In 2021, Idaho produced $3.5 billion of exported goods, and $1.3 billion came from small businesses. Those looking to start their own companies should consider this state, as the economy’s thriving and there’s money to be made here.
The first step to a successful business is picking a distinct name. And part of that is doing your due diligence and ensuring the company name is actually available. Without this step, you may run into legal troubles in the future.
In this article, we’ll show you how to do an Idaho business entity search so you get the company name you want.
Use the Idaho Secretary of State Business Entity Search
As in most other states, businesses are registered with the Idaho Secretary of State. On their website, they give you access to their database, so you can do an Idaho business search.
It’s a simple page where there’s a large search bar. You can enter the name or file number to start.
Or you can click on “Advanced search options” to bring up more criteria, such as:
- Starts with
- Contains
- Search by registered agent
- Active entities only
- Filing date (start and end)
The easiest way to do this is to just search by company name. Filtering by “contains” will give you a better range of results, as you’ll view businesses that have similar names as well. Click “search,” and on the next page, you might get several hits.
If this is the case, then you’ll see the company names on the left side in capital letters. Underneath, it’ll tell you which type of business it is, such as a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. In the next columns, you’ll see the status, filing date, and the registered agent.
If you click on any of the businesses, you’ll get the following information:
- Formation state
- Term of duration
- Principal address
- Mailing address
- Annual report due date
- Registered agent address
There’s also a button to view the company’s history. This will show all relevant documents filed since its inception, such as the articles of organization.
Do a Trademark Search
Your Idaho state business search might’ve been successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can proceed just yet. There’s a chance that the name you want has been trademarked.
To check if it has been, use the Trademark Search page site for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). You can search in basic or expert mode, and after searching a particular term, you can refine it further in the additional search box if you wish.
Scour Search Engine Results
After doing the above, you’re on a good track. But just because you’ve done your due diligence doesn’t mean other people will.
There’s a slight chance that someone’s already using your business name, but without registering it. Even if you register it first, you might run into issues later.
To prevent this from happening, get on your favorite search engine and type in your desired company name. See what pops up, and take note of what domain names are taken.
Use Our Business Name Checker
We at Business Anywhere have a name checker on our site, which looks through both LLCs and corporations. We’ll tell you within seconds if the name’s available!
You can then fill in your details so we can get back to you about our business registration service. It’s quick and affordable, and most importantly, it’ll take a bunch of hard work off your shoulders. You won’t have to stress out about filing the right paperwork, as we’ll do it for you.
Check Names by Doing an Idaho Business Entity Search
When creating a company, it’s important that you do an Idaho business entity search first. You might think you have a genius idea for a name, but someone might’ve already beaten you to it.
So take the extra step to do an Idaho business lookup. This will ensure that you secure the LLC or corporation name that’s perfect for your products or services.
Sign up with Business Anywhere now to use our business registration service. We also offer online notary and registered agent services too.
