South Carolina Business Name Register
The South Carolina Secretary of State Business Search will help you choose a name that is unique for your business. Customers will know you best by the name you choose. It’s more than just a name that you use to file tax returns. You need to think about it.
The Secretary of State in South Carolina is responsible for registering business names. Business owners must choose unique names that are not already listed in the state. The South Carolina Secretary-of-State’s Business Corporate Division is responsible to ensure that each South Carolina corporation or business is unique.
It is now easier to search for the registry online, thanks to the Secretary of State. To find details about a business, anyone can search for its registration ID or business name.
| South Carolina businessfilings.sc site maintains a database of corporations that are registered in the state of South Carolina. The database maintains a list of active and expired businesses that is free for the public to search. |
The registry contains information that is up-to-date with all commercial activity in South Carolina. The database includes all types of businesses.
- Corporations
- Limited liability companies (LLCs).
- Limited partnerships
The average processing time for registration is two business days from the date that it was received. However, in some cases, the secretary of state’s office might be overwhelmed with applications, and processing times may take longer.
Search for your business name
By navigating to the South Carolina Secretary Of State’s website, click on “Search Business Files,” and you will be able to verify that your business name is available. You must select a name that is not identical to any other registered business name in the state.
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Register Your Business Name
Sometimes, it may not be possible to launch your business. You can instead reserve your preferred business name by completing the application. If you want to create a limited liability company name, fill out the Application To Reserve a Business Name.
To reserve a name for a limited partnership, please complete the Application to Reserve a Name for Licensed Partnership. These types of name reservations are valid until the expiration of 120 days, after which they become invalid.
You don’t have to reserve a business address before you can organize your business. You can simply incorporate the business or apply for an LLC.
Register your business name
You must complete the necessary documents to register your business name. The correct form must be used for your limited liability entity. If you’re starting an LLC, fill out the LLC application. The South Carolina Secretary of State website can obtain these forms online.
These are legal documents that will establish your business. You may want to hire a lawyer to review the forms. Include the filing fee and self-addressed stamped envelope.
South Carolina Business Entity Search
Entrepreneurs looking for business names should consult the Secretary of State database to view the names of registered businesses. The database can also be used to search for information about businesses that do not exist.
Name availability search
These steps will assist you in your South Carolina business search.
- Navigate to the website of the Secretary of State www.sos.sc.gov
- Click “Search” and enter the business name.
- Click on any business name you want to view in the results.
- Check out the business information.
South Carolina LLC Name Requirements
When searching for the perfect South Carolina LLC name, you should be aware of certain things. First, all South Carolina LLCs must contain “LLC” at least in part. It is acceptable to use the abbreviation L.L.C. An LLC cannot include corporate words in its name, such as “incorporated” and the abbreviations of “inc.” and “corp.”
Your LLC name must be unique and different from any other LLC in the database. It does not count as distinctiveness if you add “a”, “an,” or periods, slashes, numbers, or hyphens to your LLC name.
To search for business names in your LLC’s database, select the “begins with” option and type the name. To ensure you have all the bases covered, perform multiple searches.
South Carolina LLC Name Search FAQ
How can I verify that an LLC name has been taken in South Carolina
You can use the South Carolina Search Tool to check if your business name appears.
Do I have to name my LLC after me?
Although there is no prohibition against naming your LLC after yourself (most experts recommend against it).
An advantage of an LLC is that you can choose a different business name, which can make your business sound more professional.
You can explore other options for naming by using your free AI-powered LLC name generator.
What words are prohibited in a South Carolina LLC’s name?
It is not possible to include words in business names that suggest that the company is a bank or financial institution, or that it is affiliated with a local or state government agency.
Learn more about LLC naming requirements at the South Carolina Naming Guidelines section.
Do I need an LLC name generator?
An LLC name generator is a great tool to help you choose a name for your LLC.
What is a brand?
A brand name is a name that a company gives to a product line or product. It can be the exact same as the company name, or something else.
Do I need to include LLC in the name?
Yes. Yes. South Carolina’s LLCs must use the abbreviation “Limited Liability Company” (e.g. LLC or L.L.C. in their legal name.
Learn more about LLC naming requirements in the South Carolina Naming Guidelines section.
What do I need to do to renew my South Carolina business name?
South Carolina does not require LLCs to renew their name.
Is it possible for my business name to be different from the South Carolina LLC name?
Some companies prefer to operate under a different name than their legal name. You can call this a “doing business as” (DBA), name. South Carolina doesn’t offer DBA filings.
Business808, a renowned consulting organization that aids startups in scaling and growing, is led by Andy Brooks as Editor-in-Chief.
Andy has over 12 years of consulting experience and is a pro at creating and managing profitable businesses. He has experience working with several LLCs and Registered Agent services and has a degree in business management. Andy enjoys providing useful information for Business808.
In addition to writing for Business808, Andy is a well-known author and speaker, and an active contributor to several online business publications, imparting his knowledge on how to grow an LLC.