Want to learn how to register a business name so that you can give your business an official identity and maximum legal protection?

First of all, congratulations for joining 420,987 businesses that submitted their applications as of January 2023.

As a rule, business name registration is a requirement by state agencies like the Secretary of State.

In this article, we explain how to register a business name in 5 simple ways.

Let’s get started.

1. Determine That Your Business Name Is Not Taken

When learning how to register a business name, you must ensure the name is available. Otherwise, your business name application will be rejected.

You can use the business name lookup search available through the Secretary of State website.

2. Choose Your Business Structure

We must mention that not all business structures require you to register a business name.

However, if you intend to start an LLC, Partnership, or Corporation, then you’ll need to register your business.

The good thing is that registering a business name is pretty simple when you form a legal business structure using a business formation service like Incfile. You can read this GovDocFiling Incfile review to learn more about the service.

3. Register a ‘Doing Business As’ Name 

The other option to register your business name is to file a Doing Business As name. This is simply a name that you can use that’s not your legal business name.

Since it’s not subject to federal trademark laws, it makes it easier for you to change your business name if you wish to do so in the future.

4. Apply for a Business Trademark

To further protect your business name from being claimed or used by other people when doing business at a national level, you need to apply for a business trademark.

Remember to search the US official trademark database to ensure the name isn’t already trademarked.

5. Get Your Domain Name

Most customers will look at a business’s website before making a purchase. Having a professionally-done website gives your customers the confidence that your business is legit.

It’s important for your website’s domain name to match your business name so that your website is instantly recognizable to your customers. 

Conclusion

Registering your business name can be overwhelming when you think about the paperwork to be done. But it doesn’t have to be.

By following these simple steps, you can get your business up and running real quick.

Get more details on how to register a business name from this infographic by GovDocFiling.

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Author Bio:

Brett Shapiro is a co-owner of GovDocFiling. He had an entrepreneurial spirit since he was young.

He started GovDocFiling, a simple resource center that takes care of the mundane, yet critical, formation documentation for any new business entity.