Naming Your Company
NAMING YOUR COMPANY
Naming Conventions
- When registering a company, you will be coming up with a name that combines the title of your company with an ending suffix.
- The ending suffix informs people what kind of company this is. For example, "DBI Global, Inc." has the suffix "Inc." which is an abbreviation of Incorporated.
- The Incorporated suffix means this company is a Corporation.
- Likewise, "DBI Global, LLC" has the suffix "LLC" which is an abbreviation of Limited Liability Company.
- An LLC is a different type of entity than a Corporation.
- You are required to use a suffix at the end of your company name (title). It is not possible to register your company without a suffix.
The following suffixes are available for use by LLC's in Delaware:
- Limited Liability Company
- LLC
- L.L.C.
The following suffixes are available for use by Delaware Corporations:
- Inc., Inc, Incorporated
- Corp., Corp, Corporation
- Co., Co, Company
- Ltd., Ltd, Limited
- Association, Assoc.
A Not-for-Profit may use any of the suffixes listed above for a Corporation, or it may use one of the following suffixes traditionally used by Non-Profit Organizations:
- Club
- Foundation
- Fund
- Institute
- Society
- Union
- Syndicate
Names with Bank or Trust
- You cannot use the words "Bank" or "Trust" in the name of your company without prior written approval of the Delaware State Banking Commissioner.
Names with University or College
- You cannot use the words "University" or "College" without the prior written approval of the Delaware State Education Commissioner.
- Most other states have similar laws.
Similiar Names
- If you are interested in registering a name that may be similar to the name of a company that already exists in Delaware (or your home state) you may make the name unique by adding a distinguishing word.
- In Delaware the distinguishing word may be added to the beginning or the end of the name.
- Example: John Smith owns a street sweeper manufacturing plant in Florida. He is interested in registering his company in Delaware…His first choice, "Smith Sweepers, Inc." is already registered in Delaware by another company. John can add words to the title part, "Smith Sweepers", to make his company name unique. For example, he may be able to register his company as "Smith Street Sweepers, Inc." or "Smith Sweepers of Florida, Inc."
- Changing the suffix will not make a name available if it is already taken. For example, if there is already a company registered as "Smith Sweepers, Ltd." John will not be able to register the company as "Smith Sweepers, Inc."
Name Reservations
- The office of the Delaware Secretary of State maintains records of the names of all Corporations, LLCs and other entities which have been reserved or registered as a domestic or foreign entity under the laws of Delaware.
- The name you select must be checked against these records to be certain that it is distinguishable from them.
- DBI will check your name availability in Delaware or other states for free.
- The Secretary of State of Delaware now charges $75 for a name reservation which is valid for 120 days.
- If the desired name is available, DBI can place the name reservation for you through our direct connection to the Delaware Corporations Information System.
- Caution: If you reserve a company name yourself on the state's website it will cause DBI to be UNABLE to register your Corporation or LLC through our direct connection to the state information system. If you file the name reservation yourself DBI will be UNABLE to offer 1-3 business day service. Processing time will take approximately 3 weeks unless you pay an additional fee for expedited service.
- This issue can be avoided by one of two methods:
- DBI can file the name reservation for you through our direct computer connection to the state information system.
- You can save expense and hassle by simply allowing DBI to register your new company instead of making a name reservation. This way your company name will be protected from use by others but you will not have to pay an additional $75. DBI can act in the capacity of Incorporator or Organizer and hold your company in an unused state until you are ready to name your officers or start your business activities. When you are ready to begin using the company, DBI's duties as Incorporator or Organizer will end and DBI will issue the resolution naming your Initial Director or Initial Member.
Thank you for your interest in Naming Your Company.
Included in all incorporating services:
- Company Name Check Verification & Availability
- Preparation & Filing of Articles of Formation
- Same Business Day Processing
- Registered Agent (1st Year FREE)
- Email Reminders & Alerts
- Lifetime Customer Support
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