North Dakota business entity search
A North Dakota trade name protects the name in North Dakota only, and the Secretary of State does not check the federal trademark registry.
Check a name against North Dakota'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 North Dakota's rules.
- Ends with "L.L.C.", an ending North Dakota lists for an LLC.
- No ending from North Dakota's list for a corporation was found at the end of this name.
This checks the ending and the restricted words North Dakota 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.
North Dakota Secretary of State's own search
- Run by
- North Dakota Office of the Secretary of State
- Called
- FirstStop Portal Business Search
The state's search is the record that counts. State Business Entity Search is not a government site.
The Office of the Secretary of State makes the final decision on any business name in the state.
North Dakota filing fees for a new business name
| Filing | State fee | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Form an LLC in North Dakota | $135 | Articles of organization. Source: North Dakota Secretary of State, limited liability company. |
| Form a corporation in North Dakota | $100 | Articles of incorporation. Source: North Dakota Secretary of State, corporation. |
| Reserve a name in North Dakota | $10 | Source: North Dakota Century Code chapter 10-32.1, limited liability companies. |
| Annual report for a North Dakota LLC | $50 | Every year. November 15. Source: North Dakota Secretary of State, limited liability company. |
| Trade name, registered with the Secretary of State through the FirstStop Portal in North Dakota | $25 | Source: North Dakota Secretary of State, register a business. |
Name endings North Dakota accepts
For an LLC (North Dakota Century Code 10-32.1-11)
For a corporation (North Dakota Secretary of State, Corporation page (cites NDCC chapter 10-19.1))
How the FirstStop Portal business search works
The state's own guidance says the FirstStop Portal Business Search and the Trademark Search can show whether another North Dakota business uses the same name. Run both before you choose a name.
The Secretary of State does not check the federal trademark registry. A clear result in the state's search says nothing about a federal trademark. A North Dakota trade name protects the name in North Dakota only.
The Secretary of State says investments or commitments to a name should wait until the filing is registered and acknowledged. The office is also upgrading the FirstStop Portal, with updates expected in Spring 2027.
How North Dakota judges a business name
North Dakota judges names on a distinguishable-on-the-record standard under North Dakota Administrative Code chapter 72-03-02. The office makes the final determination on a name, so a clear search result is not the final word.
Names must use letters or characters found in the English-language ASCII table. A name already reserved or registered can still be used with a signed Consent to Use Business Name form from its holder. That form is filed with the registration and a $10 filing fee.
Words North Dakota restricts and who approves them
Bank, banker, banking, trust, trust company and similar words need written approval from the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. The approval must be filed with the business name.
An LLC name may not contain the words corporation, incorporated, limited partnership or limited liability partnership, or their abbreviations. A trade name may not use company, corporation, incorporated, limited or limited liability company unless the filer is that kind of entity.
Reserving a North Dakota LLC name for twelve months
The application to reserve a name costs $10. The Secretary of State reserves the name for the exclusive use of the applicant for twelve months. That period can cover the paperwork needed to finish formation.
The reservation may be renewed for successive twelve-month periods. For how shared names are handled, read whether two businesses can share a name.
Annual reports, registrations and trade name renewals
Registration for a domestic or foreign LLC costs $135. The same $135 fee is listed for both kinds of LLC. A domestic business corporation registers for $100.
The annual report costs $50 for domestic and foreign LLCs alike, and its filing deadline is November 15 for both. The state's LLC page lists the annual report beside the registration fee, so both figures sit on one page. A trade name registration costs $25, and it must be renewed every 5 years. Compare these figures with the LLC cost calculator.
Checking and claiming a name in North Dakota
- Search the name in the FirstStop Portal Business Search and the Trademark Search.
- If a matching name is reserved or registered, the other holder must sign a Consent to Use Business Name form. File that form with the $10 fee.
- Check the ending against the business name endings by state.
- Reserve the name for $10 for twelve months, or file the registration for $135.
North Dakota name search questions
Does a North Dakota trade name protect the name across the country?
No. The trade name protects the name in North Dakota only, and the Secretary of State does not check the federal trademark registry.
How long does a North Dakota LLC name reservation last?
Twelve months, and the reservation may be renewed for successive twelve-month periods. The application to reserve a name costs $10.
Can a North Dakota business use a name that another company already holds?
Yes, with a signed Consent to Use Business Name form from the holder of the earlier name, filed with the registration and a $10 filing fee.
Which words need state approval in a North Dakota business name?
Words such as bank, banker, banking, trust and trust company need written approval from the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions filed with the registration.
When is a North Dakota LLC annual report due?
The state sets the filing deadline at November 15, and the annual report costs $50 for domestic and foreign LLCs.
After the North Dakota name check
- LLC cost calculatorNorth Dakota filing and report fees added up
- Business name rules by stateNorth Dakota's endings beside other states
- South Dakota business entity searchSouth Dakota Secretary of State
- New York business entity searchNew York State Department of State
- Ohio business entity searchOhio 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.
5 official North Dakota sources
- North Dakota Secretary of State, register a business, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- North Dakota Secretary of State, limited liability company, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- North Dakota Secretary of State, corporation, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- North Dakota Century Code chapter 10-32.1, limited liability companies, retrieved November 13, 2026.
- North Dakota Secretary of State, data list requests, retrieved November 13, 2026.