STEP 2: Register a business name in New York
Fulfil the business name requirements
To comply with the naming requirements for a business, make sure that your selected business is distinguishable from any other domestic New York, limited partnership, limited liability partnership or foreign corporation.
New York also has specific requirements for each type of formal business structure:
- Limited partnership: Business name must include “Limited Partnership” or “L.P.”
- Limited liability partnership: Must include the words “Limited Liability Company” or either “LLC” or “L.L.C.”
- Corporation: Any New York business corporation must contain one of the following words or an abbreviation of one of these words: corporation; incorporated; or limited.
How to check business name availability in New York
- Complete a name search at the County Clerk’s office if you have filed for a sole proprietorship or a general partnership.
- Search for whether your intended name has already been taken by searching the NYS’s Corporation and Business Entity Database.
Reserve your business name
Once you have chosen your business name (and checked that it’s not yet taken), you will need to reserve your business name for 60 days in the interim of getting the rest of your documents ready.
You will need to file a Certificate of Reservation with the Department of State.