Recognize the rationale for your business name change. A small business’s naming or renaming is a deliberate procedure that requires time and study to execute properly. Your company name should be distinctive and set you out from your rivals. If you are renaming your firm, you must ensure that the change will benefit the organization and its clientele.
Search for names. You know why you want to undergo the name change procedure very well. The following two procedures resemble naming a small business. List a few potential company names that come to mind. Do a name search to see whether they are still available. To find out if this trademark has already been registered or applied for or is available, you can search using a trademark database like the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) or work with a third-party provider of trademark filing services.
The owners or members must approve a name change in an LLC. Before changing their name, corporations that have been incorporated need the consent of their shareholders. A resolution can be used to get the go-ahead to change the company’s name. For more information on name change approval, study the corporate bylaws (for corporations) or LLC operating agreements (for LLCs).
Contact the IRS and notify the Secretary of State. As soon as the shareholders and members approve the name change, it is time to notify the state and the IRS.
Ascertain whether you’ll require a new EIN. The IRS issues employment identification numbers to corporations (EIN). This number serves as a small business’s federal tax ID and tracks its payroll activity. Depending on the circumstances, some name changes could necessitate new EINs.
Update business permits and licenses. Get in touch with your neighborhood city or county authorities to find out if you need to apply for new licenses and permits or cancel old ones.
Make contact with a legal expert. Your new company name is almost ready to be revealed to the public! Consult with an attorney before informing your clientele and changing your business’s signage to reflect the situation. Before announcing the name change, check to see if anything further has to be done.
Decide on a corporate structure. Your choice of business structure will affect how you register your company with the state. Use our how-to-choose business structure guide to assist you in deciding which type of business structure is ideal for you, including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), general partnerships, and sole proprietorships.
Determine if a name is available. It’s crucial to check that a business name is original and that no one else in your state has registered it as a domain name or started a company using it. Create your company with the state of California in step three. After choosing your business structure and name, you must file your formation documents with the state to register your business with California. You must submit the Articles of Organization to the California Secretary of State to register your California LLC. Applying can be done in person, by mail, or online. For more information, see our California LLC Formation guide.
Look for and research a new name.
Report the name change to your secretary of state.
Ask to have the name on your licenses and permits altered.
Report the name change to the IRS. You might occasionally need to get a new EIN.
Update your company’s paperwork with the new name.
Inform your lenders, vendors, customers, and other stakeholders who need to know about the name change.
Press the top-right button on Facebook.
Tap the Pages. Choose your Page.
Click Edit Page under the name of your Page.
Place a tap into the Name text box.
Change the name of your Page, then hit Continue.
Tap Change Request.
Determine if a trademark is necessary. These common law provisions typically only apply to the local geographic area in which the name is used. Use of a business name automatically confers some trademark protection, but typically only if a business can show documentation that it was the first business to use the name in the particular industry (also known as a class). Furthermore, only if a company has registered a trademark is it feasible to file a federal trademark infringement lawsuit in the event that someone does steal or misuse a name.
Find existing trademarks by searching. To locate existing trademarks that are similar to a desired name or mark, use TESS, the Trademark Electronic Search System provided by the patent office. The USPTO will not register your trademark if it is likely to be confused with an already-registered trademark, therefore you should do this before submitting an application.
Put together an application. It takes a lot of work to prepare an application, so making sure it’s as full as it can be is almost as crucial as making sure the name or phrase isn’t already taken.
Put the application in. The Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) offers two filing options: TEAS Standard and TEAS Plus. A more affordable filing option is provided by TEAS Plus, although not everyone qualifies. You must use a standard description from the Trademark ID manual for your commodity or service in order to use TEAS Plus. You must use the standard TEAS application if you create your own description.
Find the name you wish to use by searching. Visit the website of the state’s secretary of state to register your business. Each state maintains a database of registered businesses. Enter the name you want to use in the search field to see if any businesses are already using it.
Obtain the registered agent’s information. Find out who the registered agent is for the company using the name you choose, including their name and address. You can register a name directly with the secretary of state if no other companies are already using it.
TESS Database search. Check out the US. Find registered trademarks with the required name in the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database. The trademark office uses a Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) database. Type it into a search engine to determine if companies are utilizing the name as a trademark. 4. Get in touch with the trademark and business-registered agents. Inquire about the possibility of selling the name or trademark rights.
Discuss the terms of the purchase. The terms of the name purchase should be negotiated. The cost could range from a few hundred dollars to millions, depending on how much money the registered owner believes the existing name or trademark is worth. You might need to conduct separate negotiations with the owner of the firm and the trademark registrations.
Establish a contact. Create a contract releasing you as the new registered owner from any name or trademark rights. Once more, the trademark may not be connected to the company.
Obtain transfer documentation. Get the necessary registration transfer documentation from the U.S. and the secretary of state. Office of Patents and Trademarks. The contract copy must include a “Recordation Form Cover Sheet” from the trademark office stating the copyright assignment. It costs $40. For the correct form and your state’s fee schedule, check with your secretary of state.
Go to the Secretary of State’s website for online services.
Establish a user account.
Choose “name reservation.”
Enter your contact details and three preferred names in that order.
Use a valid credit card such as a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover to pay the $25 filing cost.
Adhere to the naming regulations in your state. Your state’s regulations will prevent you from using a name that another business entity in your state is already using if you intend to create a business entity like a corporation or limited liability company. Additionally, you may not choose a name that is confusingly close to the name of another corporate entity in some states.
Avoid choosing a name that sounds too much like one of your competitors. Watch out for rival businesses that are using names close to the one you desire while searching for a distinctive name. Stay away from company names that could cause confusion between your company and other similar sort of company in your neighborhood.
Pick a name that is easy to say and spell. People who have names that are lengthy, challenging to say, or challenging to spell frequently get weary of them. And although that could irritate a person, it could be fatal to a company.
Create a web-friendly name. There’s a chance that your company is engaged on additional social media networks. Find out if you can register a domain name that corresponds to your company’s name and open social media accounts in your name by doing some research.
Be distinctive, but not too so. Your business name should ideally be protected as a trademark. But it can be difficult for small enterprises. Selecting a name that is original and innovative but also captures an aspect of your company and tries to create a balance. 6. Select a name that complements your brand. Determine your brand identity before settling on a business name. Then decide on a name that accurately describes that trait. Despite describing the same kind of company, “Speedy Car Wash” and “Velvet Touch Car Wash” has different connotations and target markets.
Don’t put yourself in a box. Make sure your business name enables growth and change. One of the most fun and inventive aspects of launching a new company is picking a name. But first, make sure the name is accessible by checking the legal requirements in your state. Additionally, make sure your name reflects your company’s long-term objectives and desired image.
Give them some ring, rhyme, and rhythm. Slogans should be pleasant to the ear, whether read aloud or heard; slogans with a rhythmic or fluid sound are far easier to recognize and remember.
Indicate a salient advantage. Find a way to include it in the slogan by focusing on a single important aspect of your company.
Describe the commitment of the firm. Customer service-focused slogans, particularly those that promise quality and satisfaction even if it costs the business money, are quite popular with the general public.
Be truthful and practical. Find an innovative approach to highlight the benefits that your organization offers.
Keep it brief. Slogans should never exceed the length of a sentence and ideally fall between six and eight words.
Business Names & Slogan Practice Test Questions
Prepare for the Business Names & Slogan exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.