Verify Your Business Name With a Wisconsin Business Entity Search

Starting a business is an exciting endeavor. On your way to becoming an entrepreneur, you have a lot of work to prepare. This work usually involves filling out forms, documents, and applications. One of the first steps to kick off this process is choosing an entity name for your business.

An entity name defines your business and makes it recognizable. The Wisconsin Secretary of State requires every business to have a unique name. You may think, “It’s impossible to find a name that’s not in use already.” A Google search may be a good start, but it definitely can’t display every business in Wisconsin. Fortunately, there are other options.

You can use the Swyft Filings' business name search service. The tool is free of charge, straightforward to use, and guarantees fast results. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Enter the desired company name and mark Wisconsin as your location.

2. Submit the form and provide your name and email address.

3. Wait to receive results (no more than one business hour).

4. Reserve your name or try again if it’s not available.

Key Takeaways

• Your entity must have a unique name to launch a business in Wisconsin.

• You can check business name availability by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions website or working with the Swyft Filings entity search tool. Both options are free.

• You need to follow state-specific conventions when naming your business.

Wisconsin’s Business Name Conventions

The state of Wisconsin requires every future business owner to follow specific regulations and conventions for naming their business:

• The business name needs to be distinguishable from other businesses in Wisconsin. You can check this by conducting a Wisconsin business name search.

• If you’re starting a Wisconsin LLC, the name needs to contain words like “limited liability corporation,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.”

• If you’re starting a Wisconsin corporation, the name needs to contain “corporation,” “limited,” “incorporated,” or an abbreviation of these words.

• Your business entity name can’t include words or phrases indicating it’s related to a government agency if not authorized to.

• You must fill out additional paperwork to use words like “bank” or “attorney” in your new business name.

• The name can’t contain swear words or words that would imply an illegal purpose.

Benefits of a Wisconsin Entity Search

You’d probably want a unique name for your company even without the specific name conventions prescribed by the state of Wisconsin. After all, that’s what sets your business apart and helps you build a brand. To be 100% sure the name you want isn’t already in use, you need to conduct a Wisconsin business entity search. Here are the main benefits:

• It gives you peace of mind — A simple Google search isn’t enough to establish whether a particular business name is taken. With a Wisconsin entity search, you can be positive you’re getting a unique name.

• It saves time — A Wisconsin entity search isn’t mandatory, and you can try registering a name without it. However, you risk your request being denied and having to go through the process from the beginning. Considering that even the advanced search takes only a few minutes, it’s well worth the time.

• It saves money — If you try registering an LLC name that’s already taken, you’re opening the doors to potential lawsuits, legal fees, and high court expenses. Not to mention your company’s reputation would be tarnished right from the start. You can avoid these unpleasant scenarios by conducting an entity search.

• It’s a significant step on the journey to becoming a business owner — When you register a name, you’re one step closer to launching your small business.

• It’s easy to use — Conducting a Wisconsin business entity search takes only a few clicks. The tool can check name availability and find a specific business. If you don’t know its name, you can search by entity number, registration date, registered agent, and other criteria.

Next Steps

You’ve conducted a Wisconsin entity search, picked the perfect business name for your Wisconsin business, and are ready to conquer the industry. There are a few steps to make this official:

Complete Your Name Reservation

Wisconsin residents launch thousands of businesses every year. If you’ve found a unique name for your company after conducting a Wisconsin business name search, don’t wait for someone else to snatch it before you gather all the documentation to form your business. The state of Wisconsin lets you take a shortcut and save the name before someone else grabs it.

This option is called name reservation.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature, you can reserve a business name for 120 days (four months).[1] This gives you plenty of time to take care of other aspects of forming your business without rushing the process. To reserve a name, you must fill out the Name Reservation Application.

The information you’ll need to provide is:

• The desired company name

• Your name and address

• Date

• Signature

• Contact information

Reserving a name for a domestic or foreign limited liability partnership, business corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or cooperative will cost you $15. The filing fee is $10 for domestic or foreign limited partnerships, limited liability limited partnerships, and nonstock corporations. You can get expedited service if you pay an additional $25.

Send the application to this address:

State of WI-Dept. of Financial Institutions

Division of Corporate and Consumer Services

4822 Madison Yards Way, 4th Fl., North Tower

Madison, WI 53705

Keep in mind that the filing fees are non-refundable, so be sure to double-check name availability before submitting your reservation.

Choose a Domain Name

An internet presence is vital for almost any business. Thanks to the internet, you can reach more customers, introduce your products/services, provide details about the company, and, ultimately, make more money.

Your website should be easy to use, with an intuitive interface. It should allow visitors to find what they need in a matter of clicks and make the purchasing process a breeze.

Many future business owners focus on the website’s design, and that’s commendable. However, business owners often neglect the domain name. This name is what appears after “www.” in a web address. You want it to be easy to remember and similar to the company’s name.

Suppose you have a Wisconsin business named “Al’s Cycle Shop,” and your domain name is “cshop.” Some people may have trouble finding the website after a Google search.

On the other hand, some people may access it but won’t realize it’s the same company. That’s why you should make the domain name as similar as possible (if not identical) to the company name. But first, you need to check domain name availability.

Squarespace’s easy-to-use domain search tool can help you quickly find and register a domain name that matches your Wisconsin business. You can then choose from Squarespace’s flexible website templates, pre-designed layouts, and curated design elements to build a website — no coding required. Start your business with Swyft Filings and receive a free domain from SquareSpace for one year.

If the desired name isn’t available, you can only contact the owner and ask them to sell. Be aware that this may not work and that you may need to find an alternative name.

Consider a DBA

A DBA (doing business as) is a fictitious business name you can use in some instances instead of your company’s “real” name. Think of it as your company’s nickname you can use for promotional materials, social media campaigns, or communicating with customers.

In Wisconsin, a DBA (trade name) falls into the same category as a trademark, meaning you’ll submit the same application for both.[2] When you complete the process and pay a $15 filing fee, you get exclusive rights to the name for ten years. You can renew your trade name no sooner than six months before the expiration date.[2]

You can apply online or take it to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions in Madison, WI. Regardless of what you opt for, you should first conduct a business entity search (Wisconsin Secretary of State business search) to ensure the name is available.

If you want to get a DBA for your Wisconsin LLC online, here’s what to do:

1. Go to the State of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions website.

2. Log in to your account.

3. Fill out the application and pay the fee.

If you want to take it directly to the Madison address, print out the application, fill it out, and deliver it here:

Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions

Division of Corporate and Consumer Services

4822 Madison Yards Way, North Tower

Madison, WI 53705

File Your LLC Online

When you conduct a Wisconsin entity search and find and register a business name, you become one significant step closer to forming your Wisconsin LLC. Swyft Filings can help you reach your goal without worrying about paperwork, submitting applications, deadlines, and other technicalities.

Our business specialists help with taxes, business name changes, annual reports, and anything else you need to sail into the business world with peace of mind. Swyft Filings works in line with the Wisconsin Secretary of State’s requirements and ensures your business is compliant with every rule and regulation.

FAQs

How do I find out if a business name is available in Wisconsin?

You can use the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions website or contact Swyft Filings.

How do you check if a business is registered in Wisconsin?

You can run a business entity search and check its status.

What is the Wisconsin Secretary of State Business Entity Search?

The Wisconsin Secretary of State business entity search is a valuable tool that lets you skim through every business registered in Wisconsin. You can use the tool to learn more information about a company or check business name availability.

How do I find information about a company in Wisconsin?

You can use the Wisconsin Secretary of State business entity search or the Swyft Filings free entity search tool.

How much does a Wisconsin business entity search cost?

A Wisconsin business entity search is free.

How do I reserve a business name in Wisconsin?

You can reserve a business name by completing an application through the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Where can I find a list of registered businesses in Wisconsin?

You can find a list of registered businesses on the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions website.

Bibliography

1. Wisconsin State Legislature. “178.0906 Reservation of Name.” Accessed May 22, 2023.

2. Department of Financial Institutions. “Trademark File Online.” Accessed May 22, 2023.