North Dakota Business Name Search

Getting Started

Before searching the North Dakota Business Name Database, you can save time by making sure your business name is unique and distinguishable from other existing business entities within the North Dakota business name database. We suggest coming with a few name ideas in-mind incase any are unavailable, you can also download the full North Dakota entity name guidelines here (click here to download)

Generate Business Name Ideas

Search business name availability

Contacting the local Secretary of State (SOS) office via Phone or Email is free and is the most reliable way to check your business name availability.

Online, you can search for North Dakota businesses entities for free via the North Dakota Secretary of State website (click here to visit). In the basic search bar, enter the phrase or the specific word you’re interested in. The system will give you a list of all registered titles.

The system also enables advanced searches for trademarks, contractors and lobbyists.

North Dakota Secretary of State Office

Website: https://sos.nd.gov/

Phone: (701) 328-2900

Email: there’s an official blank you can fill out to send an email here

Hours: 8am – 5pm, Monday – Friday

Registering your business Domain/website

Don’t make the mistake of forgetting to check if the domain name is available for your business. The last thing you want is to register your business name and find out another competitor or company already has a website with your name! Use our domain check below to instantly check availability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

You can register your business name via the official state portal of the North Dakota Government.

Useful information:

– There are different procedures for the registration of specific business structures (sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, etc.): follow the respective link to choose the right option.

– Corporations that use a trade name will also have to go through a trade name registration process.

– Before a name is registered, the secretary of state will have to rule out whether it’s deceptively similar to a business title already on record.

To register your business name, you’ll have to do the following:

– Fill out and file all of the required forms.

– Obtain the license required for certain types of business entities (alcoholic beverage license, gaming license, tobacco, contractor license, etc.).

– Pay the 25-dollar fee for trade name registration (if applicable).

– Do a franchise name registration (if applicable).

Upon the completion of the registration, it will be valid for a period of five years. After that, you will have to go through a renewal process.

North Dakota has pretty strict requirements in terms of what’s permissible in the realm of business name registration.

Your business name cannot be the same and it cannot be deceptively similar to the name of another limited liability company, corporation or partnership. It’s up to the secretary of state to determine whether your name is deceptively similar, which will result in a rejection of your application.

In North Dakota, trade name registration affords exclusive rights to the title, meaning no other business can file a similar name.

It’s in your best interest to seek for an original and distinguishable business entity name. Do a brainstorming session to come up with an idea that’s relevant and that hasn’t been registered by someone else.

If you’re still unable to find a business name that suits you, try using our business name generator to get unique name ideas (click here to find our business name generator).

Matija Kolaric

Amazing content is the core of what we do. With more than 5 years of experience in branding, name development, and business, Matija helps create and manage content production.

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