Do you have the perfect name idea for a new business entity in the state of Delaware, but you’re not quite ready to form your company?
Delaware allows you to reserve a business name until you’re prepared for the business formation process, but how does the reservation process work and how long will the state reserve the name for you? In this guide, we’ll run down all the important details of reserving a business name in Delaware.
How to Reserve a Business Name in Delaware
The first step is to determine if your desired business name is even available in Delaware to begin with. The Delaware Division of Corporations makes it easy to search existing business names using the business entity search tool. Once you’ve determined the availability of your desired name, you can begin the process of reserving it with the state.
It is extremely simple to reserve your desired name online via the Division of Corporations’ name reservation page. You will be required to provide the following: Delaware Division of Corporations 401 Federal Street – Suite 4
Dover, DE 19901
The filing fee is $75, and once you reserve the name, you are not able to change the reservation to a different name. If you do wish to reserve a different name, you will need to file a separate name reservation and pay another $75 filing fee. If you prefer to file by mail, you can download the forms here. You will need to provide the same information as above, as well as the name and address of the applicant. Additionally, you must include a check for $75 made payable to the “Delaware Secretary of State.” You can mail the form and the check to the following address:
Reserve Your Domain Name
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How Long Is My Business Name Reserved For?
Delaware name reservations are valid for 120 days after filing. If you would like to re-reserve your desired name before it expires, you may do so online or by mail. You can find the necessary information and forms here.
Conclusion
Just because you aren’t ready to form your Delaware business entity doesn’t mean you can’t lock down your desired business name.
If you need more time to form your business and don’t want to risk losing your desired name to someone else, then there’s no reason to wait to reserve your name. However, the filing fee for name reservations in Delaware is more expensive than the fee in most other states. So, if you are ready to form your business, you can save money by skipping the name reservation process entirely.