Alabama LLC Name Reservation — Step 1 of 8
Alabama does something almost no other state does: it requires you to reserve your name before you can even file your Certificate of Formation. Skip this step and your formation filing gets rejected outright. Here's exactly how the naming rules work — and a checker to flag problems before you pay the fee.
A name reservation is mandatory in Alabama — you can't file your Certificate of Formation without one. Your name must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable from every entity on file with the Secretary of State. Reserve it online for $28 (or $25 by mail), which holds the name for one year. If you file online, the reservation and formation often happen in the same session.
- Required designator
- LLC / L.L.C.
- Reservation
- Mandatory
- Reservation fee
- $28 online / $25 mail
- Holds name for
- 1 year
- Must be
- Distinguishable
- Search at
- sos.alabama.gov
- Next step
- Step 2 →
Alabama LLC Naming Rules
Alabama's naming rules come from the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code, § 10A-1-5.03 through 5.06. Your name needs to clear three tests:
- Include a designator — "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." at the end of the name.
- Be distinguishable from every other business entity on file with the Secretary of State's Business Entities Division.
- Not use restricted or deceptive language — no implying a bank, government agency, or licensed profession you're not authorized for.
Small tweaks won't make a name distinguishableAlabama ignores designators (LLC vs. Inc. vs. Corp.), punctuation, capitalization, articles ("the," "a"), and numerals vs. spelled-out numbers when checking uniqueness. If "Magnolia Group Inc." already exists, "Magnolia Group LLC" won't pass — the state treats the core name as identical. Change a real word, not the formatting.
Alabama Name Compliance Checker
Type your proposed name below to check it against Alabama's formatting rules before you pay the reservation fee:
This checker validates formatting only. It doesn't confirm availability — always run the official search before paying the reservation fee.
How to Reserve Your Name
Unlike most states, this step in Alabama is not optional. Here's the process:
- Search first — use the Alabama Secretary of State's Business Entity Records to check availability before you pay anything.
- File the Name Reservation Request — online for $28 (approval within about 24 hours) or by mail for $25 (several weeks).
- Your name is held for 1 year — plenty of time to complete your Certificate of Formation.
- Filing online often combines both steps — many filers reserve and form in the same online session, though the reservation and its fee are still separate line items.
Restricted words need extra paperworkWords like bank, trust, insurance, and engineer require a letter of approval from the relevant licensing agency before the Secretary of State will accept the reservation. Names using architect need only an Alabama architect license — no separate approval letter. Most everyday businesses never run into this.
- ✓Forms your Alabama LLC for $39 + the $228 state fees
- ✓Handles the mandatory name reservation for you
- ✓Free Alabama registered agent the first year
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Alabama LLC Name Reservation — FAQ
Ahmad Adil is the founder and CEO of LLC School. The naming rules here — required designators, the mandatory reservation, the distinguishability standard, and restricted words — reflect the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code § 10A-1-5.03 through 5.06 and current Secretary of State guidance. This is educational information, not legal advice.
About Ahmad Adil → Alabama LLC Overview →