When you look at Vermont’s economy, it’s quite diverse; it stretches across agriculture, manufacturing, mining, tourism, and transportation. Plus, it has a low unemployment rate compared to the rest of the nation, so that’s a very positive sign.
If you wish to start a business, then Vermont can be a great place for it, even if you’re not trying to get into the popular industries. But before you do anything, you should do a Vermont business search to ensure you’re not accidentally taking an unavailable name.
Read on to find a few ways to do a Vermont business entity search.
Carry Out a Vermont Secretary of State Business Entity Search
Usually, the Secretary of State is the person in charge of business records, and that’s the case in Vermont. They’re also the person you’ll register your business with, so keep that in mind for the future.
To start your state of Vermont business entity search, go to the Business Services Division page of their website. Scroll down, and you’ll see a header of “Searches”; click on “Businesses.”
Here, you’ll see the first blank labeled “Business name/Record number.” You can type in your potential business name and select either:
- Starts with
- Contains
- Exact match
For the most comprehensive search, you should use “contains.” The other two may exclude names that are very similar, and if you pick a name that’s nearly identical to another, this can cause legal issues if the other business owner finds out.
There are also two drop-down menus, one for business type and the other for business status. You can also type in the registered agent name and date of formation (start and end dates) but you can leave all of this alone to cast a wider net.
The Results
After you click on “search,” the page will generate any hits below. It’ll list the:
- Business names
- Record numbers
- Business types
- Physical addresses
- Statuses
To check out any entity in more detail, click on their business name. This brings up a separate page with more information.
In the first section, you’ll see the:
- Business name
- Business type
- Election type
- Record number
- Business status
- Designated office (street address)
- Designated office mailing address (optional)
- Date of formation
Next, there’s the annual report information (status, fiscal year end month, and reporting period opens) and business purposes (NAICS codes).
Then, there’s the agent for service of process information section. You’ll find the company’s:
- Agent name
- Agent type
- Status
- Resignation date
- Street address
- Mailing address
There’s the principal information too. The data is as follows:
- Name
- Capacity
- Physical address
- Mailing address
Lastly, you’ll find the assumed business name information (if there is any) and the filing history.
Use Your Favorite Search Engine
A fantastic tool that’s right in your hand is your favorite search engine. You can do a VT business entity search by typing in your desired company name and “Vermont.” We’d suggest adding city names during repeat searches to be extra thorough, but it’s not mandatory.
In any case, go through a few of the results pages to see if any names stand out to you. You’re looking for anything that’s close enough to give you trouble.
If there aren’t any hits, then great! On that note, snatch up any domain names and/or social media handles that match your desired business name. This will make it much easier for your small business branding when everything’s consistent.
Give the Business Anywhere Search Tool a Try
Here at Business Anywhere, we can make your life less stressful with our free business registration service that’s available in all 50 states. It truly costs $0 (you only have to pay the state fees), and we even throw in a free year’s worth of our registered agent service.
In addition, we have a clear-cut list of services you can add, along with transparent pricing. You won’t be hit with hidden fees since what you see is what you get.
But it all starts with our business search tool at the top of the page. Just type in the desired business name, select “LLC,” “PLLC,” or “corporation,” and then “Check availability.”
You’ll know immediately if the name’s free. If it isn’t, then hit the back button and keep trying as much as you’d like.
When you’re satisfied, you can stop, as our search tool is both free and has no obligations. But if you want to use our services, scroll down and enter your contact details. Our helpful agents will reach out to you soon!
Make Sure to Do a Vermont Business Entity Search
With these ways to do a Vermont business entity search, you’ll definitely do your due diligence. What’s great is that these methods are free to use, so you can repeat your queries as many times as you’d like.
Just make sure you’re thorough and that you don’t skip this vital step. It may mean all the difference regarding you picking a truly unique company name.
Sign up with Business Anywhere to use our free business registration service. It’s a 100% remote process!
