Starting a business in Oklahoma involves several steps, but one of the first is choosing a business name. This step is a little more complicated when setting up an LLC or corporation in Oklahoma because these business structures must have a unique name.
To help you verify that your corporation or LLC is available, our step-by-step guide will show you how to quickly search an Oklahoma business name using the Oklahoma Secretary of State business name database.
Related: Checklist To Start A Business In Oklahoma
Steps To Do An Oklahoma Business Name Search
Step 1: Visit the Oklahoma Entity Name Database
Visit the Oklahoma Secretary of State website.
Step 2: Search for a Business Name
Enter the name you want to use in the “Name” field. In this example, we will search for an Oklahoma LLC name by looking up “Storage Depot.” After entering the company name, click “Search.”
Step 3: Review the Results
When we search the registered names, we get a list of several businesses the database thinks are close to “Storage Depot.” Many won’t be close, so pay the most attention to the names at the top of the list.
The name must be distinguishable from the other registered names to register a corporation or LLC name in Oklahoma. If you were looking to form an LLC with this name, you wouldn’t be able to since one is already registered.
To find more information about any registered business names, click on the link in the “Filing Number” column to see a detailed report. In this example, we will look up “Storage Depot LLC.”
While the name “Storage Depot” alone may not be available for an LLC, other variants, such as “Oklahoma Storage Depot” or “Storage Depot of Oklahoma,” are. While final approval is still with the Secretary of State, it is likely available to register.
These are the basics of searching for a business name in Oklahoma. Even when the name of the business you want looks available, the Secretary of State will make a final determination when filing to ensure the name you picked isn’t too similar to other registered names.
Also, keep in mind that even though each Corporation and LLC name must be unique, it may not stop someone else from using that name since business names for a sole proprietorship or partnership are not registered by the Secretary of State and are not required to be unique. To protect your business name, consider getting a trademark.
Related: Should I trademark my business name?
What information can be found on the Oklahoma business entity database?
The Oklahoma business search can find several pieces of information about the business. Some of the highlights include:
- Business Name
- Status: “Active” or “In Existence” means the entity is in good standing, and all reports and filing fees are up to date. Other results include “Inactive” or “Cancelled,” among others. The names of these inactive results may be available to register.
- Corp Type: Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Limited Liability Partnership, Limited Partnership, etc.
- Formation Date: The Date the entity was first filed with the Secretary of State
- Registered Agent Information: An Oklahoma Registered Agent is the singular point of contact for the entity should a legal or tax notice be sent to the business.
Oklahoma Business Name Search FAQs
How do I find a name for an Oklahoma sole proprietorship?
An Oklahoma sole proprietorship or partnership can use the business owner(s) full first and last name as the business name, but many will want to operate under a specific business name.
There are two ways a business can register for a name, but they aren’t required to. If someone wants to register their business name in Oklahoma, there are two ways someone could search for the company name.
The first is a Trade Name, which is registered with the Secretary of State. This is the strongest registration and would stop another business in the state from registering the exact same name in Oklahoma. The other type of name registration is called Fictitious Name. A Certificate of Fictitious Name is filed with the County Clerk in the county where the business is located. Names registered with the County Clerk are not kept online, so you would have to go to the County Clerk’s office to search.
What are the naming guidelines for an Oklahoma LLC?
In addition to being unique, an Oklahoma LLC name must include a special designator such as Limited Liability Company, LLC, L.L.C., etc., and it may not use restricted words such as bank or insurance unless the entity is licensed to operate as such.
Can an LLC name be reserved in Oklahoma?
If you want a name but are not ready to register the LLC, you can file the Name Reservation Application. The name reservation will hold a name for up to 60 days.
