Starting a business in Vermont 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 Vermont because these entities 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 do a Vermont business name search using the Vermont Secretary of State business name database.
Related: Checklist To Start A Business In Vermont
Steps To Do A Vermont Business Name Search
Step 1: Visit the Vermont Business Entity Database
Go to the Vermont Secretary of State website.
Step 2: Search your Business Name
Enter the name you want to use in the “Business Name” field. In this example, we will search for a Vermont LLC name by looking up “Sew What.” It is recommended to search by “Starts With,” “Exact Match,” and “Contains” to search your name thoroughly.
Step 3: Review Results
When we search the registered names, we get a list of all the businesses with the words “Express Cleaning.” To register a corporation or LLC name in Vermont, 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 “Business Name” column to see a detailed report.
While the name “Express Cleaning” may not be available, other variants, such as “Express Cleaning of Vermont” are available. Searching for this business name brings a result that says, “No data found with your search criteria.” Even if the name looks like it is available, the Vermont 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 Vermont. 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 Vermont 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 Vermont business entity database?
The Vermont business entity search can find several pieces of information about the business. Some of the highlights include:
- Business Name
- Business ID: This is the state business filing number.
- Entity type: The business structure – Corporation, Limited Liability Company, etc.
- Status: Active means the entity is in good standing, and all reports and filing fees are current. Other results include “Expired,” “Inactive,” “Dissolved,” or “Terminated.” The names of these inactive results may be available to register.
- NAICS Code: The North American Industrial Classification System is a number that corresponds to a business’s industry.
- Designated Office Business Address: This could be the business’s physical address or the address where business records are stored.
- Principals Information: Members, Managers, and Officers of the entity
- Registered Agent Information: A Vermont registered agent is the singular point of contact for the entity should a legal, or tax notice need to be sent to the business. This is often one of the owners, and if their home address is used, that address becomes public information.
- Additional information can also be found in the filed Vermont Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation (Corp), and Annual Report.
Vermont Business Name Search FAQs
How do I find a name for a Vermont sole proprietorship?
A Vermont 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. In order to register the business name, they will register for a Vermont Assumed Name, which is also known as “Doing Business As,” DBA, Trade Name, or Fictitious Business Name.
Similar to the corporation or LLC, Assumed Name registrations need to be unique as well.
What are the requirements for naming an LLC in Vermont?
In addition to being unique, a Vermont 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.
