State Business Entity Search

How to register a company name

The SBA says the total cost to register a business with a state will be less than $300 in most cases. That is a general statement, and the state's own fee schedule gives the real figure.

By the State Business Entity Search team. The steps come from the SBA registration guide and the formation pages of Washington's Secretary of State and Delaware's Division of Corporations, five official documents in all. Last updated November 13, 2026. How guides are prepared.

The SBA's steps to a state registration

The SBA describes registration as making the business a distinct legal entity. Where and how depends on structure and location. For most small businesses, it means registering the business name with state and local governments.

  1. Choose a business structure. The SBA says to pick one before registering with the state.
  2. Find the state office that registers businesses. Most states use the Secretary of State, a Business Bureau or a Business Agency.
  3. Get a registered agent in the state if forming an LLC, corporation, partnership or nonprofit corporation.
  4. File the state documents with the business name, location, ownership or directors, and registered agent information.

Some states take online filings, while others require paper filed in person or by mail. The state's own filing office says which applies, so the method is worth confirming before the documents are prepared.

Who has to register

A sole proprietor using their own legal name does not need to register anywhere. An LLC, corporation, partnership or nonprofit corporation will probably need to register in each state where it does business. Skipping registration can cost an owner personal liability protection and legal and tax benefits.

The SBA treats a business as operating in a state when it has a physical presence there or meets clients there. The same goes for a business that earns a significant share of revenue there or has employees there. Such a business may need to foreign qualify by filing a Certificate of Authority.

Washington's two steps

Washington's Secretary of State splits formation into two steps. Step one is determining the business structure, and the office says it cannot advise on that choice. Step two is registering with the Secretary of State.

An LLC files a Certificate of Formation online. The form has a Look Up button for a proposed name, and the office says availability is subject to final review. An LLC name must end in "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Liability Co.," "L.L.C." or "LLC."

Every Washington business names a registered agent. The agent needs a physical street address in the state, never a PO box. LLCs also write an operating agreement, but the office does not record it.

The filing fee is $180 plus an online processing fee. Expedited service adds $100 and is generally completed within three working days. A filer can pick an effective date up to 90 days after filing. After registration, the office says to wait one business day and apply to the Department of Revenue for a business license.

Delaware's steps

Delaware's Division of Corporations lists its own order. First comes the entity type. Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, statutory trusts and many general partnerships file with the Division. Sole proprietorships do not.

Next comes a registered agent with a physical street address in Delaware. A name reservation is optional. It holds the name for 120 days and costs $75.00 online. Then the certificate is filed, with all filing fees paid when the request is submitted.

Requests are not returned by fax or email. After formation, a Delaware LLC pays an annual tax of $300, due no later than June 1, instead of filing an annual report. Banks sometimes ask for a Certificate of Status, and the short form costs $50.00.

What the cost figure means

The SBA's under-$300 line is a general statement for state registration, and it says fees vary by state and structure. Washington's $180 for an LLC is one state's number. Delaware prices its steps one by one, from the $75.00 reservation to the annual tax.

Neither state's page adds up to one price for the whole process. The filing fee on the state's own schedule is the figure to use, and the LLC filing cost calculator covers the cost side.

After the state filing

The SBA says to register a trademark with the USPTO once the business is formed. A DBA registration gives no legal protection by itself, though most states require one if a DBA is used. The SBA adds that each state may have different rules about what an entity name can be and how company suffixes are used. Registering an entity name is state-level protection. Run the name through the business name search for the state before filing.

How to register a company name: more questions

Does a sole proprietor need to register a name?

A sole proprietor doing business under their own legal name does not need to register anywhere, according to the SBA.

What is a Certificate of Authority?

The SBA says a company that does business in more than one state may need foreign qualification, filed as a Certificate of Authority.

Can a business be its own registered agent in Delaware?

Yes, if the business is physically located in Delaware. The Division of Corporations says it may act as its own registered agent.

Next: checking whether a business name is taken, whether an LLC counts as a business license and protecting a business name.

5 official sources
  1. U.S. Small Business Administration, Register your business, retrieved November 12, 2026.
  2. Washington Secretary of State, Start a Domestic (WA) Business, retrieved November 12, 2026.
  3. Washington Secretary of State, Start a Domestic (WA) Limited Liability Company (LLC) Online, retrieved November 12, 2026.
  4. Washington Secretary of State, Steps After Registration With The Secretary of State, retrieved November 12, 2026.
  5. Delaware Division of Corporations, How to Form a New Business Entity, retrieved November 12, 2026.