Connecticut’s business registry is kept by the Secretary of the State, and its free Business Records Search on business.ct.gov is the tool to use when you want to know whether a business name is taken. Search the key words of your name and make sure nothing on record is too close.
If the name is open, you can reserve it for 120 days for $60. Trade names (DBAs) follow a separate system: since January 1, 2025, they are filed with the town clerk on a state form, are valid for five years, and can be searched statewide in the Secretary of the State’s Trade Name Search.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Connecticut (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming your LLC once your name is clear in Connecticut, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Connecticut registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | CT Registered Agent.org | Connecticut registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Connecticut Registered Agent.co | Connecticut registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Connecticut. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. CT Registered Agent.org
CT Registered Agent.org is a Connecticut registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Connecticut Registered Agent.co
Connecticut Registered Agent.co is a Connecticut registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Connecticut at a glance
| Topic | Connecticut (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services (business.ct.gov) |
| Entity name search | Business Records Search (free) |
| Trade name search | Trade Name Search (statewide) |
| Name reservation | $60; effective 120 days from the file date |
| Certificate of Organization (LLC) | $120, including statutory agent appointment |
| LLC amendment (name change) | $120 |
| LLC annual report | $80, filed online January 1 to March 31 |
| Trade name certificate | Filed with the town clerk where the business is principally transacted; valid five years |
For a full tally of Connecticut LLC costs, see Mainstay Filing’s Connecticut cost guide.
How to search Connecticut business records
Connecticut handles business filings and records through business.ct.gov. Here’s the process for an availability check.
Step 1: Open the Business Records Search
From business.ct.gov, choose Search Business Records, or go straight to the search page. The search is free and doesn’t require an account. The page runs as a web app, so give it a moment to load.
Step 2: Enter the distinctive part of the name
Type the words that make your name unique and skip endings such as LLC or Inc. If you want “Mystic Harbor Charters LLC,” search “Mystic Harbor” to see every business that already uses those words.
Step 3: Check the status of close matches
Open the records that resemble your name. Active businesses and current reservations make a too-similar name unavailable; dissolved or revoked records may not, but the Secretary of the State decides that during review.
Step 4: Repeat in the Trade Name Search
A trade name doesn’t stop the state from accepting your entity name, but a local business already trading under that name is a practical and legal risk. The Trade Name Search lets you check statewide.
Connecticut name requirements
- Distinguishable on the records: the name must be distinguishable from names of businesses already on record with the Secretary of the State and from reserved names.
- LLC designator: an LLC name must include an ending such as “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC.”
- Corporate designator: a stock corporation name needs “Corporation,” “Incorporated,” “Company” or an abbreviation such as “Corp.” or “Inc.”
- Banking words: Connecticut statute (C.G.S. § 35-2, in the trade names chapter) restricts the use of “banking” and similar words in business names.
Running short on ideas? Namechk’s business name generator produces candidates you can then test in the Business Records Search.
Reserving a business name in Connecticut
Connecticut lets you reserve a name for exclusive use before you form a corporation, LLC, limited partnership, LLP or statutory trust. The terms are printed on the Secretary of the State’s Application for Reservation of Name:
- Fee: $60.
- Length: 120 days from the file date. The file date counts as day one, and the reservation expires at the end of the 120th day.
- How to file: online through business.ct.gov or with the paper form.
Reservations make sense when you need time to line up partners, financing or a lease. If you’re ready to file, you can skip the reservation and file your Certificate of Organization directly.
Trademark, domain and username checks
A clean Connecticut search covers the state registry only. Search the USPTO trademark database as well, because a federally registered mark can block your use of a name even when the state accepts your filing.
Finally, check that the name works online. Namechk shows whether matching domains and social media handles are available in one search. The domain name generator can help if your exact .com is taken.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
Trade names (DBAs) in Connecticut: the 2025 rules
Public Act 24-111 rewrote Connecticut’s trade name law effective January 1, 2025. The current rules are in C.G.S. §§ 35-1a to 35-1e (Chapter 620):
- When required: no one may transact business in Connecticut under an assumed or fictitious name, other than their real name, without a trade name certificate.
- Where to file: with the town clerk in the town where the business is, or will be, principally transacted, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State.
- Signing: each individual filer, or an authorized officer of a business organization, signs the application, and it must be acknowledged before someone authorized to administer oaths.
- Business entities: an LLC or corporation applying for a trade name provides its Secretary of the State business ID number and the entity name on file.
- Term: a certificate is valid for five years from issuance. Certificates issued before January 1, 2025 expire on December 31, 2029 unless renewed.
- Fee: set by state statute (C.G.S. § 7-34a) and paid to the town clerk.
The same law directs the Secretary of the State to run an electronic system that town clerks use to process trade names and that the public can search statewide, which is the Trade Name Search linked above.
After the search: forming a Connecticut business
With the name settled, the next steps are covered in our Connecticut LLC guide:
- File a Certificate of Organization online at business.ct.gov ($120 for an LLC).
- Appoint a statutory agent with a Connecticut address; the appointment is part of the Certificate of Organization. Mainstay Filing can serve as your agent as part of its formation package, and our Connecticut registered agent guide covers the requirements.
- Get an EIN from the IRS, then register with the Department of Revenue Services if you’ll collect sales tax or have employees.
- File the annual report ($80 for an LLC) each year between January 1 and March 31. Our Connecticut start-a-business guide lists other licenses to consider.
FAQs
How do I search for a business name in Connecticut?
Use the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s Business Records Search, linked from business.ct.gov. It’s free and shows corporations, LLCs and other entities on record. Search the distinctive words of your name, review similar results and their status, and then check the statewide Trade Name Search for businesses already trading under the same name.
How much does it cost to reserve a name in Connecticut?
A Connecticut name reservation costs $60. It is effective for 120 days from the file date, with the file date counting as day one, and expires at the end of the 120th day. You can reserve names for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs and statutory trusts online through business.ct.gov or with the paper form.
Where do I file a DBA in Connecticut?
File a trade name application with the town clerk in the town where the business is, or will be, principally transacted, using the form prescribed by the Secretary of the State. Under the rules effective January 1, 2025, the application must be acknowledged before an authorized official and the certificate is valid for five years.
Do old Connecticut trade name certificates still count?
Yes, for now. Under Public Act 24-111, trade name certificates issued before January 1, 2025 remain valid but expire on December 31, 2029 unless renewed. A renewed certificate is valid for five years from the date the town clerk accepts the renewal, so businesses with older filings should plan to renew before the end of 2029.
Does my Connecticut LLC need a trade name certificate?
Only if it does business under a name other than its exact registered name. An LLC trading under its own name on file with the Secretary of the State doesn’t need one. If it uses a different brand, it files a trade name application with the town clerk and includes its business ID number and registered entity name.
Is a Connecticut business name available if the search shows no match?
Likely, but the Secretary of the State makes the final decision when it reviews your filing. Also check the statewide Trade Name Search and the USPTO trademark database, since a business using the name as a trade name or trademark could still object. Reserve the name for $60 if you need time before filing.
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