Whether you’re searching for the right business name or registering your LLC with the Colorado Secretary of State (SOS), Incfile can help. We have all the information you need to know on how to conduct a Colorado business search, plus LLC naming rules, assumed names and registering your business.
General Rules for LLC Names
These rules typically apply to all LLCs, regardless of what state they’re formed in.
Your preferred business name cannot be used by any other LLC or formed entity in the State of Colorado. This is why it's imperative to perform a Colorado business entity search before you begin the filing process.
Your LLC name should be original, but that’s not enough. It also cannot be similar to the name of a corporation or LLC in Colorado. For example, you cannot use the following factors to say your name is different and distinguishable from the name of another business:
- Suffixes, such as Corporation, Company, Incorporated, Incorporation, Limited, Corp., Co., Inc., Ltd., LLC, etc.
- Definite articles, such as “A,” “An” or “The”
- The conjunction "And" or “&"
- The singular, plural or possessive forms of words
- Abbreviations, punctuation, symbols, fonts, typefaces, etc.
All LLCs must have the words “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC” in their names, normally at the end of the name.
Most states will not allow you to form LLCs with names that:
- Are very similar to the name of a federal or state agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Colorado Comptroller, Colorado Police, Treasury, etc.)
- Suggest affiliation with a federal or state agency or organization
- Use the term “Olympic” or any terms that are trademarks of the International Olympic Committee
- Imply a purpose that would be illegal for your business to carry out
Specific Rules for Colorado Business Names
As mentioned above, Colorado requires LLCs to comply with the general naming rules. Unlike many other states, the State of Colorado doesn't require further naming regulations to be met.
How to Come Up with a Business Name
Finding the perfect business name can be difficult. We have a complete guide to choosing the right business name, but essentially, you'll want to choose a name that will:
Best represent your product or services
Appeal to your customers
Be memorable enough to stand out
Not be used by another business
Need help coming up with business name ideas? Try our free name generator.
Colorado Business Search
Once you have an idea of your preferred business name, you’ll need to perform a Colorado business entity search to make sure the name hasn’t been taken by another formed business.
Incfile offers a fast, simple and convenient tool to look up your proposed business name. The Colorado SOS also has a tool that lets you search the State of Colorado business registry to see whether your desired name is available or if another business is using your preferred name.
Trademarks and Service Marks
You must be careful that your Colorado LLC name doesn’t infringe on the trademark or service mark of another business. The easiest way to make sure your proposed business name doesn’t do that is to complete a trademark search through Incfile. If no one else is using it, you can even register it as a trademark yourself.
Let Incfile run a trademark search for you.
Colorado DBA or Trade Name
You may do business under a different name from your legal LLC name. In some states, this is called a DBA (doing business as), assumed name or fictitious name. In Colorado, it's called a trade name. You may decide to use a Colorado trade name for a variety of reasons.
For example, your business might be called Mountain Marketing Solutions, LLC, and under that company, you have an event planning business called Mountain Events. You could file for a trade name just for that company. You'll need to file a form online by finding your record and continuing the process with the Colorado SOS' integrated filing system or you can have Incfile do it on your behalf through our DBA service.
Note: A trade name is not the same as a trademark. Learn more about trademark vs. DBA.
Register Your Business Name with the Colorado Secretary of State (SOS)
Once you’ve completed a Colorado business entity search, checked availability, followed the naming rules and decided whether you need a trade name, you can register your LLC name. There are a couple of ways to do this.
If you don’t want to form your LLC right now, you can reserve the business name. You can file a Statement of Reservation of Name online with the Colorado Secretary of State. Your name will be reserved for 120 days once the application is processed, and a name reservation can be renewed by filing a Statement of Renewal of Reservation of Name. If you’re forming your Colorado LLC right away, you won’t need to reserve a name.
If you’re ready to start your LLC now, you can file your Articles of Organization with the Colorado SOS or have Incfile do it for you.
Incorporate in Colorado for $0 + State Fee ($50).
FAQs about Colorado Business Names
Use our intuitive, free Business Name Search tool and enter your desired business name. You can also perform a Colorado business name availability search of the state's registry, which will tell you whether there are any corporations or LLCs in the state with that name.
Yes. Most LLCs are bound by general rules (applicable to all LLCs) and specific rules (applicable in the State of Colorado). You'll find more information above.
Yes. In Colorado, you can conduct business under a trade name. Details are above.
Yes. The Colorado Secretary of State allows you to reserve a name for 120 days if you don’t want to start your business immediately. Details are above. If you’re ready to start your business now, you don’t need to reserve a name.
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