Every state lets you search its business registry for free, usually through the Secretary of State. That search is the official gate for forming an LLC or corporation in that state — and it answers a narrower question than most founders think. Here is how to run the state check properly, and the two checks it never does for you.
What a state name search does and does not tell you
Does: shows LLCs and corporations registered in that one state, and whether your exact (or a confusingly similar) name can be registered there.
Does not: cover other states, sole proprietors and DBAs in most states, federal trademarks, or domain names. A clean state result is permission to file — not proof the name is safe to build a brand on.
Step by step
Run the combined check first. A free pre-screen of the domain, social handle format, and federal trademark risk (NameCheck does this in about 30 seconds) kills bad candidates before you spend time in state databases.
Search your state's business database. Find it via your Secretary of State's website ("business entity search"). Search the exact name, then remove punctuation and try close variants — most states block names deemed "distinguishable" only by small differences, and standards vary by state.
Check the DBA layer if it applies. Operating under a name different from your legal entity name usually requires a DBA filing, often at county level. See DBA name availability.
Do the federal trademark search. The USPTO database (TESS) is free. Search your name in your goods/services category — this is the check that protects you across all 50 states. Our guide: how to check if a name is trademarked.
Register the domain the same day. State approval does not reserve the .com. If it is taken by an active business in your space, read can two businesses have the same name? before deciding.
Forming in a different state than you operate?
If you form in one state (for example Delaware or Wyoming) but operate in another, you generally must also register as a foreign entity in your home state — and the name must be available in both. Run the state search in each state involved. This is general information, not legal advice.