Louisiana LLC Name Search & Naming Rules (2026)
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
- Name search
- Free — sos.la.gov
- Required designator
- L.L.C., L.C., or spelled out
- Name reservation
- $25 · 120 days
- Reservation renewable?
- No extension; new filing after expiry
- Trade name / DBA
- $95 current SOS fee
- Governing law
- La. R.S. 12:1306
Louisiana LLC Naming Rules (La. R.S. 12:1306)
- Required designator: the name must contain "Limited Liability Company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "L.C." — and "LLC" without periods is accepted in practice.
- Distinguishable on the record: it must differ from every business entity on file with the Secretary of State — punctuation tweaks and designator swaps don't count.
- No government implications: the name can't suggest your company is a state, parish, or federal agency.
- No deceptive or scandalous matter: the statute explicitly bars immoral, deceptive, or scandalous names.
- Professional trigger words: using "engineer" or "engineering" requires written notice to the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board (or its waiver) before the Secretary of State will file your Articles. Bank, insurance, and similar regulated terms need their regulators' approval too.
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
Name & Reservation Advisor
Choose a topic below to review the current search and optional reservation requirements. Only the state can determine name acceptance.
Louisiana name planning
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
Use the official state search and current naming rules. A search is preliminary; acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
How to Search Louisiana Name Availability (Free)
Open the SOS business search
The Secretary of State's free database covers every LLC, corporation, L3C, and partnership on file in Louisiana.
Search core words without the designator
Search "Bayou Coffee" rather than "Bayou Coffee LLC" to surface the widest set of potential conflicts, including trade names.
Check for restricted words
Engineer/engineering, bank, insurance, and government-implying terms need extra approvals — handle those before filing, not after a rejection.
File or reserve promptly
Availability isn't a hold. Either file your Articles quickly or lock the name with a $25 reservation.
Reserving a Name: $25, 120 Days and Expiration
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
Trade Names ($95)
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
- ✓Optional formation assistance; confirm filing scope, service pricing and submission responsibilities.
- ✓Confirm reminder and follow-up filing services; the LLC remains responsible for its deadlines.
- ✓Confirm registered-agent eligibility, coverage, included periods and renewal charges.
- ✓Review address-use rules and privacy policies; a service does not remove all information from public filings.
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Reservation expiration and current trade-name fee
Louisiana’s optional reservation costs $25 and lasts 120 days. It does not renew the existing reservation; SOS instructions allow a new $25 reservation after expiration, subject to actual availability. The current SOS fee schedule lists $95 for trade-name registration. A search or formatting result is preliminary; state acceptance and trademark rights are separate.
Louisiana LLC — FAQ
Ahmad Adil is the founder and CEO of LLC School. For filing and ongoing compliance, confirm the requirements with the responsible state agency. This is educational information, not legal or tax advice.
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