Utah Business Name Search

Before you form a limited liability company (LLC), register an assumed name, or start a corporation, you’ll need to complete a business name search with the Utah Business Name Search tool to see if your name is unique.

In our Utah Business Name Search guide, we’ll show you exactly how to check LLC name availability in Utah.

How to Check if Your Utah LLC Name Is Available

Checking if your desired LLC name is available involves a few key steps, such as ensuring your business name follows state requirements and performing a domain name and state search. These are the steps you need to take to determine if your business name is available in Utah. 

1. Follow LLC Naming Rules

Before you perform an LLC name search, you need to make sure your business name follows the state’s business name requirements. 

Some key guidelines for Utah LLC names include:

• Your name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or “limited company” or one of their abbreviations (e.g., “L.L.C.,” “LLC,” “L.C.,” or “LC”). “Limited” may be abbreviated as “Ltd.” and “company” may be abbreviated as “Co.”
• Your name must be distinguishable from any existing business in the state. This includes Utah reserved names.

Keep an eye out for restricted words. These words, such as “FBI” or “Treasury,” are often restricted to keep your LLC from sounding like an official institution.

Utah also has the following restrictions for LLC names:

• Your name can’t include the following words or abbreviations: “association,” “corporation,” “incorporated,” “limited partnership,” or “L.P.”
• You need approval from certain agencies to include certain restricted words in your name:
  • Utah Division of Consumer Protection: “College,” “Institute,” “University,” or “Institution”
  • United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee: “Olympic,” “Olympiad,” or “Citius Altius Fortius”
  • Utah Department of Financial Institutions: “Bank,” “Banker,” “Banking,” “Banc,” “Banque,” “Banco,” “Bancorp,” “Bancorporation,” “Bankcard,” “Bancard,” “Savings Association,” “Building Association,” “Savings and Loan Assoc.,” “Building and Loan Assoc.,” “Savings Bank,” “Industrial Loan Corp.,” “ILC,” “Thrift,” “Credit Union,” “Trust,” “Trustee,” “Trust Company,” “ESCROW,” or “escrow”

For more information, check out Utah’s business name conventions and policies.

Distinguishability

It’s important that your name be distinguishable from all other business names. In Utah, a distinguishable name is one that’s substantively different from all other existing or reserved business names in the state.

The following differences make a name distinguishable in Utah:

• Different keywords
• A different order of the same keywords
• A creative spelling of the same words

The following differences do NOT make a name distinguishable in Utah:

• Business entity type identifiers
• Words or symbols of the words “the,” “and,” “a,” or “plus”
• Punctuation or special characters
• Capitalization
• Singular vs. plural forms
• Spacing
• Abbreviations

Failure to use a distinguishable name could result in the rejection of your formation filing.

2. Complete a State Name Search 

Completing a state name search ensures your business name meets requirements for distinguishability. You can check your business name availability by searching the Utah Business Name Search online database. By doing so, you can verify no existing Utah business is already using your chosen business name. 

3. Check Available Domain Names

When choosing a business name you’ll need to find out whether or not a good web domain name is available. Having a URL that clearly matches your business name is important. This small step can make a big difference in how prospective customers find your business.

The best way to determine if your desired URL is available is to search for it using your preferred domain registry, such as GoDaddy.

What if my LLC name is already taken? Our free AI-powered LLC name generator will give you thousands of new ideas.

4. Reserve Your LLC Name

You may reserve your LLC name in Utah for up to 120 days before you officially register it with the state. This prevents other businesses from registering your name until you have the opportunity to register it yourself. 

You can file a name reservation via hard copy with the Utah Department of Commerce. The filing fee is $22.

5. Conduct a Trademark or Service Mark Search

Protect your business from potential legal complications with a meticulous trademark search. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website offers a robust tool to check for existing trademarks that might conflict with your chosen business name or logo. Keep in mind that state-level LLC name approval isn’t a substitute for federal trademark clearance. For expert assistance, explore our curated list of trademark services for emerging businesses.

6. Form Your Utah LLC 

Once you complete your name search, the next step is to formally register your business with the state. Utah requires you to form an LLC by submitting a Certificate of Organization to the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. Your Certificate or Organization should include the LLC’s name, principal office address, registered agent information, and duration.

Utah LLC Name Search FAQ

Utah Business Resources