How To Do A Ohio Business Name Search

If you are forming a business in Ohio, the of the first things you need to do is a business name search.  This search checks all the registered business entities in the state to see if the business name you want to use is available.  Like all other states, the state of Ohio requires each LLC or corporation registered in the state to have a unique business name.  So, before starting your business, it’s important to run a business entity search to verify if the name is available through the Ohio Secretary of State before registering your LLC or Corporation.  There is no fee to search.

Also See: Guide to Starting a Business in Ohio

Steps For Searching Corporation and LLC Names In Ohio

Step 1: Visit the Ohio Entity Name Database

Go to the Ohio Secretary of State website.

Step 2: Search your Business Name

Enter the name you would like to use in the “Business Name” field.  In this example, we will look up “A1 Yard & Lawn” and click “Search.”  It is recommended to keep the search for all results as inactive listings may not yet be able to re-register.

Step 3: Review Results

Searching the registered names, we get a list of all the businesses with the words “A1 Yard & Lawn”.  To be able to register a corporation or LLC name in Ohio, the name must be distinguishable from the other names registered. If you were looking to form an LLC with this name, you wouldn’t be able to since there is already one registered.

To find more information about any of the registered business names, click on the “Show Details” button.

While the name “A1 Yard & Lawn” by itself may not be available, other variants such as “A1 Yard & Lawn of Ohio” are.  Searching for those business names brings a result that says, “There were no records found.”  While final approval is still with the Secretary of State, it is likely available to register. 

These are the basics of searching for a business name in Ohio.  Even when the name of the business you want looks like it is available, the Secretary of State will make a final determination at the time of filing to ensure the name you picked isn’t too similar to other registered names. 

Something to also keep in mind is 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 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 Ohio business entity database?

The database search can find several pieces of information about the business. Some of the highlights include:

• Business Name
• Filing Type – Corporation, Limited Liability Company. Etc.
• Original Filing Date – Date the entity was filed with the Secretary of State.
• Status – Active means the entity is in good standing, and all reports and filing fees are up to date. Other results include “Cancelled” or “Dead,” among others. The names of these inactive results may be available to register.
• Registered Agent’s information – An Ohio Statutory 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.  Many people find this concerning and use a Registered Agent service like Northwest Registered Agent, so their home address isn’t publically listed.  
• Images of the Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation (Corp), Amendments, and more are available to view as well.