Name availability · OH
Ohio business name search
Ohio's Secretary of State Business Search covers corporations, LLCs, trade names, fictitious names, trademarks and name reservations in one place. Names must be "distinguishable upon the record," so check the Business Name, Exact Business Name and Prior Business Name tabs. If a matching name is already registered, you'll need the holder's consent to use yours.
How to check if a name is available in Ohio
- 01
Search the Business Name tab
At businesssearch.ohiosos.gov, enter your core words on the Business Name tab and set status to All so cancelled and dead names show up too.
- 02
Check Exact and Prior names
Use "Exact Business Name" for your precise wording, then "Prior Business Name" to see whether a business used that name before a name change.
- 03
Apply Ohio's sameness rules
Ohio ignores punctuation, symbols, abbreviations, articles, conjunctions, entity endings, and singular versus plural forms. If your name only differs that way, it's not distinguishable.
- 04
Search trademarks in Ohio and federally
Use the Trademark/Service Mark tab in the same Business Search, then check federal registrations at tmsearch.uspto.gov.
- 05
Wrap up with domains and handles
Confirm the domain and social usernames. If Ohio's search kills your first pick, our free generator at /business-name-generator/ can supply new candidates.
Ohio business naming rules
- Names must be distinguishable upon the record, and distinct from existing trade names and reserved names.
- Punctuation, symbols, contractions, abbreviations, articles, conjunctions, entity endings (Co., Corp., Inc., Ltd., LLC, LP, LLP), and singular versus plural or tense differences don't make a name distinguishable.
- To use a name that's already registered, file a Consent for Use of Similar Name (Form 590) with your filing. Consent can't be given for a reserved name.
- A name can't improperly imply a connection to the U.S. government, an Ohio state agency or another state.
- Cooperatives and legal professional associations must include specific words in their names.
Reserving a name
Ohio name reservations last 180 days, and reserved names must be distinguishable upon the record. Check the current fee on the Secretary of State's site.
DBAs and trade names
Ohio has no "DBA" filing as such. You either register a trade name, which must be distinguishable and gives exclusive use in Ohio, or report a fictitious name, which doesn't have to be distinguishable and gives no exclusive rights. Both are filed with the Secretary of State and last five years.
Still looking for the right name?
Brainstorm dozens of options with the free generator, then run your shortlist through the Ohio search above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search business names in Ohio?
Use the Secretary of State's Business Search at businesssearch.ohiosos.gov. It has tabs for Business Name, Exact Business Name, Prior Business Name, agents, document numbers and trademarks.
Do I file a DBA in Ohio?
Ohio uses trade names and fictitious names instead. A trade name must be distinguishable and gives exclusive use in Ohio. A fictitious name doesn't have to be distinguishable and gives no exclusive rights. Both last five years.
A business already uses the name I want in Ohio. What can I do?
Get the holder to sign a Consent for Use of Similar Name (Form 590), or choose a name that's distinguishable on the record. Consent isn't possible for a reserved name.
How long does an Ohio name reservation last?
180 days. Check the current fee on the Secretary of State's site.
General information, not legal advice. Name approval is decided by the Ohio Secretary of State; a name showing as available in a search is not a guarantee it will be accepted.