Idaho Secretary of State business entity search

An Idaho business name must be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State.

Check a name against Idaho's naming rules

Type a business name above and press Check name. Its ending and any restricted words show here.

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.

See an example check

Example: a check of "Blue Heron Bakery LLC" against Idaho's rules.

Ends with "L.L.C.", an ending Idaho lists for an LLC.

This checks the ending and the restricted words Idaho 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.

Idaho Secretary of State's own search

Run by: Idaho Secretary of State
Called: SOSBiz

Open Idaho's official search

The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.

The Secretary of State runs SOSBiz, the state's search system for Idaho businesses and trademark information. A Certificate of Organization for an LLC costs $100, plus $20 for manual processing on paper.

LLC filing fee $100
Register kept by Idaho Secretary of State

By the State Business Entity Search team. Fees, endings and rules come from 5 official Idaho sources, retrieved on November 13, 2026. Last updated November 13, 2026. How these facts are gathered.

Idaho filing fees for a new business name

Filing	State fee	Details
Form an LLC in Idaho	$100	Certificate of Organization, Limited Liability Company. Source: Idaho Secretary of State, Certificate of Organization, Limited Liability Company.
Form a corporation in Idaho	$100	Articles of Incorporation, General Business. Source: Idaho Secretary of State, Business forms and fees.
Reserve a name in Idaho	$20	Source: Idaho Secretary of State, Business forms and fees.
Assumed Business Name, in Idaho	$25	Source: Idaho Secretary of State, Business forms and fees.

Name endings Idaho accepts

For an LLC

Limited Liability Company
Limited Company
L.L.C.
LLC
LC

SOSBiz and filing times in Idaho

SOSBiz is where Idaho's Secretary of State keeps its business and trademark search. Filers should confirm the name they want before filing, and the same system is used to look up trademark information.

Filings are currently processed in about 3 to 5 days from the date of filing. Certain filings can be expedited and are typically processed within 8 business hours. The state also publishes processed-through dates, so you can see how far filings have been worked through.

What makes an Idaho business name different

Idaho Code section 30-21-301 requires a name to be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State. Words and abbreviations that show an entity type, such as Inc., LLC and Ltd., are not taken into account when two names are compared. So a name that differs only in its entity word is not distinguishable.

The name endings for every state show what each state requires at the end of an LLC name, including Idaho's.

Assumed business names in Idaho

Assumed business names are filed with the Secretary of State. The state asks you to check the name before filing. A Certificate of Assumed Business Name costs $25 as a base filing fee. A paper filing adds $20 for manual processing, for a total of $45.

If the assumed name is not distinguishable from a name already registered in Idaho, the state says you may need a consent letter. The consent letter comes from the holder of the registered name.

For the general rules, read the fictitious business name guide.

Reserving an Idaho business name

The Application for Reservation of Legal Entity Name costs $20 as a base filing fee. Filing on paper adds $20 for manual processing, for $40 in total.

Once approved, the name is reserved for four months. The state says that gives you time to prepare your filing without someone else registering the name.

Checking and claiming a name in Idaho

Search SOSBiz for the name and for close variations of it before you file, including any spelling the articles would use.
Leave out entity words such as Inc. or LLC when you compare the name with results, because Idaho does not count them.
If you plan an assumed name that is close to a registered one, get the consent letter the state may require.
Reserve the name for four months at $20, or $40 on paper, if you need time before the filing.
File the LLC Certificate of Organization for $100, plus $20 on paper. The form must be typed, and a paper form without the processing fee is rejected.

The LLC cost calculator is a separate tool for planning the full cost of an LLC.

Idaho name search questions

Does an Idaho assumed business name expire?

No. Idaho says assumed business names are no longer subject to renewal and do not expire after a set period of time.

Can a registered agent use a P.O. box in Idaho?

No. A registered agent must have a physical street address in Idaho, and P.O. boxes cannot be used as a registered office address.

Can an Idaho business name suggest a government connection?

No, if the name falsely states or implies government affiliation. Idaho does not allow an entity name to do that.

What does an Idaho corporation filing cost?

The Secretary of State's fee list puts General Business articles of incorporation at $100, plus $20 for manual processing when filed on paper.

After the Idaho name check

5 official Idaho sources

Idaho Secretary of State, Business resources, retrieved November 13, 2026.
Idaho Secretary of State, Business FAQ, retrieved November 13, 2026.
Idaho Secretary of State, Business forms and fees, retrieved November 13, 2026.
Idaho Secretary of State, Certificate of Organization, Limited Liability Company, retrieved November 13, 2026.
Idaho Code section 30-21-301, entity names, retrieved November 13, 2026.