One of the first and most important steps of any new business is finding the perfect name for your Wyoming LLC.

Checking the LLC name availability in Wyoming is an important step in the business formation process. It ensures your business name is distinguishable from the names of other Wyoming businesses so that you do not violate anyone’s intellectual property rights.

Our Wyoming LLC Name Search guide will show you how you can find available business names in Wyoming, and how to reserve and register your business name.

How to Search for a Wyoming LLC Name

Below are the four steps that you need to follow in order to conduct an LLC name search in Wyoming.

Step 1: Follow the Wyoming LLC Naming Guidelines

You must first understand the naming guidelines outlined by the state of Wyoming when searching for a name. Below are the guidelines according to the Secretary of State:

• The name you choose must include the term “limited company,” “limited liability company,” “liability company,” or any abbreviations similar to these phrases. 
• You may not use any suffixes that are reserved for corporations, partnerships, or trusts like “L.P.,” “Incorporated,” “Limited Partnership,” “Inc.,” “Corporation,” or “Corp.”
• Permission must be granted from the Wyoming State Division of Banking to use the words “Banc,” “Bancorp,” “Bancorporation,” “Banker,” “Bank,” “Banquers,” “Banco,” “Trust,” or “Banca.”
• Approval from the Department of Education must be received in order to use words like “Educate,” “Institute,” “Education,” “Educational,” “College,” or “School.” 
• The Wyoming Secretary of State must provide further verification for all names that start with the letter “A” and are followed by a form of punctuation or a space. This also includes names that have special characters. You must submit these names by paper instead of online filing. 
• The state also lists several examples of words that are not distinguishable by themselves. 

Selecting a name is just one of the several requirements when forming an LLC. To avoid improper or incomplete LLC formation documents, we recommend using the assistance of an LLC formation service.

Step 2: Look Up Wyoming LLC Name Search Availability

The next step is to conduct a Wyoming LLC name search. Below are a few ways to do a business name search in Wyoming.

• LLC Name Search: Search the Wyoming Taxable Entity Search to check if your chosen business name is available. You may also try typing your business or trademark on any search engine to check businesses with similar names. This will also ensure your trademark is unique, meets the state’s requirements, and frees you from any legal hassles in the future.
• Domain Name Search: If your business name is still available, you must register for a domain name. Having a URL that matches your business name is important since this is how your potential and existing clients can find your business.

To determine the availability of your chosen URL, use a domain registrar, such as GoDaddy.

Step 3: Reserve Your Wyoming LLC Name

In order to ensure your company can secure the name you want, you must reserve it directly with the Wyoming Secretary of State. Unlike many other filings with the state, the name reservation process must be done in writing. The Secretary of State provides a one-page form that must be filled out called the Limited Liability Company Application for Reservation of Name.

You’ll pay a name reservation fee of $60 when sending your application through the mail. When the state receives your application, it will reserve your chosen name for up to 120 days. If the reservation isn’t acted upon before the expiration, the name will be available to the public.

Using a Wyoming DBA for Your LLC

Wyoming allows companies to register for a DBA (doing business as) which it considers a trade name registration. The purpose is to allow a business to use a different name than the one legally registered with the state.

The DBA doesn’t offer any financial or legal protection for your business alone, but operating as an LLC will. You need to conduct a trade name search, just as you did with the LLC name. You can fill out the Application for Reservation of Trade Name with the Secretary of State before actually registering your name to hold it for up to 120 days. The fee for this application is $30.

LLC owners sometimes choose to brand their businesses with a DBA. Most sole proprietors and general partnerships use a DBA to create a brand other than their surnames.

Step 4: Register a Wyoming LLC Trade or Service Mark

A trade or service mark helps your company protect your name and other assets from other companies. It designates your name, logos, and slogans as yours and legally protects them in case of infringement.

To check if your name has already been used, the federal trademark database includes thousands of company assets you can search through to determine if a trade or service mark is available.

Only after ensuring your name is available and registering it with the state are you allowed to apply for a trade or service mark.

Once the trade or service mark has been granted, your company is allowed to take legal action against any other business that infringes upon your name, logo, or asset. Large companies use this strategy to keep other businesses from replicating or stealing their company assets.

The Application for Registration of Trade Name must include a $100 check or money order with the filing. It can take up to 15 business days to process a trade or service mark in Wyoming.

Wyoming Secretary of State Contact Information

Mailing Address

Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office
East Herschler Building
122 W. 25th St.
Suites 100 and 101
Cheyenne, WY 82002

Physical Address

East Herschler Building
122 W. 25th St.
Suites 100 and 101
Cheyenne, WY 82002

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Email: SecOfState@wyo.gov

Phone: (307) 777-7378