New Mexico business name search

How SOS Enterprise and the Business Search work

The Secretary of State's filing system is SOS Enterprise, found at enterprise.sos.nm.gov. Its help guide tells filers to open the Business Search page and search by entity name or Business ID. An Advanced search sits in a dropdown menu.

The results appear as a grid, and selecting a row opens a side drawer with more about the business. The guide does not say whether a search needs an account.

The guide's steps for a new registration say to log in or create an account. They also say to have a Registered Agent Statement of Acceptance ready to upload as a PDF.

What makes a New Mexico LLC name distinguishable

Section 53-19-3 of the LLC Act requires an LLC name to be distinguishable from LLCs, limited partnerships and corporations under New Mexico law. It must also differ from foreign LLCs and corporations authorized in the state, and from any name reserved under section 53-19-4.

The articles of organization must state any different name under which the LLC proposes to transact business. Check both names the same way. A certified copy of a final court decree that establishes the LLC's prior right to the name lifts the rule.

Corporation names in New Mexico

Section 53-11-7 asks a corporation to use the separate word "corporation," "company," "incorporated" or "limited," or a separate abbreviation of one. The name may not imply a purpose other than those in its articles of incorporation.

It also may not be the same as, or confusingly similar to, a New Mexico corporation or an authorized foreign one. Written consent plus added words clears a match, and so does a court decree. Articles of incorporation carry a minimum fee of $100 under section 53-2-1, which charges $1 for each one thousand authorized shares up to $1,000.

Reserving a New Mexico name for 120 days

A person who plans to organize an LLC can reserve a name under section 53-19-4. The state holds it for the applicant's exclusive use for 120 days after the application is filed. Section 53-19-63 puts the fee at $20, and section 53-2-1 puts a corporation reservation at $25.

A notice of transfer moves the reservation to another person but does not extend the term. A 2003 amendment deleted the older rule that let a holder renew a reservation for successive 120-day periods.

Registered agents and revocation in New Mexico

The two grounds for revoking an LLC administratively both involve the registered agent. A revoked LLC can apply for reinstatement within two years, and the application must state that its name satisfies section 53-19-3. A reinstatement still runs through the name rule.

Checking and claiming a name in New Mexico

1. Open the Business Search in SOS Enterprise and search the name by entity name or Business ID.
2. Compare it with the LLCs, limited partnerships and corporations you find, including any trade name you plan to put in the articles.
3. Confirm the name contains an LLC ending listed in name endings by state.
4. Reserve it for 120 days at $20 if the paperwork is not ready, remembering that a transfer does not extend the term.
5. File the articles of organization online, at the $50 fee in section 53-19-63. Fees are non-refundable, and the LLC cost calculator helps plan the rest.