Wyoming Business Name Search

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

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

How to Check if Your Wyoming 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 Wyoming. 

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 Wyoming LLC names include:

• Your name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or “limited company” or one of their abbreviations (e.g., “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “LC,” or “L.C.”). The word “limited” can be abbreviated as “ltd.” and the word “company” can be abbreviated as “co.”
• A low-profit limited liability company name must contain one of the following: “L3C,” “l3c,” “low profit ltd. liability company,” “low profit ltd. liability co.,” or “low profit limited liability co.”
• Your name must be distinguishable from any existing business in the state. This includes Wyoming 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.

Additionally, Wyoming has the following restrictions on LLC names:

• Your name can’t imply the LLC is organized for a purpose other than the one outlined in its Articles of Organization.
• Your name can’t contain a word or phrase that implies the LLC is organized under the Wyoming Business Corporation Act, the Wyoming Statutory Close Corporation Supplement, or the Nonprofit Corporation Act.
• You must have approval from the state’s Division of Banking to include any of the following words (or words of similar meaning): “bank(s),” “banker,” “banc,” “bancorp,” “bancorporation,” “banque,” “banqe,” “banquer(s),” “PTC,” “banco,” “banca,” or “trust.”
• You must have approval from the Wyoming Department of Education to include any of the following words: “academy,” “college,” “edu,” “educate,” “education,” “educational,” “institute,” “institution,” “school(s),” or “university.”
• The Wyoming Secretary of State requires an additional review of names that begin with the letter “A” followed by a space or punctuation, contain special characters, or are in a language other than English.

For more information, check out the Wyoming business naming guide.

Distinguishability

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

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

• Business entity type identifiers
• Use of articles, prepositions, or conjunctions
• Use of periods or spaces
• Use or absence of letters that don’t make the name readily distinguishable when spoken aloud
• Geographic designations at the end of the name
• A different order of the same words
• Use of contractions of the same root words

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

2. Conduct a State Name Search

To ensure your chosen business name isn’t already in use by another business, you’ll need to complete a state name search. You can check your business name availability by searching the Wyoming Business Entity Search online database.

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 Wyoming 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 by mail with the Wyoming Secretary of State. The filing fee is $60.

5. Conduct a Trademark or Service Mark Search

To ensure your chosen business name or logo isn’t already trademarked, conduct a trademark search. Use the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website to look for potential matches. Even if your state allows your LLC name, it might still infringe on existing trademarks. For expert assistance, consider using professional trademark services designed for startups.

6. Form Your Wyoming LLC 

Wyoming requires you to form an LLC by submitting Articles of Organization to the Secretary of State. This process registers your business with the state and secures your chosen business name. 

Your Articles of Organization must include the LLC’s name, principal office address, registered agent information, and the name and contact details of at least one organizer.

Wyoming LLC Name Search FAQ

Wyoming Business Resources