The path toward becoming an entrepreneur is both challenging and rewarding, and you’ll need to make many decisions that will reflect on your business, some sooner rather than later. However, a decision many future business owners often forget the importance of is a business name.
An effective business name is one people will remember, and that will make your marketing strategies a success. More importantly, in Montana, every business needs to have a unique name, which makes finding the right name a bit more complicated.
Our free business name search tool lets you quickly verify if another business already uses your preferred entity name by scanning the Montana Secretary of State database. Here’s how the process looks:
Provide your name, email address, desired company name, and location (Montana)
Receive your free results in no more than one business hour
Choose to reserve the name, if available, or try again
Key Takeaways
The state of Montana requires all business names to be unique, which can be confirmed with a business entity name search.
If you need more time before officially registering your business, you can reserve a business name to prevent others from taking it.
All Montana business names must follow specific conventions prescribed by the Montana Secretary of State.
Montana’s Business Name Conventions
If you want to form a business in Montana, you must follow the Montana Secretary of State’s name conventions:
Montana LLC names must contain designators such as “limited liability company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “Limited Liability Co.,” or similar abbreviations
Montana corporation names must contain words like “corporation,” “incorporated, “limited,” “corp,” or similar
All new business names must be unique and distinguishable from the names of registered businesses in Montana
Certain words like “bank,” “lawyer,” and “engineer” require special paperwork
Business names can not indicate a different entity type than the company's actual structure
Company names must not include elements or phrases that would indicate the new business is a government agency or is related to one[1]
Benefits of a Montana Business Name Search
The obvious benefit of a Montana business entity search is establishing whether the name you want to use for your new business is available. However, there are other benefits to consider:
Save Money
If you register a business name similar to an existing one, the business owner could sue you. This could result in high court expenses and legal complications that won’t do you or your business any good. A simple business name search can prevent these scenarios.
Moreover, a basic or advanced search guarantees you won’t have to repeat the registration process, saving you money.
Save Time
A Montana business name search isn’t mandatory. Some people decide to skip it and file the name registration form. However, they’re often surprised if their motion is rejected because the name isn’t available, causing them to go through the entire process again. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Start Your Business
Once you establish the name you want and register it, you’ll be close to obtaining a business license and officially starting your LLC or corporation. This rewarding feeling is hard to beat.
Next Steps
You completed the Montana entity search and found the perfect business name for your Montana business. What’s your next move? Let’s walk through the process together.
Complete Your Name Reservation
Conducting a Montana business name search to check name availability is by no means a guarantee that the name will stay available. However, this is an easy mistake future business owners in Montana might make. When you check the database and see that your desired name is available, you might move on to other tasks, only to return and realize someone else has grabbed it.
Such situations can be frustrating and require more time, which is a resource business owners don’t always have. Fortunately, the state of Montana allows you to reserve a business name for up to 120 days.[2] This secures your name for four months while you prepare to launch your business.
You can complete the name reservation process for your LLC or corporation using the Secretary of State’s Online Business Filing System. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Head to the website and log in or create an account
Find the name reservation option
Fill in the required fields and pay a $10 filing fee with a credit or debit card
Note that reserving a name isn’t mandatory in Montana, but it can provide peace of mind knowing nobody else can take yours. You can complete other business-related tasks without worrying your desired name won’t be available after some time.
Choose a Domain Name
Today, the Internet can be your portal for advertising products and business services and communicating with customers, investors, or employees, ultimately affecting your company’s reputation.
When launching a Montana business, you’ll want a professional, well-organized website with clear options and an intuitive interface. While thousands of design options and color schemes go through your mind, it’s essential not to forget one thing: the domain name.
Simply put, the domain name is your website’s name. It’s what you see after “www.” If you want your customers to find your website in no more than a few seconds, the domain name should be identical (or very similar) to your company’s name. Plus, the domain name needs to be unique.
Consider a DBA
A DBA (doing business as) is a fictitious business name of your company. In other words, it’s a name you can conduct business under that’s different from your official registered name on your formation documents. You can display this name on your promotional materials or use it when dealing with customers.
Registering a DBA allows you to use a simpler form of the actual business name or create a different name under the same business entity; the choice is yours. Either way, a DBA can save you from jumping through numerous legal hoops.
Like a regular business name, a DBA needs to be unique, meaning you should still conduct a Montana Secretary of State business search and check whether the name you want is available.
If you see that the desired name is available, the next step is to submit a Registration of Assumed Business Name for your Montana LLC or corporation. Here’s what to do:
Go to the Secretary of State’s website
Find “Registration of Assumed Business Name”
Fill in the required fields with your name and address, your desired DBA, your business structure, and a short description of your business
Submit the registration and pay a $20 filing fee with your credit or debit card
You can use the expedited service option if you're in a rush. In that case, you’ll need to pay an additional $20 for 24-hour processing. You can also get a 24-hour application turnaround, which will cost you an additional $100.
File Your LLC Online
Now that you’ve taken care of your business name, you’re much closer to officially forming your new business. Still, there’s a long way ahead. Swyft Filings can accompany you toward becoming an entrepreneur by helping you file your LLC.
We’ve also got your back down the road. From taxes to annual reports and business name changes, we’re ready to help with other aspects that make running a business much easier.
FAQs
How do you check to see if a business name is available in Montana?
You can check to see if a business name is available by conducting a Montana business name search.
How do I reserve a business name in Montana?
To reserve a business name in Montana, go through the Secretary of State’s business portal and fill out a name reservation.
How do I find a business entity in Montana?
You can find a business entity in Montana by conducting a business entity search on the Secretary of State’s website.
How can I register a trade name in Montana?
In Montana, a trade name is a synonym for a DBA (doing business as), and you can register it on the Secretary of State’s website for $20. Remember that your trade name needs to be unique, so conducting a business entity search before registering a name is wise.
How much does a Montana business entity search cost?
Our Montana business name search is free of charge. You can also conduct a free business entity search through the Secretary of State’s website.
What are some of the benefits of a business entity search?
A business entity search can save you time and money, give you peace of mind, and prevent legal disputes and lawsuits due to registering a name that’s already taken.
How can I find information on who owns a Montana LLC?
You can get information on who owns a Montana LLC through the Secretary of State’s website. All you need to do is conduct a business entity search, and you’ll get detailed information about a specific business registered in the state of Montana.
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Bibliography
Montana Legislation. “Name.” Accessed May 23, 2023.
Montana Legislation. “Reservation of Name.” Accessed May 23, 2023.
