Ohio LLC Name Search & Naming Rules (2026)
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
- Name search
- Free — SOS database
- Required designator
- LLC, L.L.C., or "Limited Liability Company"
- Name reservation
- $39 · 180 days
- Trade name (DBA)
- $39 · 5-year term
- Filed with
- Secretary of State (Business Central)
- Distinguishable rule
- Yes — from all OH entities
Ohio LLC Naming Rules
- Required designator: the name must contain "Limited Liability Company" or an abbreviation — "LLC" or "L.L.C."
- Distinguishable on the record: it can't match or closely shadow any entity registered with the Secretary of State — check the free business search before you commit.
- Restricted words: terms implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation require proper authorization.
Check the domain before you commit: at $99 a filing, a name mistake isn't expensive to fix in Ohio — but a branding one is. Before you fall for a name, confirm the .com (or a clean variant) is free and grab the matching social handles. The state check takes a minute; whether your real brand is available online is what actually decides if you'll be filing a service pricing trade name six months from now.
Name Checker & Availability Advisor
Ohio LLC Name Checker & Availability Advisor
Format check + guidance · not a substitute for the SOS search
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
How to Search Ohio Name Availability (Free)
Open the Business Central name search
Free, searches every LLC, corporation, and reserved name on file in Ohio.
Search core words without the designator
Search "Buckeye Woodworks" rather than "Buckeye Woodworks LLC" to surface the widest set of potential conflicts.
Check close variants
Minor spelling, spacing, or punctuation differences don't reliably make a name distinguishable — when in doubt, contact the Secretary of State to confirm.
Reserve or file
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
The service pricing Reservation: When It's Worth It
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
Trade Names in Ohio
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
Ahmad Adil's Take: Ohio's naming process is about as clean as this series gets — clear rules, a generous 180-day reservation window, and a trade name system that's simple to understand. My only real advice here is the same one I give everywhere: don't skip the domain check just because the state process is simple. A $99 formation fee is nothing compared to redoing your branding after you've already printed materials and built a following around a name that turns out not to work online. Search the state database, then search the internet — both matter.
- ✓Optional formation assistance; confirm filing scope, service pricing and submission responsibilities.
- ✓Optional formation assistance; confirm filing scope, service pricing and submission responsibilities.
- ✓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 and Trade-Name Terms
Ohio’s free name search is preliminary, not acceptance or trademark clearance. A name reservation costs $39 and lasts 180 days. A trade-name registration or fictitious-name report costs $39, generally has a five-year term and can be renewed under1329.04. A fictitious-name report does not itself create exclusive name rights.
Ohio five-year term and renewal statute.
Ohio 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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