Cross-state name comparison
One name, every top state — side by side
Type a name once and compare how the most-searched formation states treat it: naming rules, extra requirements, and direct links to the official searches.
- States shown
- 8
- popular formation states
- Method
- Deep links
- not fake scraping
- Reviewed
- June 2026
Delaware
DE- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- —
- Name reservation
- Name reservation is available for 120 days. Delaware's search is a name-availability check rather than a full public records database — detailed entity records cost a fee.
Wyoming
WY- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- —
- Name reservation
- Name reservation is available for 120 days.
New Mexico
NM- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- —
- Name reservation
- Name reservation is available for 120 days.
Florida
FL- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- No name reservation
- Name reservation
- Florida does NOT offer name reservation — your name is secured only when your Articles of Organization are filed and accepted.
Texas
TX- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- —
- Name reservation
- Note: the official SOSDirect entity search charges a $1 fee per search. The Texas Comptroller's taxable-entity search is free for a quick name check. Name reservation is available for 120 days.
California
CA- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- —
- Name reservation
- Name reservation is available for 60 days through bizfile Online.
Nevada
NV- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- —
- Name reservation
- Name reservation is available for 90 days.
New York
NY- Designators
- LLCL.L.C.Limited Liability Company
- Extra requirement
- Newspaper publication required
- Name reservation
- Name reservation is available for 60 days. New York LLCs also have a newspaper publication requirement (cost varies sharply by county).
Why side-by-side, not one big search: states keep separate registers and almost none offer a public API, so a single "check all 50" query would be guesswork. Comparing the rules and linking you to each official search is the honest, accurate way — and it surfaces the differences (newspaper rules, no-reservation states) that a merged result would hide.
Narrowed it down? Pick a state and form.
The name check comes after you’ve chosen where to form. Compare what each state costs, then file directly or with a formation service.
Frequently asked questions
Can you check a name across all 50 states at once?
Not truly — and any tool that claims to is overstating it. Each state keeps its own register, and almost none expose a public API, so a one-click "check everywhere" would be guesswork. What we do instead is line up the most-searched formation states side by side with each state’s naming rules and a direct link to its official search, so you can run the real check on each in seconds.
If a name is taken in one state, is it taken everywhere?
No. Entity registration is per-state. A name registered in Florida says nothing about whether it’s free in Wyoming. The catch is trademark: a federal trademark is national, so a name that’s free as an entity in every state can still belong to someone as a trademark. Pair this with a trademark search.
Which state should I actually form in?
For most non-resident and online founders, the answer is the state with the lowest cost and simplest upkeep — often Wyoming or New Mexico — not Delaware, which suits VC-backed startups more than solo businesses. Use our state-cost comparator and best-state guide to decide; the name check comes after you’ve narrowed the state.
Related
Rules reviewed June 2026. State registries change URLs periodically — if a link breaks, search the state’s official site.
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