Nebraska LLC Name Reservation

Your company name is important. It’s your first impression, and it’s how people will remember you. You don’t want to be the business with a forgettable name. So, when you’ve got that perfect name in mind, that clever alliteration or meaningful acronym, you might think about reserving it before someone else does.

Naming your company is one of the first official steps when starting an LLC in Nebraska. In certain situations, it may be beneficial to reserve a business name while you’re preparing to bring your business idea to life.

In this article, we’ll explain when reserving a business name can be helpful and guide you through all the steps involved.

Are You Required to Reserve a Business Name?

Nope. It’s great that Nebraska gives you the option to protect your desired business name, but you’re under no obligation to do so. If you’re itching to start your business and would rather jump straight into your Certificate of Formation, go right ahead.

Should You Reserve Your LLC Name?

Maybe it took you sleepless nights of brainstorming, or maybe you thought of it while sitting at a traffic light. No matter how you came up with your memorable LLC name, you’ll want to make sure that it’s available and ready to use when you file your Nebraska LLC registration.

You have the option to reserve your LLC name, but it’ll cost you a $15 fee. Overall, it’s cheaper to skip this fee and simply start your business, which will lock in your name automatically.

However, there are cases where you may not be ready to officially start your business. Filing an application to reserve your business name gives you “dibs” and ensures that competitors aren’t able to snag it while you’re preparing for launch.

If your business name is unique, including unusual spellings or characters and/or family names, it may not be necessary to reserve a Nebraska business name ahead of time. Plus, paying the extra state fee to reserve your business name could be a waste of resources if you’re planning to launch your business soon after.

How Do I Reserve a Business Name in Nebraska?

Got a name in mind? Perfect. Follow these steps to reserve it.

Before submitting your application to reserve your business name, you first need to check name availability by performing a Nebraska LLC name search. The Nebraska Secretary of State requires all name availability requests in writing. either via fax to (402) 471-3666 or by email to sos.corp@nebraska.gov or by mailing to Business Services Division at P.O. Box 94608, Lincoln, NE 68509. They will respond to let you know if your name is available. You can save a ton of time and energy by checking Nebraska’s online Corporate & Business Search before submitting your official availability request.

Don’t forget that you also need to comply with other business entity name restrictions from the state of Nebraska (find them all here). All good? Then check to see if your LLC name is available. If it is, let out a sigh of relief — you’re ready to reserve it or form your LLC.

Okay, name reservation, here we go. Start by downloading an “Application for Reservation” from the Secretary of State’s Forms and Fees page.

The application is quick and straightforward. It only asks for your proposed name, name, and street address. When you’re finished, you can mail two copies of your completed form, with a $15 check (payable to the “Secretary of State”), to:

Secretary of State

P.O. Box 94608

Lincoln, NE 68509

For anyone looking for an online submission option, the Secretary of State does not currently offer one.

That’s all there is to it! The 120-day reservation will begin as soon as your form is processed, which generally takes 1-2 days after receipt. Once your name is reserved, it’s time to start thinking forward to filing your Certificate of Organization. Check out our comprehensive guide here.

How Long Does a Nebraska Business Name Reservation Last?

Anyone planning to do business within the state of Nebraska can reserve an entity name. Filing your name reservation prevents another entity from using that name to conduct business in the state during the time of your hold. An entity name reservation in the state of Nebraska protects that name from would-be name poachers for 120 days. But if you don’t form your LLC within that 120-day window, you can’t renew your reservation, so be strategic about when you submit your application for reservation; otherwise, you risk losing that name to someone else.

Say you decide you don’t want your reserved name anymore, or you’d prefer someone else have it. You can transfer your reservation by filing a “Transfer of Reserved Name” form and paying a $15 fee. This doesn’t extend your reservation; it simply changes the owner.

Wrapping up and Choosing the Best Route

Your LLC name is an important part of the business. If you’re not ready to launch your business, but you’ve got a perfect name and you think someone else might claim it, consider reserving it.

However, if your business is ready for takeoff, use our comprehensive guide to forming an LLC in Nebraska to get started instead. This way, rather than paying an additional $15 for the name reservation application, you’ll only pay the one-time $100 Nebraska LLC formation fee to claim your name and form the LLC at the same time. $15 isn’t a fortune by any means, but this will at least save you the hassle of reserving a name and registering an LLC separately.