Verify Your Business Name With a Vermont Business Name Search

Your business's name is a big part of its identity. It's how people will search for you and become clients. If you're forming a limited liability company (LLC) in Vermont, you must first check whether your desired company name is available. 

With the Vermont business name search tool, you can do this for free in only three steps:

1. Answer a few simple questions

2. Wait less than one hour as the tool conducts an advanced search

3. Receive your results via email and reserve the name if it's available or check a different name.

This article will provide step-by-step instructions on how to check the availability of your company name and help you complete other necessary parts of the registration process.

Key Takeaways

• An LLC business name must comply with specific business naming conventions set by the Vermont Secretary of State, including being distinct and not offensive.

• A Vermont business name search helps you prevent costly mistakes, learn more about your competition, verify existing businesses, and get inspiration for your business name.

• Once you verify your business name availability, you can reserve the name, choose a domain name, register a DBA, and file your LLC online.

Vermont's Business Name Conventions

To register your company in Vermont, the name of your business has to be "distinguishable in the records” of the Vermont Secretary of State.[1] This is why it’s essential to check name availability, as your business name can not be the same as an existing entity.

The name of your company is considered distinguishable in the records if it complies with the following rules:

• Uses the same keywords as an existing business name but in a different order

• Uses the same keywords as an existing business name but with additional words/numbers

• Uses the same keywords as an existing business name but with fewer words or numbers

• Uses synonyms of the keywords in an existing business name

• Uses homophones of the keywords in an existing business name (e.g., "4" instead of "for," "2" instead of "to")

A name is considered not distinguishable in the records if it only differs from an existing business name by one of the following:

• Uses different spacing, punctuation, or special characters

• Uses different articles, prepositions, conjunctions, or special characters instead of words (e.g., "A & B" instead of "A and B")

• Uses prefixes and suffixes (e.g., "Swim LLC" instead of "Swims LLC")

• Adds business type identifiers or their abbreviations

• Adds internet domain suffixes (e.g., montpelier.com instead of montpelier.org)

• Uses abbreviations, contractions, or alternate spelling (e.g., "VT Services" instead of "Vermont Services")

• Uses homographs (words with different meanings but the same spelling)

• Uses different types of numerals (Roman, Arabic) or changes numbers into their word forms and vice versa

• Uses different tenses of the same verbs

• Adds or omits "Vermont" or "Green Mountains"

Your Vermont LLC name also won't be approved if it contains indecent, discriminatory, obscene, or deceptive language, such as language that indicates governmental affiliation or only consists of the registrant's name.

In addition, to make your business name eligible for registration, you must include the correct business name endings:

• For limited liability companies: "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," "Ltd. Liability Co.," "Limited Company," "LC," or "Ltd. Co."

• For professional LLCs: "PLC" or "Professional" with one of the variations of LLC listed above

• For low-profit LLCs: "L3C"[2]

• For corporations: "corporation," "Corp," "incorporated," "Inc," "company," "Co," "limited," or" "Ltd"[3]

Benefits of a Vermont Entity Search

With a Vermont business entity search, you can check multiple aspects that will set your business for success or give you better insight into another company with which you plan on doing business. Such a search is helpful in:

• Checking business name availability to prevent additional costs to correct registering under an existing name

• Getting business name ideas for a new business

• Seeing the competition and what's in demand

• Verifying information about a company to see if it's legit

• Finding information about the business entity's owner to contact them for business deals, partnership, etc.

• Checking the financial status, history, bankruptcy filings, etc., of a company

• Checking whether a company is in good standing and complies with regulatory requirements

Next Steps

Once you confirm that the desired business name for your LLC is available through a Vermont business name search tool, you can move on to the next steps. These include reserving the name, choosing a domain name, and possibly registering for a DBA.

Here's a brief explanation of how to complete these subsequent steps in the business name registration process.

Complete Your Name Reservation

When you're sure that your business name is available and distinguishable in the Vermont Secretary of State database, you can submit a Company Name Reservation application. You can file it in the Online Business Service Center. For first-time users, you must create an account as a business user, registered agent, UCC user, or other.

This application is usually processed within five to three business days. After that, the business name will remain reserved for 120 days. During this time, you can prepare the necessary formation documents. For LLCs, these are the Articles of Organization; for corporations, these are called the Articles of Incorporation.

Note that if the period of 120 days expires, you'll have to renew the reservation.

Choose a Domain Name

Making a website for your business will allow you to establish your company's online presence and reach new customers. You can provide information about your products and services and give your consumers more contact options. Furthermore, making a website with a recognizable domain name that matches your business name will contribute to your company's image and credibility.

Consider a DBA

If you're a new business owner, you might consider establishing a DBA, also called "doing business as," "fictitious business name," or "assumed name." A DBA is commonly used by sole proprietors, general partnerships, unincorporated nonprofit associations, and business owners who want to operate their business under a name different from the one they've registered with the state.

You can cater to different markets and audiences by doing business under multiple names. A DBA gives your brand more flexibility, allows you to use different marketing strategies, and offers more products and services that don't necessarily relate to one another. Additionally, you might need an established DBA to set up your business bank account in some banks.

To register a DBA in Vermont, you'll first need to check whether your DBA is available and distinguishable similarly to your business name. Once you've ensured that your DBA is unique, you can file your assumed name with the Vermont Secretary of State's Corporation Division or request forms by email from the Vermont Secretary of State.

File Your LLC Online

After completing all the necessary steps of your business name registration, you can file your Vermont LLC online with Swyft Filings. Since 2015, we’ve helped create more than 300,000 businesses, and yours can be next in just a few minutes with our online LLC registration.

Tell us more about your business by filling out a quick online form that takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete. We'll compile all the necessary documentation for you and deliver them directly to the Vermont Secretary of State. Once the state has approved your documents, you'll get your LLC package via mail, saving you precious time to focus on more important aspects of your business. 

FAQs

How do I find out if a business name is available in Vermont?

You can use a Vermont business name search tool to determine if a business name is available in Vermont.

What is the Vermont Secretary of State Business Entity Search?

The Vermont Secretary of State Business Entity Search is a tool that features multiple search options that allow you to search business names by filing number, business ID, physical address, NAICS code, registration type, status, registered agent name, etc. Apart from LLC, you can also conduct corporation searches, LLP searches, partnership searches, etc.

How do you find out if a business is registered in Vermont?

You can determine if a business is registered in Vermont with a Vermont entity search tool. You can search a business by name, ID number, address, filing number, or NAISC code.

How much does a Vermont business entity search cost?

The Swyft Filings business name search comes at no cost and with no commitment. Just provide enough information, and you'll receive an email about the name availability in under an hour. Depending on the feedback, you might be able to reserve the name immediately or apply for a new one.

Do you have to register your business in Vermont?

If you want to operate your business in Vermont, you must register it with the Vermont Secretary of State.[4] This usually requires filing formation documents, paying for necessary fees, and providing information such as your business name, address, and type.

How much does it cost to register a business name in Vermont?

Depending on the filing title and entity type, you must pay at least $125 for Articles of Organization and annual reports, which include your business name.[5]

What is a Vermont business license?

A Vermont business license is a legal document issued by the Vermont Secretary of State which allows you to start and operate a business in Vermont in a specific industry or location. It usually contains the name, address, and type of the business, the date when the license was issued, a tax identification number issued by the IRS, and information about any other licenses or permits.

How do I get a registered agent in Vermont?

A registered agent can be a business owner, employee, or third-party service. You can elect a registered agent online on the Vermont Secretary of State website. It usually takes less than one business day, and there's no filing fee.

Bibliography

1. Vermont Secretary of State. "Business Name Rules & Availability." Accessed April 21, 2023.

2. Vermont Secretary of State. "Limited Liability Company (LLC)." Accessed April 21, 2023.

3. Vermont Secretary of State. "Profit Corporation." Accessed April 21, 2023.

4. Department of Taxes. "Start or Buy a Business." Accessed April 21, 2023.

5. Vermont Secretary of State. "Fees." Accessed April 21, 2023.