Alabama Secretary of State business entity search
Alabama will not file an LLC's Certificate of Formation until the company holds a Certificate of Name Reservation.
Check a name against Alabama's naming rules
Example: a check of "Blue Heron Bakery LLC" against Alabama's rules.
- Ends with "L.L.C.", an ending Alabama lists for an LLC.
- No ending from Alabama's list for a corporation was found at the end of this name.
Get the matching domain name
Type a business name to check its .com, .net, .org and .us.
"Not registered" is the registry's answer at this moment. It is not a promise that the name can be bought at the standard price, since some unregistered names are reserved or sold at a premium. The buttons open Spaceship, a domain registrar, where the price is shown.
This checks the ending and the restricted words Alabama publishes. It does not tell you whether another company already holds the name. Only the state's own search can show that.
A private website, not a government site. Every state entry links to that state's official search.
Alabama Secretary of State's own search
- Run by
- Alabama Secretary of State
- Called
- Business Entity Search
- Search by
- Entity Name, Entity Number, Officer | Agent | Incorporator, Reservation | Registration by ID
The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.
The Business Entities Division of the Alabama Secretary of State keeps the register, and its entity numbers now run to 9 digits.
Alabama filing fees for a new business name
| Filing | State fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Form an LLC in Alabama | $200 | Certificate of Formation. Source: Alabama Secretary of State, Limited liability companies. |
| Form a corporation in Alabama | $200 | Domestic Business Corporation Certificate of Formation. Source: Alabama Secretary of State, Domestic corporations. |
| Reserve a name in Alabama | $25 | Source: Alabama Secretary of State, Fee schedule. |
| Annual Business Privilege Tax return, for an Alabama LLC | Varies | Every year. Forms PPT and CPT are due on the same date as the matching federal income return. Source: Alabama Department of Revenue, Business privilege tax and corporate shares tax. |
Name endings Alabama accepts
For an LLC (Alabama Secretary of State, LLCs page (cites Code of Alabama 10A-1-4.02 and 10A-1-5.11))
For a corporation (Alabama Secretary of State, Domestic Corporations page)
Searching Alabama's Government Records Inquiry System
The Business Entity Search sits in the state's Government Records Inquiry System. Its options are Entity Name, Entity Number, Officer, Agent or Incorporator, and Reservation or Registration by ID. Each option opens in a new browser window.
Alabama now uses 9-digit entity IDs, so a company registered under the old 6-digit format appears with three leading zeros. Enter the number with those zeros when you search by Entity Number.
The Secretary of State's office also warns about fraudulent business filings. It says the law does not authorize it to investigate business fraud or give legal advice.
Why Alabama makes you reserve the name first
Alabama's LLC page requires a Certificate of Name Reservation before the formation documents go in, and the same applies to corporations.
The brochure prices a reservation at $25 on paper or $28 online. A reservation can be renewed for one year, and only in the 90 days before it expires. The Secretary of State's pages do not state how long the first reservation lasts, so check the certificate you receive.
What Alabama counts as a different name
The brochure says a name cannot be the same as another entity's name once the entity ending is removed. It must also be distinguishable from an existing business entity name. So "Magnolia Roofing LLC" and "Magnolia Roofing Inc." are the same name to the state.
Some words need outside approval. A reservation for a name with "engineer", "insurance", "bank" or "trust" must include a letter of approval from the governing agency. A name with "architect" may only be used with an Alabama architect license.
The required endings are in the name ending rules by state.
What Alabama charges after you form
The Secretary of State's LLC page lists $200 for the Certificate of Formation, and the corporation page lists the same $200.
The yearly charge comes from the Alabama Department of Revenue, not the Secretary of State. Its Business Privilege Tax return is required of every corporation, limited liability entity and disregarded entity doing business in Alabama. Tax due of $100 or less is fully exempt.
Form PPT and Form CPT are due on the same date as the matching federal income return. The LLC cost calculator can fold the filing and reservation fees into a first-year total.
Checking and claiming a name in Alabama
- Search the name under Entity Name in the Government Records Inquiry System.
- Check for a restricted word such as "bank" or "architect" before you apply.
- Pay for the Certificate of Name Reservation, $25 on paper or $28 online.
- File the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State for $200.
- Use registering a company name to see how a formation filing differs from a trade name.
Alabama name search questions
Why does an Alabama LLC need a name reservation before filing?
The Secretary of State's LLC page says you must obtain a Certificate of Name Reservation under Code of Alabama 10A-1-4.02(f) before filing formation documents.
How much does an Alabama name reservation cost?
The Secretary of State's brochure gives $25 for a paper form and $28 online. The fee schedule lists online reservations as printable immediately.
How do I renew an Alabama name reservation?
A renewal runs one year. The Secretary of State's renewal form says it can be processed only in the 90 days before the reservation expires.
Why do Alabama entity numbers start with zeros?
The Secretary of State switched from a 6 digit to a 9 digit entity ID format, so older numbers show three leading zeros.
Does an inactive Alabama entity still owe tax?
It can. The Secretary of State's brochure says any entity showing a status of exists on its website is subject to being taxed, and a dissolution cannot be backdated.
After the Alabama name check
- LLC cost calculatorAlabama filing and report fees added up
- Business name rules by stateAlabama's endings beside other states
- New Mexico business entity searchNew Mexico Secretary of State
- Idaho business entity searchIdaho Secretary of State
- West Virginia business entity searchWest Virginia Secretary of State
- Is an LLC a business licenseForming an LLC creates a legal entity. Licenses and permits come from other agencies.
- How much to trademark a business nameUSPTO application, extra and upkeep fees per class, plus what Texas and Florida charge for a state mark.
8 official Alabama sources
- Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entity Records, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Secretary of State, Limited liability companies, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Secretary of State, Domestic corporations, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Secretary of State, Domestic business entities brochure (2022), retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Secretary of State, Business downloads, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Secretary of State, Fee schedule, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Secretary of State, Name reservation renewal request, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Business privilege tax and corporate shares tax, retrieved November 13, 2026.