Delaware is a very popular state in the US among entrepreneurs. About 67.8% of all Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware. Additionally, over 89% of all US companies that held an IPO were Delaware companies. Some of these top companies include Pinterest, Slack, and Uber. Delaware has the most favorable laws for startups, with higher flexibility in structuring and shareholder rights. In addition to this, it costs very little to incorporate in the state. It offers multiple tax advantages and has a very strong privacy protection law. 

So, if you are planning to start a business in Delaware, then it is a perfect choice. But before you get there, you need to use the Delaware business entity search to see if the business name you have selected is available or not. This article will detail exactly how you can perform a Delaware Secretary of State business search. 

What is a Delaware business entity search?

A Delaware business entity search is a tool that allows you to look up company names to determine availability and access information about existing registered entities. Before conducting a search, it’s important to understand what a business entity is: it defines the legal structure under which you organize and register your business. While Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and corporations are the most common entity types in Delaware, the state also recognizes limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, statutory trusts, and other business structures. The search results will display the entity type for each registered company, helping you verify name availability while understanding what types of businesses already exist with similar names.

Benefits of conducting a Delaware business entity search 

There are multiple benefits of conducting a Delaware corporate search. Some of these include:

• It helps you follow all the state’s guidelines.
• You can reserve your business name so that no one else gets to use it.
• The business registration process gets completed faster due to minimal errors and changes required. 
• It helps you stay clear of any trouble that might come your way from another business claiming that you have a similar business name as theirs. 
• It helps you build your brand beautifully. With a unique name, you can create your own identity in the business world. A creative and unique business name represents your business to all the clients, customers, and vendors. It is your business identity and is an important thing, just like your own name. 

Finding out which name is available helps you and your business in every way possible. It is one of the most important steps that helps in the preparation of your business before you file for its registration. 

How to perform a Delaware business entity search?

Begin by brainstorming and choosing a business name that will become your company’s identity. It should give everyone an idea about what your company’s purpose is. But that is not all you need to take care of when choosing the business name. There are multiple rules and regulations you need to follow in order to legally operate your business in the state.  

One important rule to remember is that your business name cannot be the same or similar to any other business within the state of Delaware. You can also use any of the available Business Name Search tools found online, although it is advised to stick to the Delaware Secretary of State’s business search engine.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to complete a Delaware entity search:

• Step 1: Visit the Delaware business search and type in your potential company name in the search field. 
• Step 2: The search engine will return a list of names that match or are similar to the business name you entered. These business names can be names of both active and inactive companies.
• Step 3: This list can help you determine if your desired business name is available or not. Similar names might not be an issue, although it is always better to avoid having any similar names as well. 
• Step 4: Click on the individual entity name from the list, and you will be able to view the entity information. The information will include the formation date, file number, and entity number. It will also include the registered agent’s information: their name, address, phone number, and residency. 

You will not be able to see the owner’s name or other details of the company in the search. As per Delaware law, all this information is hidden from the public for the privacy of the owners. 

In the end, this search will help you get an overall sense of the number of conflicts you can face in the future due to your company’s name. This is mostly if there are many similar names to it. It is also one of the main reasons why it is important to select a company name that is far from similar to any other companies incorporated in the state.

Conditions for Naming Your Delaware Company

Delaware law has many rules that must be followed when naming a company to be registered in Delaware. The name has to include certain elements and cannot include others. 

Things that the business name should include:

For corporations the name should have the following terms, which can be abbreviated with or without punctuation marks:	Club, Fund, Incorporated, Institute, Limited, Union, Society, Syndicate, Foundation, Corporation, Company, Association
For LLC the name should include any of the following:	LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company

Your business name must be distinguishable from any other business name on record in Delaware. It cannot include the words “Bank” or “Trust” unless you first obtain approval from the Delaware State Bank Commissioner. Likewise, it cannot include the words “University” or “College” unless you receive approval from the Delaware Secretary of Education. The state may also reject names that are vulgar, degrading, or otherwise unacceptable.

How to Reserve a Name?

Once you have completed the Delaware business search, it is time to reserve the name. A company’s name can be reserved with the Delaware Secretary of State easily. The fee for this is $75, and the reservation for the same can be done online. To do this:

• Step 1: Go to the state’s website and, under1Go to the state’s website and on Name Reservation, select the Entity Kind and the Entity Ending. 
• Step 2: Add the potential business name you want to reserve. This search engine will also let you know if the specific business name is available or not.
• Step 3: If it is available, you can choose to have it reserved for $75 or perform a new search again, with a revised name. 

It is a good practice to reserve a name since it keeps it safe. This means that no one else will be able to use the name for their own company. As soon as you have the business name reserved, you will have 120 days from your company’s incorporation day to file for a Certificate of Incorporation with the state using the same name. In short, this reservation lasts for only 120 days. After this, the name will again be available for anyone to use, and someone else can use the same name to register their own business or reserve the name to use in the future. 

Revising Your Company’s Preferred Name

It is important to keep in mind that the very first thing that you choose might not be available. There are many companies in the state, and there is a high chance that you might have to revise your company’s name. So, the best way to stay ahead is by creating an extensive list of multiple possible names that you might use for your company. If all the names are taken, you might have to consider changing one of them. Here are some tips to modify the potential business name:

• Turn any one of the words in the name into a plural. You just need to add an ‘s’ or ‘es’ at the end of it. 
• You can add an industry-generic word in the company’s name. For instance, if it is a technology company, try to use words like infotech, technology, and so on. Other words you can use for other industries include products, precision, industrial, telecom, etc. 
• Substitute whole words for initials or initials for whole words, if there are any, and they can be changed. 
• Substitute a look-alike or a sound-alike word with a word that is different from the word you used for the business name.

Note: If you add the word ‘The’ in the name, it will not be considered a modification. Changing the name would involve a much more potent change to it. It is mostly because the database ignores words like the, a, an, of, etc. 

Some of the other techniques to modify a corporation’s name include: 

• Substituting a foreign language word for the English word you used. 
• Using a thesaurus to get a synonym for a word that can make a lot of difference in the business name and remove all the similarities it has to any other business name. 

Domain Name and Trademark Issues

Do not assume that once they reserve a business name through the Delaware entity search, the name is automatically protected. It’s not. A reserved name is not a trademark, and it doesn’t guarantee that the matching internet domain is available. Domain names and trademarks operate in completely separate systems, so you’ll need to check both.

You can verify domain availability via ICANN WHOIS at any accredited registrar. Trademark conflicts, however, require a separate search. This step is crucial because unincorporated businesses can register trademarks or DBAs that won’t appear in Delaware’s entity search results. If you skip this research and launch under a name that’s already in use, you risk trademark infringement—and the costly legal trouble that comes with it.

Before investing in a name reservation or forming your company, search the USPTO trademark database for similar marks. Many business owners hire a professional for this, which typically costs between $100 and $500. It’s a small price compared to the potential consequences of choosing a name that someone else already owns.

Want to Start a Delaware Company? 

If you have your idea and business name ready, IncParadise can help you with registering your company in Delaware. Known as one of the top incorporation and registered agent service providers in the state, IncParadise has in-depth knowledge of Delaware’s business industry. Our professionals guide you through the process and offer a range of services to keep your business compliant and running smoothly, including EIN assistance and annual report filing.

Since Delaware has many businesses incorporated, it’s important to cross-check your business name before use. While conducting a Delaware business search can be straightforward, having a professional handle it ensures no errors. We offer expert Delaware entity search services and will assist with registering your business once the name is cleared. Contact us today to learn more!

Last updated: December 2025