Filing a Name Reservation

A company may reserve an entity name for a short period of time. This allows a future entity to protect a name and give the company time to complete the filing of documents required to register or organize the actual business entity which will be using that name. Reserved names usually expire after one to four months (30 to 120 days). Some states allow a Reserved Name to be renewed through the submission of a Renew Name Reservation filing. A name availability search can be performed, if desired, to ensure the name is not already being used. Paper documents in an acceptable file type can be attached to a filing prior to submitting the filing. Contact your jurisdiction to confirm which file types meet your jurisdiction's requirements.

 

Notes:

  1. If another filing for the same business entity is in process or is of the same filing type as the current filing, you will be alerted to try again later. The current filing cannot be continued but can be restarted when the other filing has been completed (accepted/rejected).  
  2. Screens, fields and labels that display are based on your jurisdiction's implementation and may not reflect your filing type.
  3. If you need to re-enter information, select the button labeled Previous to return to the screen you were on prior to the current screen.
  4. If your filing requires a two-step review process, an internal Secretary of State processor must review your filing for compliance before it can be accepted or rejected. After making payment, you will be notified via the email address set up during account creation. To view correspondence for your filing, refer to Viewing Correspondence-BE for information about accessing your filing records.
  5. Contact your Secretary of State office if you have questions about this or any procedure in SystemWORKS Help.

 

How to process a name reservation filing:

  1. Navigate to the Corporation Division dashboard.

  1. In the Other Business Entities pane, select Create a Business Entity to display the associated screen. The Create a New Entity tab displays first by default.  

  2. Select Name Reservation from the Type drop-down list, and then select None from the domesticity drop-down list.

  3. Select the Begin button. The Application for Reservation of Name screen displays.

  1. Enter the Name to be reserved.

  2. Select the Next: Reserved by button. The Reserved by screen displays.

  1. Select the Add Reserved by button; the screen refreshes. You can:
    • Enter the name of the individual or organization reserving the name.  
    • Elect to not perform a search which will display an option to add the Reserved by information.

 

  1. Select the Next: Signature(s) button to display the associated screen.

    • Enter signer information.

    • Select the Affirmation check box.

    • Select Save Signer. The screen refreshes so you can add another signer or update/delete the existing signer (see sections below for details).

    • Refer to Managing Signatures for additional information, if needed.

 

  1. Select the Next: Shopping Cart to display the associated screen.
    • Shopping cart items can be modified and new items added, if needed.
    • Select the Confirmation check box.

 

  1. Select the Next: Payment button to display the associated screen.
    • Select your payment method and enter payment information.
    • Select the Terms and Conditions check box.
    • Refer to Managing Payments for complete details.

 

  1.  Select the Next: Submit Payment button to display the associated screen.

    • Payment confirmation displays information about your order.
    • To view documentation, select the View Documentation button.
    • Refer to Viewing Correspondence-BE for additional information.

 

 

Related Information

Managing Names

Managing Payments

Managing Shopping Cart-BE

Managing Signatures

Performing Name Availability Searches

Reviewing Your Filings

Searching for a BE

Viewing Correspondence-BE