For an Oregon Secretary of State business search, start at the Corporation Division’s Find a Business page and use its Business Name Search. You can look up any registered corporation, LLC or assumed business name by name or registry number. Oregon accepts a new entity name as long as it isn’t an exact copy of one already on the record, so a small but real difference is often enough.
Running a search doesn’t hold the name. A reservation costs $100 for 120 days, and a DBA (an assumed business name, or ABN) is filed with the state for $50 and renewed every two years.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Oregon (2026)
Here are our top picks for forming your LLC once your name is clear in Oregon, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Oregon 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 | OR Registered Agent.org | Oregon 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 | Oregon Registered Agent.co | Oregon 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 Oregon. 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. OR Registered Agent.org
OR Registered Agent.org is a Oregon 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. Oregon Registered Agent.co
Oregon Registered Agent.co is a Oregon 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.
Oregon business name search at a glance
| Item | Oregon details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division (Business Registry) |
| Search tool | Find a Business: Business Name Search and Advanced Business Name Search |
| LLC Articles of Organization | $100 |
| Name reservation | $100; 120 days |
| Assumed business name (DBA) | $50; renew every 2 years for $50 |
| Annual report (domestic LLC) | $100 per year, due on the anniversary of formation; notices go out about 45 days ahead |
| Amendment (name change) | $100 |
Fees are from the Corporation Division’s fee schedule and its February 2024 Start a Business Guide. Mainstay Filing’s Oregon LLC cost guide shows the full formation and renewal cost.
How to search Oregon business names
Oregon’s Business Registry covers entities and assumed business names in one place, which makes it easy to spot conflicts.
1. Go to Find a Business
Open the Find a Business page and choose Business Name Search. You can search by business name or by Business Registry Number. The Advanced Business Name Search adds more filters, and you may need to pass a security check to use it.
2. Search your core words
Enter the main words of your name without LLC or Inc. “Willamette Kayak” will show existing entities and ABNs that include those words.
3. Compare for an exact copy
Under the Division’s guidance, a name is available if it isn’t an exact copy of one on the record. A different word, a change in word order, a number, a creative spelling or even one different letter can be enough. That is more lenient than most states, but a name that close may still cause trademark or customer confusion problems.
4. Check ABNs by county
Assumed business names are tied to counties, and identical ABNs can exist in different counties. If you plan to trade under a name statewide, look at who already uses it and where.
For more candidates, try Namechk’s business name generator and run the best ones through the registry.
Oregon business name rules
The Corporation Division’s name reservation form and Start a Business Guide summarize the requirements:
- LLC: include “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC.” The designator goes at the end of the name.
- Business corporation: include Corporation, Incorporated, Limited, Company, Corp., Inc., Ltd. or Co.
- Professional corporation: include P.C.
- Limited partnership: include “Limited Partnership” spelled out.
- Distinguishable upon the record: in practice, not an exact copy of an existing or reserved name.
Some regulated terms, such as words suggesting a bank or insurer, can draw review by the relevant state agency. If your name includes a professional or financial term, check licensing rules before you file.
Reserving a business name in Oregon
A reservation is optional and relatively expensive in Oregon, so it’s usually only worth it when you need to hold an entity name for several months.
- Form: Application for Reservation of Name, filed with the Corporation Division.
- Fee: $100.
- Term: 120 days.
- Limits: you can reserve entity names only. An assumed business name can’t be reserved.
Because Oregon’s LLC filing fee is also $100, many founders skip the reservation and file Articles of Organization as soon as the name checks out.
Check trademarks, domains and social handles
Oregon’s registry doesn’t settle trademark rights. Search the USPTO trademark database for federal marks, and use the Find a Business page’s link to active Oregon trademark registrations. Oregon registers state trademarks for $50, with a $50 renewal every five years.
Then confirm the name is free online. Namechk checks domain names and social media handles together, and the domain name generator suggests alternatives if the .com is taken.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to register an assumed business name (DBA) in Oregon
Oregon calls a DBA an assumed business name. It’s filed with the state Corporation Division, not a county clerk, but each registration lists at least one county. According to the Division’s ABN page and ABN brochure:
- Counties: you can list every county where you do business, or all 36, at no extra cost.
- Fee: $50 to register. An amendment that changes the name is $50; other amendments are free.
- Renewal: every two years, $50.
- How: file online through the Business Registry online filing system or on paper.
- Rights: an ABN gives no exclusive rights to the name, and identical ABNs can coexist in different counties.
No newspaper publication is required. An LLC that does business only under its exact registered name doesn’t need an ABN.
After the search: registering your Oregon business
Ready to file? Our Oregon LLC guide explains each step in detail.
- File Articles of Organization with the Corporation Division. The fee is $100 (fee schedule).
- Appoint a registered agent with an Oregon street address. Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service in its formation package (Oregon costs). Our Oregon registered agent guide covers the rules.
- Get an EIN from the IRS for free.
- Renew every year. A domestic LLC’s annual report is $100, due each year on the anniversary of its formation, and you can renew online. The Oregon start-a-business guide covers taxes and local licenses.
FAQs
How do I look up a business in Oregon?
Use the Oregon Secretary of State’s Find a Business page at sos.oregon.gov. Its Business Name Search lets you search the Business Registry by business name or registry number, and an Advanced Business Name Search adds filters. Results include corporations, LLCs, partnerships and assumed business names registered with the Corporation Division.
How similar can my business name be to an existing one in Oregon?
Oregon is more flexible than most states. The Corporation Division accepts a name if it isn’t an exact copy of one already on the record, and a different word, word order, number, creative spelling or a single letter can be enough. A name that close can still create trademark or customer confusion problems, though.
How much does it cost to reserve a name in Oregon?
An Oregon name reservation costs $100 and holds the name for 120 days. You file an Application for Reservation of Name with the Corporation Division. Only entity names can be reserved; an assumed business name can’t be. Since LLC Articles of Organization also cost $100, many owners simply file the LLC instead.
How do I file a DBA in Oregon?
Register an assumed business name with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Corporation Division, online or on paper. The fee is $50, and you can list any or all counties where you operate at no extra charge. The registration must be renewed every two years for $50. An ABN doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the name.
How much does an Oregon LLC cost per year?
Forming an Oregon LLC costs $100 for the Articles of Organization. After that, a domestic LLC pays $100 each year to file its annual report and stay active on the Business Registry. The Corporation Division mails a renewal notice about 45 days before the due date, and you can renew online.
How do I change my LLC’s name in Oregon?
File Articles of Amendment with the Oregon Corporation Division. The fee schedule lists $100 for an LLC amendment, the same as the original Articles of Organization. Search the new name on the Find a Business page first, keep an LLC designator at the end, and update any assumed business name registrations that reference the old name.
Does an Oregon business name search include trademarks?
Not federal ones. The Business Registry search shows Oregon entities and assumed business names, and the Find a Business page links to active Oregon trademark registrations. Federal trademarks are only in the USPTO database, so search it as well, and check that your domain and social handles are available.
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