Texas LLC Name Search: How to Check If Your Name Is Available

Texas naming rules

• Must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C."
• Must be distinguishable in the records from every other registered Texas entity and from reserved names.
• Cannot falsely imply another entity type or government affiliation, and certain words (e.g. "Bank," "University," "Insurance") need special approval.

How to search

1. Texas availability can be checked through the Secretary of State's SOSDirect system, and you can cross-reference the Comptroller's free taxable entity search to see active entities. Enter your desired name; if nothing identical or confusingly similar appears, the name is likely available. Treat any search as a guide — final availability is determined at filing.

Reserving a name (optional)

If you aren't ready to file, Texas lets you reserve a name for 120 days by filing Form 501 with the Secretary of State for a small fee. Most founders skip this and simply file once the name checks out.

A tip for non-resident founders

Choose a name that travels well internationally and reads cleanly for your US bank account and processors (Stripe, Wise, Mercury). Steer clear of regulated terms (financial, legal, medical) unless that genuinely describes your business, since they can trigger extra review.