LLC name availability in New York

New York LLC names are registered with the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, State Records and UCC — the single authoritative source for entity name availability. The official search tool is the NY DOS Public Inquiry Portal. The portal is JavaScript-dependent and frequently returns errors, particularly on first visits or mobile devices.

The fastest verified path to a clean search result:

1. Go to apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry

2. Select "Entity Name" as your search type

3. Enter your proposed LLC name

4. Review both active and inactive entities for potential conflicts

A search on apps.nyc.gov/dbnyc — the NYC Department of Finance "Doing Business Search" — covers only city-level registrations. It is not a substitute for the state-level NY DOS search, and confusing the two is one of the most common filing mistakes in New York.

Clearing your name through the NYC search does not mean your LLC name is available in New York State. These are two separate databases governed by two separate regulatory systems with different legal effects.

The NY DOS Division of Corporations states directly: "A name search of the Department's records is not a guarantee that a name is available for use." That caution applies with even greater force to city-level databases, which have no bearing on state LLC formation.

The operative rule: State-level clearance through NY DOS is required for LLC formation under New York Limited Liability Company Law. City-level clearance through the NYC Department of Finance is a separate business concern that does not satisfy the state requirement. If you are launching anywhere in New York State outside New York City, the NYC search is entirely irrelevant to your LLC filing.

The NYC Doing Business Search covers city-level registrations only and cannot confirm New York State LLC name availability.

Founders who rely on the NYC search and skip the NY DOS search risk filing a name that is already taken at the state level.

New York Limited Liability Company Law (LLCL) Section 204 governs what your LLC can and cannot be named. A rejected filing wastes your $200 state filing fee and delays your launch while you refile with a corrected name.

Required elements:

The name must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." in full

The abbreviations "Ltd." and "Co." are not accepted as standalone replacements for the required designator

Prohibited or restricted terms:

Words implying government affiliation, including "Federal," "State," and "United States"