Sunbiz LLC Name Search: Check a Florida Business Name

A Sunbiz LLC name search helps you find existing Florida business records and identify names that may conflict with your proposed LLC name. Start with the official Florida Division of Corporations entity-name search. A search result is preliminary research: it does not reserve a name, form an LLC, or provide trademark clearance.

Sunbiz is Florida's official business-records service. SunbizPro is a separate, independent filing service operated by Aurelian Advisory Group LLC.

How to search your proposed LLC name

1. Start with the core name. Enter the distinctive words in your proposed name. Leave off LLC or other business-ending labels when researching availability. Keep a second and third choice nearby so a possible conflict does not stall your filing.
2. Search a shorter version. Florida's search guide explains that you can enter only part of a name. If your idea is Coastal Lantern Studio LLC, try Coastal Lantern as well as the longer version. This example is illustrative, not a finding that the name is available.
3. Review nearby results. The database lists records alphabetically, with close matches first. Use the previous and next result lists when relevant. An empty exact-match search is not the end of the review.
4. Open possible conflicts. Select a name to inspect its record, including its document number, status, filing dates, and filed documents. Save the details of records that need a closer look.

These search techniques follow the Division's Corporation Records Search Guide. For the broader formation process, see how to start a Florida LLC.

What makes a Florida LLC name distinguishable?

Changing a small formatting detail may not produce a distinguishable entity name. Florida's Division FAQs identify several differences that do not distinguish business names, including LLC versus Inc., articles such as “the,” punctuation, singular or plural words, and “and” versus an ampersand. Try a genuinely different distinctive word when your first choice is too close.

The official status chart also explains the holding periods. Read the actual record and current guidance rather than relying only on the word “inactive.”

Keep three separate checks on your list

Entity-name review concerns the name on Florida's business records. Domain availability concerns a website address offered by a registrar. Trademark clearance concerns potential conflicts with rights in a name used for goods or services. Success in one check does not settle the others. The USPTO's trademark overview explains these distinctions and confirms that domain registration itself does not give trademark rights.

Before investing in packaging, signage, or advertising, research how the name is used in your industry and relevant markets. A trademark attorney can assess a particular conflict. A filing service should not promise that a Sunbiz search makes a brand legally clear.

Frequently asked questions

Does searching reserve my name?

No. Florida offers a separate name-reservation procedure. Its LLC fee schedule lists a $25 reservation fee. Decide whether you need a reservation rather than treating a search or purchased domain as a hold. See the official LLC fee schedule.

When can I treat the filing name as approved?

The Division instructs filers to wait for its filing acknowledgment before assuming a name is approved. Your formation name must also include an accepted LLC designation. Review the official Articles of Organization instructions.

What should I prepare after the search?

Choose your preferred and backup names, organize the business and registered-agent details, and review the Florida LLC costs. If you are still comparing structures, start with what a Florida LLC is.

Prefer help organizing your formation? Compare SunbizPro's independent filing packages. You can also file directly with the state.

Official sources reviewed November 6, 2026. Filing guidance is general information; the state makes the filing decision.