articles or a notice of formation in two newspapers in the county of your LLC’s office: one weekly and one daily, both chosen by the county clerk.
- Run it once a week for six weeks in a row. What you publish must match the Department of State’s records exactly (DOS).
- Then file a Certificate of Publication (Form DOS-1708-f) with the newspapers’ affidavits attached. The fee is $50 (DOS). The newspapers charge their own fees on top.
- If you miss it, the LLC’s authority to carry on business is suspended. Filing the proof later lifts the suspension (§206).
Using a different name: the assumed name certificate (DBA)
An LLC that does business under any other name files a Certificate of Assumed Name with the Department of State for $25 (DOS). “There is no county fee for limited liability companies” (DOS instructions).
What it costs
| Filing | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (Form DOS-1336-f) | $200 | DOS |
| Certificate of Publication | $50, plus the two newspapers’ fees | DOS |
| Name availability check (in writing) | $5 per name | DOS |
| Name reservation, 60 days | $20 (each 60-day extension: $20) | DOS |
| Faster handling (optional) | $25 within 24 hours, $75 same day, $150 within 2 hours | DOS |
| Biennial statement, every two years | $9 | DOS |
| Assumed name certificate | $25 (no county fee for LLCs) | DOS |
| EIN from the IRS | Free | IRS |
Fees from the Department of State pages linked above as of October 26, 2026. You can file the Articles online through e-Corp.
Three more things to know in 2026
- Operating agreement: New York requires a written operating agreement (LLC Law §417). It can be adopted before filing, at filing or within 90 days after, and it isn’t filed with the state (DOS).
- New York’s LLC Transparency Act: the beneficial owner disclosure in effect since January 1, 2026 applies to LLCs formed under the law of a foreign country; the Department’s FAQ says domestic LLCs and LLCs formed in another U.S. state are exempt (DOS, DOS FAQ).
- Federal 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 neighborhood out if you might grow past it. Spark’s free name generator gives you starting points with the .com checked, and the state-by-state search list covers the other states and DC.
Questions people ask
What does a New York LLC name have to include?
The words "Limited Liability Company" written out, or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC" (LLC Law §204).
What words can't a New York LLC use?
Board of trade, chamber of commerce, community renewal, corporation, incorporated, partnership, state police, state trooper, tenant relocation, urban development and urban relocation are not allowed. Words like bank, trust, insurance, loan, mortgage or finance need the Superintendent of Financial Services' approval, and education words like school or university need the Commissioner of Education's or the Board of Regents' approval.
How do I check if an LLC name is available in New York?
Search the Department of State's Corporation and Business Entity Database. The Department says that database should not be used to decide whether a name is acceptable; for an official answer, send a written name availability request for $5 per name. Even then, a name found available isn't approved until your Articles are filed.
Can I reserve an LLC name in New York?
Yes. A reservation costs $20 and holds the name for 60 days. You can get two 60-day extensions, $20 each, if you ask before the current reservation ends.
What is the New York LLC publication requirement?
Within 120 days after your Articles of Organization take effect, you publish a notice in two newspapers chosen by the county clerk, one weekly and one daily, once a week for six weeks. Then you file a Certificate of Publication with the Department of State for $50. If you don't, the LLC's authority to carry on business is suspended until you do.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in New York?
The Articles of Organization cost $200 and the Certificate of Publication $50, plus what the two newspapers charge. Every two years you file a $9 biennial statement. An EIN from the IRS is free.
Not legal or tax advice. This page summarises New York’s LLC Law and official Department of State, IRS and FinCEN pages as of October 26, 2026. Fees and rules change; confirm with the Department of State or an attorney before you file.
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cómo abrir una LLC en Nueva York (español) · business name search by state · California LLC names · Texas LLC names · Florida LLC names · free name check · naming guides by industry
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