A North Dakota Secretary of State business search runs on FirstStop, the SOS online filing portal. Its Business Search, which the Secretary of State lists under “Name Availability Search,” covers LLCs, corporations, partnerships, trade names and more. If nothing on record matches your name once you set aside endings like LLC, the name is probably available.
The Secretary of State makes the final call when you file. North Dakota is unusually generous with reservations: $10 holds a name for 12 months, and it can be renewed. A trade name (DBA) costs $25 and lasts five years.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in North Dakota (2026)
If you’d rather not handle forming your LLC once your name is clear in North Dakota yourself, these are the services we recommend, in order. The table compares price and what’s included.
| 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 | ND Registered Agents.org | North Dakota 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 | North Dakota Registered Agent.co | North Dakota 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 North Dakota. 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. ND Registered Agents.org
ND Registered Agents.org is a North Dakota 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. North Dakota Registered Agent.co
North Dakota Registered Agent.co is a North Dakota 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.
North Dakota business name search at a glance
| Item | North Dakota details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | North Dakota Secretary of State, Business Division |
| Search tool | FirstStop Business Search; separate trademark search |
| LLC Articles of Organization | $135 |
| Name reservation | $10; 12 months; renewable |
| Trade name (DBA) | $25 with the Secretary of State; five years |
| Annual report | $50, due by November 15; $50 late fee |
| Amendment (name change) | $50 |
Fees come from the North Dakota Century Code and Secretary of State pages. Mainstay Filing’s North Dakota LLC cost guide adds up formation and annual costs.
How to check business name availability in North Dakota
1. Go to the Secretary of State’s FirstStop portal
Open the Business Search in FirstStop. You can search by name or by ID, and options include Starts With and Contains matching and an active-entities filter.
2. Search for the business name
Enter the distinctive words without LLC or Inc. Use Contains to find your words anywhere in a name, then narrow with Starts With. Try plural forms and alternate spellings as well.
3. Check every kind of record
North Dakota compares new names against more record types than most states: LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, LLPs, LLLPs, reserved names, registered fictitious partnership names, trade names and trademarks. A match in any of them can block your name.
4. Choose a name with no conflicts
If nothing close appears, the name is likely available. The Secretary of State makes the final determination when it reviews your filing.
5. Consider a reservation
Because North Dakota reservations last a full year, reserving makes sense if you’re still planning. For more name ideas, try Namechk’s business name generator.
North Dakota business name rules
The rules for LLCs are in N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-11; corporations follow § 10-19.1-13.
- LLC designator: “limited liability company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC.” The name must use standard (ASCII) characters.
- Words an LLC can’t use: “corporation,” “incorporated,” “limited partnership,” “limited liability partnership,” “limited liability limited partnership” or their abbreviations. “Limited” and “company” are allowed only as part of “limited liability company.”
- Corporations: “company,” “corporation,” “incorporated,” “limited” or an abbreviation.
- Distinguishable in the records: from all the record types listed above. A name may not imply an unlawful purpose.
- Consent: a name that isn’t distinguishable can be used with the other holder’s written consent ($10 filing) or a court judgment.
How to reserve a business name in North Dakota
- How: file through FirstStop.
- Fee: $10.
- Term: 12 months, renewable for successive 12-month periods.
- Transfer or cancel: $10 each.
Few states let you hold a name this long for so little. It’s a sensible step if you’ve settled on a name months before you’re ready to form the company. Like any reservation, it covers only the state’s records, not trademarks or domains.
Check trademarks, domains and social handles
North Dakota trademarks are searched separately in FirstStop’s trademark search; registration costs $30 for one class plus $20 for each additional class, for a 10-year term (N.D. Cent. Code ch. 47-22). Federal marks are only in the USPTO database.
Then make sure you can use the name online. Namechk checks domains and social handles together, and the domain name generator offers alternatives.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to register a trade name (DBA) in North Dakota
North Dakota registers DBAs as trade names with the Secretary of State through FirstStop (N.D. Cent. Code ch. 47-25), not with counties.
- Fee: $25 to register; $25 to assign; $10 for a change or consent.
- Term: five years. Renew during the 90 days before expiration; the Secretary of State sends a notice at least 90 days ahead.
- General partnerships: a partnership operating under a fictitious name must register that name with the Secretary of State before using it.
- Publication: not required.
Because registered trade names count when the state checks new entity names, a trade name can also protect your brand from a look-alike LLC filing. See the Secretary of State’s registration page for options.
Steps to register your North Dakota business
Once your name is clear, our North Dakota LLC guide walks through formation.
- File Articles of Organization in FirstStop. The fee is $135 (SOS LLC page).
- Appoint a registered agent: a North Dakota resident with a physical address or a business registered and in good standing with an office in the state. The LLC can’t be its own agent (Registered Agents Act). Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service in its formation package (North Dakota costs); our North Dakota registered agent guide explains the details.
- Get an EIN from the IRS (free).
- File the $50 annual report by November 15 each year, starting the year after formation; late filings add $50. The North Dakota start-a-business guide covers taxes and licenses.
FAQs
How do I search for a business name in North Dakota?
Use the Business Search in FirstStop, the North Dakota Secretary of State’s online portal at firststop.sos.nd.gov. The Secretary of State lists it as its name availability search. Search by name or ID and review LLCs, corporations, partnerships and trade names. The Secretary of State makes the final decision on availability when it reviews your filing.
How long does a North Dakota name reservation last?
A North Dakota name reservation lasts 12 months, far longer than the 120 days most states allow, and it can be renewed for successive 12-month periods. The fee is $10 under N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-92, and transferring or cancelling a reservation also costs $10.
How much does a DBA cost in North Dakota?
North Dakota registers DBAs as trade names with the Secretary of State for $25. A registration lasts five years and is renewed during the 90 days before it expires; the state sends a notice at least 90 days in advance. Changes and consents cost $10, and no newspaper publication is required.
What can block an LLC name in North Dakota?
An existing LLC, corporation, limited partnership, LLP or LLLP, a reserved name, a registered fictitious partnership name, a trade name or a trademark on file with the Secretary of State. Your LLC name must be distinguishable from all of them unless the holder gives written consent, which costs $10 to file.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in North Dakota?
North Dakota charges $135 to file LLC Articles of Organization. Each year after formation, the LLC files a $50 annual report by November 15, with a $50 late fee if it misses the deadline. A name reservation ($10) and a trade name ($25) are optional.
When is the North Dakota LLC annual report due?
A North Dakota LLC’s annual report is due by November 15 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed. The fee is $50, and a $50 late fee applies after the deadline. The Secretary of State notes a different date, April 15, for farm and ranch LLCs. Reports are filed online in FirstStop.
How do I change my LLC’s name in North Dakota?
File Articles of Amendment with the North Dakota Secretary of State through FirstStop. The fee for an LLC amendment is $50 under N.D. Cent. Code § 10-32.1-92. Search the new name first, keep an LLC designator, and if you’ve registered trade names that rely on the old name, update them as well.
Does a North Dakota business search include trademarks?
Trademarks have their own search in FirstStop, and North Dakota trademarks count when the state checks new entity names. Federal trademarks are only in the USPTO database, so search it too. Also confirm the domain and social media handles you want are available.
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