One of the first things a new Nebraska entrepreneur must do is pick a business name. No matter how excited you are to go and register that name, you need to make sure the name is available first. Just like most states in the US, having two businesses with the same name is prohibited.
Before falling in love with the name you thought of, make sure you conduct a quick business name search. Luckily, we will teach you everything you need to know about coming up with a name for your business and more.
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How to check business name availability in Nebraska
1. Go to the Nebraska Secretary of State website
On Nebraska’s Secretary of State website, you can look up a business entity and search to see if the business name you want is available and free for you to use. You can use their simple name search tool to begin searching.
2. Conduct the search
The Secretary of State in Nebraska’s name search tool allows you to do a name search, keyword search, name sounds like search, name exact match search, and account number search.
These features can be very useful if you are searching for a business you want to go to, but for simply searching if your business name is available, you can do the exact name search.
3. Find out if the name is available
Once you type in the name you had in mind for your small business, you have to complete the reCAPTCHA to prove you are human and click on “Perform Search.”
If you search for your desired name and there aren’t any exact matches, the name you want is considered available. If there is a business with the name you want, it’s taken and you’ll need to come up with something different.
4. Consider reserving a name
After running a Nebraska business name search, you have two options: You can reserve a name or you can register the name. You should reserve the name if you aren’t planning to set up the business immediately.
Nebraska allows business owners to reserve a name for 120 days for $30.
To do so, you’ll fill out a quick form and provide the payment.
Again, you don’t need to reserve a name if you plan to officially set up your business with the state of Nebraska, but if you’re just doing some homework and plan to set up your business later, reserve the name now so it’s not taken when you’re ready.
5. Check domain name availability
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to name your Nebraska business
Now that you know a little more about the business landscape in the state, it’s time to start generating a list of names for your business. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Write down basic details about your business
Start by creating a verbal picture of your business. Think about what your business will offer and who it will serve. Will you sell a specific product or service? Who’s going to buy it? Jot down a few details about your company as a starting point.
Next, start creating a list of adjectives that describe your business. Think in terms of keywords. What keywords would your customer use to find the product or service that you offer? Write them down.
2. Stay away from initials and hard-to-say words
There are plenty of businesses that include initials, like A&J Plumbing, but consider upping your game with something a bit more creative and descriptive.
The same goes for names that are hard to say. If your last name is Stackowaski, for example, it’s not conducive to a business name because it’s too hard to pronounce.
3. Don’t pigeon-hole your business
Be careful not to select a name that limits your company’s potential growth. Think about where your business will be in five, ten, even twenty years, and take that into consideration when creating a name.
A company named Bob’s Bargain Books, for example, is a good name, but what if they plan to sell vintage records and cassettes down the road? The name only refers to books, so when vintage music is added people won’t associate it with the store.
4. Consider using a name generator
At this point, you probably have a list of a few ideas. Rather than brainstorm a bunch of different combinations, why not try a name generator? You simply enter a few of the adjectives that you came up with into the search bar and you’ll get a list of possible names.
Name generators can take some of the hassles out of creating a name. Most name generators will only show you available names too, which is helpful.
Check out some of Namechk’s name generators below:
What kind of business structure is right for your Nebraska company?
As you research available business names in Nebraska, you’ll also want to think about what kind of business you want to establish. There are a handful of options to choose from, but some of the most common are Sole proprietorship and LLC.
- A sole proprietorship is ideal for small businesses with no employees that want to test their business out. There’s virtually no paperwork to set up this kind of business, which is a plus. However, a sole proprietorship is not a separate business entity, which means you’re financially and legally responsible for any problems that might arise.
- An LLC, or limited liability company, provides a certain amount of liability protection. Your personal assets and your business are separate with this business structure, which means if the business is sued or goes bankrupt, you will not be forced to use your personal cash reserves to bail the business out.
Steps to register your Nebraska business
Ready to set up your business in NE? Here’s what you do:
1. File your Articles of Organization
Visit the Nebraska Secretary of State website and fill out the Articles of Organization. To fill this out, you’ll need to have an available business name, address, and contact information.
2. Name a registered agent
You’ll also need to name a registered agent. A registered agent is the point-person for your company who will receive important documents like tax notices or legal documents.
A registered agent must be trustworthy and be available during regular business hours when documents are delivered. The business owner can serve as the registered agent in Nebraska, or another person or company can be named.
You might decide to name your accountant or co-founder, for example. You can also hire a registered agent service to serve in this role. Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness, and Bizee are a few examples. These companies will receive documents on your behalf and notify you of their arrival.
3. Pay the filing fee
Every state charges a filing fee to file LLC formation documents with the government. In Nebraska, the cost is $100 for in-office filing or $110 for e-filing.
4. Wait for approval
Nebraska will review your application and typically provides approvals within five business days. Once approved, your business is officially set up.
Our picks of the best registered agent services
Nebraska small business facts
Before you start considering a name for your small business and checking for its availability, here is a list of facts and small business statistics from the U.S. Business Administration that we thought you should know:
- There are a total of 179,509 small businesses in Nebraska, which makes up for 99.1% of all the businesses in the state.
- Nebraska small businesses employed over 412,000 people or 49.5% of the entire private workforce in 2017.
- The firms with 20 to 99 employees have the largest share of small business employment in the state of Nebraska.
- The small businesses in Nebraska created 5,321 net jobs in 2019, and firms that employ fewer than 20 people experienced the largest gains in employment, adding a total of 3,442 net jobs in 2019.
- The largest losses were in firms employing 20 to 99 employees, which lost 330 net jobs in 2019.
- There are 1,488 small businesses in Nebraska, which exports their locally made products across the United States and worldwide.
- In April 2020, the unemployment rate went up to 8.3% from 3.1% in a 12-month period from April 2019.
- In the fourth quarter of 2019, Nebraska grew at an annual rate of 2.6%, which was faster than the United States’ overall growth rate of 2.1% in the same year.
- The total number of banks in Nebraska decreased from 174 banks to 168 in 2018 and 2019.
- In the fourth quarter of 2018, 1,582 establishments started up, which generated 5,380 jobs in the state of Nebraska. However, in the same period, 1,621 firms exited, resulting in the loss of over 4,000 jobs.
- The health care and social assistance industry has the most employees, employing 69,530 people in the small business sector and 133,276 people in the private sector.
- The second largest industry in terms of employment is the accommodation and food service industry with 53,179 employees for small businesses alone.
FAQs
To further help entrepreneurs, check out these frequently asked questions about starting a business in Nebraska:
Why is it so important to check on business name availability?
Nebraska will not allow two businesses in the state to have the same name. There are many reasons for this, but at its core, it’s to avoid any confusion. For example, if someone plans to sue Bob’s Fruit Stand and there are two of these companies in the state, things can get complicated quickly.
All businesses must have a unique name. And, you can’t just add a hyphen to a name to make it different. Each name must be “distinguishingly different.”
What is the largest industry in the State of Nebraska?
The health care and social assistance industry has the highest number of employees in Nebraska, followed by the accommodation and food services, retail trade, and construction industry. However, in terms of the number of small business firms, construction, retail trade, and the real estate and rental and leasing industry takes the lead.
The total number of small firms for the construction industry is 25,969, which is closely followed by the retail and trade industry with a total of 21,840 firms. Knowing this information can help you think about which industry your business should be a part of.
What is considered a small business in Nebraska?
Small businesses consist of fewer than 500 employees. In Nebraska, there are a total of 179,509 small businesses and that is over 99% of all the businesses in the state. Therefore, the small businesses in the state of Nebraska are what fuel the economy, similar to most states in the United States.
Is dissolving a business in Nebraska necessary?
If you no longer wish to conduct a business in Nebraska due to low income or any other personal or financial reason, you need to officially dissolve it. Failure to dissolve an LLC in a timely fashion in Nebraska can result in penalties, tax liabilities, or legal trouble.
How do you dissolve a business in Nebraska?
Every active LLC in Nebraska has different tax accounts that are maintained by various departments within the state. Before you dissolve a small business, you must first pay off all taxes or fines that your business owes.
The last step is to file the Articles of Dissolution. These are forms that you need to file to voluntarily dissolve your small business. After these files are processed, your small business will no longer legally exist. In Nebraska, you can file the Articles of Dissolution online.
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