Before you print business cards, build a website, or tell anyone your business name — spend 30 seconds checking if it’s already taken in Georgia. It’s free. No lawyer required. No formation service needed.

Here’s exactly how to do it.

Go here: https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch

That’s the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division’s eCorp portal. Type in your desired LLC name and hit search. You’ll see every registered entity in Georgia with a similar name — active, inactive, and dissolved.

That’s the whole process. You don’t need to pay anyone to do this for you. Formation services that charge $50+ to “check name availability” are running a search you can do yourself in under a minute.

A few things to know about the search:

It matches on similar names, not just exact ones. So if you search “Peach State Plumbing LLC,” you might also see results for “Peach State Plumbing Co.” and “Peach State Plumbing Services.” That’s intentional — it’s showing you potential conflicts.

Your name must be “distinguishable” from all existing entities registered with the Georgia Secretary of State. This comes from Georgia Code — the standard isn’t just “identical,” it’s whether a reasonable person could confuse the two names. Adding “LLC” where the existing entity uses “Inc” doesn’t make a name distinguishable. Adding a completely different word usually does.

Pay attention to entity status. The results show whether each entity is active or dissolved. A dissolved company’s name might be available — more on that below.

If your search returns no results or nothing close to your name, you’re in good shape. Move on to filing your Articles of Organization.

Georgia LLC Naming Rules

Before you get attached to a name, make sure it actually qualifies under Georgia’s rules.

You must include a designator. Your LLC name needs to end with “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” — one of those three, exactly. “Peach State Plumbing” alone won’t work. “Peach State Plumbing LLC” will.

No impersonating other entity types. Your LLC name can’t include words like “Corporation,” “Corp,” “Incorporated,” or “Inc.” Those terms imply you’re a corporation, not an LLC. Georgia won’t approve it.

Restricted words require extra steps. Words like “Bank,” “Insurance,” “University,” “Trust,” and a handful of others are restricted. Using them in your name requires approval from the relevant state agency — a bank charter, an insurance license, etc. If your business isn’t in those industries, just avoid those words entirely.

Must be distinguishable from existing entities. Already covered above, but worth repeating: this is the rule that actually trips people up. Georgia’s standard isn’t just “don’t be identical.” If your name is confusingly similar to an existing registered entity, the Secretary of State will reject your filing.

Name Taken? Here’s What to Do

Don’t give up on your name immediately. Run through these options first.

Try variations. Word order matters. “Georgia Home Renovations LLC” and “Home Renovations Georgia LLC” are different names. Adding your city, neighborhood, or a descriptive word often creates enough distinction — “Decatur Home Renovations LLC” versus a statewide competitor’s name, for example. Experiment with synonyms. Sometimes one different word is enough.

Check if the existing entity is dissolved. If the company holding your desired name is dissolved — meaning they’re no longer active — that name may be available. Search the entity, click into its record, and check its status. An active entity is a real conflict. A dissolved one from 2009 might not be. The Secretary of State makes the final call, but it’s worth trying if the entity is clearly dead.

Consider a DBA. If you want to operate under a public-facing name that’s different from your LLC’s legal name, Georgia lets you file a Fictitious Name Certificate — commonly called a DBA (“doing business as”). Cost is $10, filed through the Secretary of State. This is useful if your LLC is “Smith Holdings LLC” but you want to run a bakery under the name “Morning Light Bread.” The DBA doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the name the way an LLC registration does, but it lets you legally use it and put it on your signage and invoices.

Optional: Reserve Your Name

If you’ve found an available name but you’re not ready to file your LLC yet — maybe you’re waiting on a partner, working through financing, or just not quite ready — you can reserve it.

A name reservation holds your name for 120 days. Cost is $10, filed with the Georgia Secretary of State.

That said: if you’re filing your Articles of Organization soon, skip the reservation. Your name is secured the moment your Articles are approved. The reservation only makes sense if there’s a real gap between now and when you’ll actually file. Paying $10 to hold a name for four months while you drag your feet is fine. Paying $10 as a reflex before you file next week is just an extra step.

File the reservation through the same eCorp portal: https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/

The Georgia business entity search only checks state records. It tells you whether someone else has registered that name as a Georgia business entity. It does not tell you whether someone has a federal trademark on the name.

Those are two different things. And the federal trademark is often the bigger deal.

Check the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) at https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/. Search your name and look for active registrations in your industry category. A name can be wide open at the Georgia Secretary of State and still be a registered federal trademark — in which case, using it commercially could expose you to a cease-and-desist or worse.

Also do a basic Google search: your business name plus your industry or city. If a competitor is already running under that name in your market — even if they’re not Georgia-registered and don’t have a federal trademark — it’s still worth knowing before you build a brand around it.

The 30-second Georgia search is the starting point. The trademark check is the insurance policy.

FAQ

Is the Georgia business name search free?

Yes. The Georgia Secretary of State’s eCorp portal is completely free to use. Go to https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch, type in your name, and search. No account required, no fee, no reason to pay a third party to do this for you.

How long does a name reservation last in Georgia?

120 days. A name reservation costs $10 and is filed through the eCorp portal. After 120 days, the reservation expires and the name goes back to being available to anyone. You can’t renew it — at that point you’d need to either file your LLC or reserve again.

Can two LLCs in Georgia have similar names?

Not if the Secretary of State determines they aren’t “distinguishable” from each other. Georgia’s standard is whether a reasonable person could confuse the two names — not just whether they’re letter-for-letter identical. If your name is too close to an existing registered entity, your Articles of Organization will be rejected. The entity search is how you check this before you file.

What’s the difference between a Georgia LLC name and a DBA?

Your LLC name is your legal business name — the one registered with the state, on your Articles of Organization, on your bank account. A DBA (Fictitious Name in Georgia) is a trade name you operate under publicly. For example, your LLC might be “J. Williams Consulting LLC” but you do business as “Clarity Strategy Group.” Filing a DBA costs $10 with the Secretary of State and lets you legally use that public-facing name. It doesn’t replace your LLC name — it runs alongside it.

Does Georgia have a franchise tax that affects LLCs?

No. Georgia does not have an annual franchise tax on LLCs. You do have to file an Annual Registration each year — $60, due between January 1 and April 1 — but there’s no separate franchise tax like some states charge.

What if I want to register a business name without forming an LLC?

If you’re a sole proprietor operating under any name other than your legal name, you file a Fictitious Name Certificate (DBA) directly with the Georgia Secretary of State for $10. You’re not forming an LLC — you’re just registering a trade name. Keep in mind this gives you no liability protection. Forming an LLC does.

Once you’ve confirmed your name is available and meets Georgia’s requirements, the next step is filing your Articles of Organization — $100 online through the eCorp portal, with standard processing around 7 business days. That’s when your name is officially yours.