Washington LLC Name Search

How to search for LLC names in Washington

Searching for an available LLC name in Washington is a required step before submitting your Certificate of Formation to the Washington Secretary of State. The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) lets you query the state's active business registry to see whether a name is already in use or too similar to an existing entity. The database displays registered LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, and other entities so you can assess conflicts across entity types. Finding no exact match does not guarantee approval — a name must be distinguishable from all registered names under Washington law, meaning the Secretary of State can still reject a name that is deceptively similar to an existing one. Running the search early saves filing fees and processing time.

Step-by-step: using the Washington Secretary of State name search

1. 1. Go to the Washington Secretary of State's Corporations and Charities Filing System at https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#/ and click 'Business Search' in the top navigation menu.
2. 2. Select 'Business Name' as your search type from the dropdown, then type your proposed LLC name (or a key portion of it) into the search field — you do not need to include 'LLC' in the search term to get relevant results.
3. 3. Review the results list, which shows entity name, UBI number, entity type, and status. Look at both active and inactive entities, because Washington may still treat a recently dissolved name as conflicting.
4. 4. Click individual entity names to view full details, including registered agent information and formation date, which helps you assess whether a similar name belongs to an active competitor in your industry.
5. 5. If your preferred name returns no close matches, run additional searches using common misspellings, abbreviations, and variations (e.g., 'And' vs '&') to confirm distinguishability before preparing your Certificate of Formation.

Don’t want to file yourself? Northwest Registered Agent files your Washington LLC for $39 + state fee and acts as your registered agent the first year free.

Washington LLC naming rules

• Must include a designator: the name must end with 'Limited Liability Company', 'LLC', or 'L.L.C.' — abbreviated forms are acceptable and most filers use 'LLC'.
• Must be distinguishable: your name must be distinguishable on the records of the Washington Secretary of State from all other registered business entities, reserved names, and registered trade names.
• Cannot imply government affiliation: words such as 'State', 'Federal', 'United States', 'Municipal', or similar terms that suggest the business is a government agency are prohibited without authorization.
• Restricted professional terms require approval: words like 'Bank', 'Trust', 'Insurance', 'Cooperative', and similar regulated-industry terms require written consent from the relevant Washington state regulatory agency before the Secretary of State will accept the name.
• Cannot be misleading or obscene: names that are deceptively misleading about the nature of the business, or that contain profane or obscene language, will be rejected.
• Licensed profession terms are restricted: terms like 'Attorney', 'Doctor', 'Engineer', or 'Architect' may only be used in an LLC name if the entity is properly licensed to provide those professional services in Washington.
• Numbers and special characters are treated as words: Washington interprets numerals and spelled-out numbers as equivalent (e.g., '4' and 'Four' are treated the same), so plan accordingly when testing distinguishability.
• Foreign LLCs must use the same name or an available alternate: a foreign LLC registering in Washington must use its home-state name unless that name is unavailable in Washington, in which case it must register an alternate name.

Restricted words in Washington LLC names

The following words require special approval from a state agency before you can use them in your Washington LLC name:

• Bank / Banker / Banking — requires approval from the Washington Department of Financial Institutions
• Trust / Trust Company — requires approval from the Washington Department of Financial Institutions
• Insurance / Insurer / Underwriter — requires approval from the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner
• University / College — requires approval from the Washington Student Achievement Council to confirm accreditation or exemption
• Cooperative / Co-op — implies a specific organizational structure governed by cooperative statutes; restricted without proper formation under cooperative law
• Engineer / Engineering — restricted unless the LLC is licensed with the Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
• Attorney / Law — restricted unless the entity is authorized to practice law in Washington under applicable bar rules
• Lottery — restricted because it implies association with the Washington State Lottery Commission

How to reserve an LLC name in Washington

Washington allows you to reserve an LLC name before filing by submitting a Name Reservation application through the CCFS online portal or by mail, along with a $30 filing fee. A successful reservation holds the name exclusively for 180 days. Washington does not currently offer a renewal or extension of a name reservation, so you must file your Certificate of Formation before the reservation expires or reapply and pay the fee again if additional time is needed.

Tips for choosing an LLC name that passes in Washington

• Search exact and phonetic variations: run separate searches for homophones, common abbreviations, and alternate spellings — Washington's distinguishability standard can catch names that sound alike even if spelled differently.
• Check the USPTO federal trademark database at https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/search before committing to a name, because a state-level clearance does not protect you from federal trademark infringement claims.
• Verify domain availability simultaneously: use a domain registrar to confirm your preferred .com (or .net) domain is available so your brand is consistent online and offline from day one.
• Avoid overly geographic names: names tied to specific Washington cities or regions (e.g., 'Seattle', 'Puget Sound') can limit perceived scope and may conflict with existing local businesses using the same geographic marker.
• Think ahead to expansion: choose a name broad enough to cover related services you might add later, since changing an LLC name in Washington requires filing an amendment and paying a fee.
• Document your search: take screenshots of your CCFS search results and the date you ran them — this creates a record showing due diligence if a naming dispute arises after formation.