Starting a business in Tennessee 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 Tennessee because these business structures must have a unique name.
To help you verify that your corporation or LLC is available to use, our step-by-step guide will show you how to quickly do a Tennessee business name search using the Tennessee Secretary of State business name database.
Related: Checklist To Start A Business In Tennessee
Steps To Do A Tennessee Business Name Search
Step 1: Visit the Tennessee Secretary of State Business Name Database
Go to the Tennessee Secretary of State website.
Step 2: Search for a Business Name
Enter the name you would like to use. In this example, we will search for a Tennessee LLC name by looking up “Acme.” Enter your name and click “Search.”
Step 3: Review the Results
When we search the registered names, we get a list of all the businesses with the words “Acme.” To register a corporation or LLC name in Tennessee, the name must be distinguishable from the other registered names. 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 “Control #” column to see a detailed report.
While the name “Acme” may not be available, other variants such as “Acme Movers” are available. Searching for those business names brings a result that says, “No Matches Found.” Even if the name looks like it is available, the Secretary of State will do their own search to avoid confusing potential customers with a business name that sounds like someone else’s. Typically, words that sound alike but are spelled differently and even have abbreviations will make names appear available but won’t be approved.
These are the basics of searching for a business name in Tennessee. Even when the name of the business you want looks like it is 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 Tennessee 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 looked up?
The Tennessee business entity search can find several pieces of information about a registered business in the state. Some of the highlights include:
- Business Name
- Status: Active means the entity is in good standing, and all reports and filing fees are current. If the status is “Inactive,” the names of these results may be available to register.
- Principal Office: This could be the business’s physical address or the address where business records are stored.
- Registered Agent Information: A Tennessee Registered Agent is the singular point of contact for the entity should a legal or tax notice be sent to the business. This agent is often one of the owners, and if their home address is used, that address becomes public information.
- Annual Report Filing: Date the annual report was filed
- A Certificate of Existence can also be ordered to prove the entity’s status.
Tennessee Business Name Search FAQs
How do I find a name for a Tennessee sole proprietorship?
Unlike corporations and LLCs in Tennessee, the names of Tennessee sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not listed on the state database. Instead, they are registered with the County Clerk’s office in the county where the business is located.
Registering a name for a sole proprietorship or general partnership requires filing a Tennessee Assumed Name (often referred to as a DBA or Doing Business As name) with the County Clerk.
What are the requirements for naming an LLC in Tennessee?
In addition to being unique, a Tennessee 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?
If there is a name you want to use but aren’t ready to form the LLC, the Application for Reservation of Name (Form SS-4228) can be filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State to hold the name for up to 4 months.
