It is a must for someone who wants to set up a new enterprise in Maryland to confirm that the name of the business is unique and available. It is really easy to confirm such a thing, which is by conducting a business entity search. The reason is because every single business entity in Maryland is required to be registered with the state. So, if a business exists, the business entity search will show it. Learn more about conducting a Maryland business entity search below.
About a Business Entity
A business entity is defined as a formal business structure. The legal and tax identity of a business entity is different from its owner. There are several types of business entities. The most common ones include corporations, limited liability companies or LLCs and limited partnerships. Contrary to popular beliefs, sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not business entities. They are just businesses, meaning there is no need for you to file any paperwork to form them. In contrast, if you want to create a business entity, you need to file a document to register the business with the state.
About a Business Entity Search
As mentioned earlier, it is important for those who want to start a new enterprise in Maryland to conduct business entity search. It is useful to ensure that the name the desired name is unique, available, and compliant with state laws. Searching for a business entity in this state can be done by using the Maryland business registration system. This tool helps everyone to find registered business names and check for name availability.
In addition, if you want to set up a new enterprise, you should also check that your desired name does not infringe on any existing trademarks or copyrights. Not only preventing legal and branding issues, conducting a business name search is also a way to build a strong brand image.
Conducting a Business Entity Search in Maryland
In order to conduct a business entity search in Maryland, there are several steps to follow, including:
- The first thing that you need to do is to go to the Maryland Secretary of State Business Express page on the official website of Maryland Government at https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress/entitysearch.
- When you are on the page, choose either “Business Name” or “Department ID”.
- If you choose the “Business Name”, enter the business name in the “Business Name” box, and press Search.
- If you prefer to search by department ID, type in the department ID in the “Department ID” box and press Search.
- If any results are shown on the screen, click the business name to find the general information, such as status, owner, location, and expiration date. Besides, you can also find the filing history, including the item, date or time filed, film, folio, and pages.
Interpreting the Maryland Business Entity Search Results
If the results that are displayed on the screen are not too similar to your desired name or you can distinguish these two easily, then you can go with that name because it is available for use. For instance, if your desired name is “Old Trafford LLC” and the only similar names shown on the screen were “Trafford Center” and “Trafford Studio Starters”, then your name should be available for use.
If no results are shown on the screen, it is safe to say that the name is unique and you can use it freely. To make sure about it and to double check that there are no similar names, search it again for the second time. This time by using only part of your enterprise name. For instance, enter just the word “Old Trafford” without LLC. If the exact name shows up on the screen, it means the name is not available for use because it has been used by other Maryland business entities.
Keep in mind that if the results displayed on the screen are very similar to your desired name, there is a chance for the name to not be available for use. If the name that you want to use is Old Trafford LLC and you see “Old Trafford”, then you should forget the name as it is not available.
Guidelines for Naming an Enterprise in Maryland
Here is the guide to follow when naming an enterprise in Maryland:
- Do not name your enterprise after an entity that is already using that name.
- Include the term, limited liability company of the short form at the end of your enterprise name.
- Do not use the words like FBI, Maryland Police, state department, FDA, or similar things. It is to avoid confusion. Including any of these words will make people confused if it is a business or a government agency.
- It is better for you to avoid some words like university, school, bank, and so on because you will be required to add some paperwork if you want to include them in your enterprise name.
- You are also suggested to not include the words like a lawyer, doctor, and so on for the same reason as the number four.
Bottom Line
In conclusion, conducting a business entity search in Maryland is a must for someone who plants to set up a new enterprise in Maryland. Aside from helping your identity whether the business name that you want is already in use or if it is unique and available for registration, it also allows you to collect information on businesses that already exist, including their registration details, legal status, and contact information.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
