Forming an LLC requires a different business name, which must be unique and adheres to the guidelines. The great thing is South Dakota’s Secretary of State page includes a name availability checker. Check out LLC Name Search to learn more.
Meanwhile, if you’re interested in learning more about starting a South Dakota LLC or forming an LLC in general, you can check out How to Start an LLC.
On this page, you’ll learn about the following:
How to Name an LLC in South Dakota
Time needed: 5 minutes.
There are guidelines to follow in doing a South Dakota LLC name search. To learn more, check out LLC Naming Guidelines or read Foreign LLC Application for Registration if you’re planning to register a foreign LLC.
- Check Name Availability
Search the Business Entity Records in South Dakota’s Official Secretary of State page to check if your chosen business name is available. You may also try typing your trademark, business, or domain name on any search engine to generate businesses with similar names and to ensure your trademark is unique and meets the state’s requirements.
Check out How to File a DBA to learn more about registering a DBA or trademark. For social media pages, use Social Searcher to avoid using similar page names. - Check Domain Availability
If your business name is still available, you must register for a domain name using Namecheap, Google Workspace, or other domain name sites. So customers can easily find your business over the Internet. Use the Kinsta app to manage your domains efficiently.
- File Name Reservation
A Name Reservation Certificate is required along with a Certificate of Formation. You can reserve a name online, by mail, or in person with a $25 filing fee (plus tax for online).
File your Certificate of Formation and Name Reservation online on the Secretary of State Online Services page of South Dakota. You may also download the pdf file of the Name reservation form and submit it with the processing fee to Secretary of State Office 500 E Capitol Ave Pierre, SD 57501.
Guidelines to Follow in Naming LLC
- Use a business name with the abbreviation “LLC” or the phrase “Limited Liability Company.”
- Your decided business name must not coincide with any existing government entity. Otherwise, you might have to face legal lawsuits when filing your LLC.
- Use the LLC name availability checker to ensure your business name is unique.
- Get a license first if you plan on using restricted words to avoid any complications.
Note that you must put adequate effort into naming your LLC because this name will be with your business for a long time. Making your LLC name unique is vital as it would prevent people from confusing your business with others, not to mention it would be easier for them to recall your business, products, or services.
How Do I Reserve an LLC Name in South Dakota
To reserve an LLC name in South Dakota you need to submit a name reservation request form to the South Dakota Secretary of State by mail or online by paying a filing fee of $25.
Establishing a Limited Liability Company (LLC) involves various considerations, one of which is selecting and reserving a company name. The regulations governing LLC formation procedures vary across states, and in South Dakota, business owners can reserve their business names through a simple process.
Various reasons may lead business owners to reserve a business name, including the intention to start a new venture organically, compliment a brand or use it in marketing campaigns. Additionally, businesses that plan to use the name at a future date or do not intend to use the name immediately may want to ensure that no one else can claim that name legally. With the reservation of a business name, the LLC founder(s) maintains exclusive control of it for a predetermined period, typically 120 days, ensuring that no other entity can register, use, or claim the name in the intervening period.
To reserve an LLC name in South Dakota, the paperwork must first be completed. The process requires the applicant to provide the name, the entity type, and service details that allow the State Division of Corporations to track the reservation. South Dakota is among several states that provide business entity registration services online. LLC organizers can complete the name reservation online by accessing the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website, while those who prefer to address these formalities offline may download and submit an application through the mail.
The state imposes certain requirements for the business name that forms part of registering an LLC in South Dakota. Exceptional company names require a reservation, meaning they cannot merely reference the founder’s or manager’s name; rather, they require different, but not necessarily unique appellation few entities within the state are likely to have chosen. Thus, South Dakota seeks to introduce efficiencies in ensuring fair competition that relies on concise, direct, and clear names since these prevent marketplace mishaps and unnecessary legal register controversies that may delay a business enterprise’s operations.
Timing is crucial in the reservation of an LLC name in South Dakota. Despite the prospects the data subject provides on possible competition in a given locality, every minute counts to secure exclusive dominance. Even if the investor is unsure when to commence their offering after obtaining a business name, officials recommend prompt application for the reservation right away. Using South Dakota’s online resources (or even manually, via post) reduces any possible wait times, which saves time—time wasted on submissions should prompt the investor to strategize their offering and market positioning instead.
In conclusion, naming a company forms part and parcel of the application necessary when registering an LLC in South Dakota. Technological innovations over the recent years streamlining most of the procedures become standard, allows devising statements and names applicable during business creation an easy and less procedure-involving crutch. South Dakota also records swift turn-round methods done qualitatively, proving possession in ways best that suit market positioning. Take control of the registration process and reserve a name online or offline as deemed necessary, leaving ample time for mainstream research ensuring profitability, considering local entities, be it direct competition or enterprise whose title may connotate negative consequences.
F.A.Qs
A trade name (doing business as (DBA) name) is the official name under which a proprietor or company chooses to do business.
Having a domain isn’t necessary, but it is recommended. If you have a domain name, customers will find you more accessible through online means with your online website.
For domestic LLC, you can simply brainstorm for another name if the one you pick is no longer available. For foreign LLC, you must think up a “fictitious name,” which you’ll use only in the state.
In Conclusion
LLC names are important as it is the main identity of your business. While naming your LLC make sure to choose the one that suits the nature of your business. Follow the naming guidelines before you start filing your LLC name
