Question
What are the California LLC naming requirements?
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
When naming a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in California, there are several requirements you must adhere to:
1. **Distinctive Name**: The name of the LLC must be distinguishable from existing business entities registered in California. It should not be confusingly similar to the names of other organizations already on file with the California Secretary of State.
2. **LLC Designator**: The name must include a designator indicating that it is an LLC. Acceptable designators include:
- "Limited Liability Company"
- "LLC"
- "L.L.C."
- "Limited Company"
- "Ltd. Liability Co."
- "Ltd. Liability Company"
- "LC"
- "L.C."
3. **Prohibited Words**: Certain words are restricted or prohibited. For instance, words like "bank," "trust," "insurance," or "corporation" may require additional approvals or licenses, while terms that imply a different business structure or entity type (like "Corp" or "Incorporated") are not allowed.
4. **No Impersonation of Government Entities**: The name cannot imply that the LLC is a government entity or affiliated with one.
5. **Availability Check**: Before finalizing your LLC name, you can check the availability of the name on the California Secretary of State's business name database to ensure that it’s not already in use.
6. **Conduct a Reservation (Optional)**: If you want to secure the name before formally filing for the LLC, you can file a Name Reservation Request with the Secretary of State for a period of 60 days.
It’s recommended to consult with legal counsel or a business advisor when naming your LLC to ensure compliance with all regulations.
1. **Distinctive Name**: The name of the LLC must be distinguishable from existing business entities registered in California. It should not be confusingly similar to the names of other organizations already on file with the California Secretary of State.
2. **LLC Designator**: The name must include a designator indicating that it is an LLC. Acceptable designators include:
- "Limited Liability Company"
- "LLC"
- "L.L.C."
- "Limited Company"
- "Ltd. Liability Co."
- "Ltd. Liability Company"
- "LC"
- "L.C."
3. **Prohibited Words**: Certain words are restricted or prohibited. For instance, words like "bank," "trust," "insurance," or "corporation" may require additional approvals or licenses, while terms that imply a different business structure or entity type (like "Corp" or "Incorporated") are not allowed.
4. **No Impersonation of Government Entities**: The name cannot imply that the LLC is a government entity or affiliated with one.
5. **Availability Check**: Before finalizing your LLC name, you can check the availability of the name on the California Secretary of State's business name database to ensure that it’s not already in use.
6. **Conduct a Reservation (Optional)**: If you want to secure the name before formally filing for the LLC, you can file a Name Reservation Request with the Secretary of State for a period of 60 days.
It’s recommended to consult with legal counsel or a business advisor when naming your LLC to ensure compliance with all regulations.