Skip to content

Not a government website.

District of Columbia business name search

See if your name is free in District of Columbia, and check the .com, words that need approval and federal trademarks at the same time.

  • Official state dataFrom the registers states publish
  • No sign-upNo account and no cookies
  • Free to useSponsored links are labeled

Results come from data published by

  • Colorado Secretary of State
  • Connecticut Secretary of the State
  • DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
  • New York Department of State
  • Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division
  • Pennsylvania Department of State
  • Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Where District of Columbia's results come from

Published by
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
Dataset
Corporate Registration
Covers
Active and inactive businesses
Last refreshed
October 30, 2026

The data. The DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection publishes its register as open data (Corporate Registration). The checker searches every business entity on file with DC's Corporations Division, active or not.

How current it is. The state last refreshed it on October 30, 2026. A name filed after that won't show yet.

The official search. To see a full record or confirm a result, use District of Columbia's own business search.

How it works

Three steps from an idea to a name you can register.

  1. Enter a name and a state

    Type the name you want and pick the state where you'll register the business.

  2. Read one result sheet

    The state register, the .com, restricted words and a trademark link together, with names to try if yours is taken.

  3. Register it first

    A name is only yours once you file. Form your LLC with the state yourself or through a filing service.

What one search checks

Everything that can block a name, on one sheet, so nothing surprises you after you file.

Example result

“Blue Ridge Coffee” in Colorado

No match found

No business in Colorado's register uses this name. Close names on file (yours without its last word); confirm if unsure.

BLUE RIDGE LLCDelinquent

Colorado Secretary of State data, Nov 1, 2026. Confirm on the official search

.comRegistered
RestrictedNone found
TrademarkUSPTO

Try instead

Blue Ridge Coffee GroupNo match.com free
Blue Ridge Coffee CollectiveNo match.com free
A real check of “Blue Ridge Coffee” in Colorado, November 2026.

  1. The state's business register

    The records the state publishes, with the closest names on file and their status.

  2. The .com

    Asked of the registry that runs .com directly, not a domain reseller.

  3. Words that need approval

    Words like bank, insurance, trust and university often need a regulator's sign-off.

  4. Federal trademarks

    A name can be free with the state and still clash with a trademark. We open the USPTO search for you.

  5. Names to try

    When a name is taken, alternatives already checked on the register and the .com.

Other states we search live

For the other 44 states, the checker still tests the .com and restricted words, and opens the state's official search with your name ready to paste.

ColoradoActive and inactive · Updated daily
ConnecticutActive and inactive · Updated daily
New YorkActive businesses · Updated monthly
OregonActive businesses · Updated weekly
PennsylvaniaActive businesses · Updated monthly
TexasActive businesses · Refreshed by the state

Questions

Something else? Ask us.

Is this the official state search?
No. We search the copy of the business register that Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas publish as open data, and link to each state's official search so you can confirm. Business Name Desk is independent and not a government website.
What does “No match found” mean?
No business in the state's published register has the same name once endings like LLC, punctuation and “the” are ignored. It's a good sign, but the state makes the final call when you file.
How current is the data?
Each result shows the date the state last refreshed its data. New York and Pennsylvania publish monthly, Oregon weekly, and Colorado and Connecticut daily. A name filed since then won't show yet.
Does checking a name reserve it?
No. A name becomes yours in a state when you file your LLC or corporation there, or pay the state to reserve it. Until then, anyone can file it first.
How do I register the name once it's free?
File articles of organization for an LLC with the state, either yourself on the state's website or through a filing service.

Found a free name? Register it first.

Until you file, anyone can take it.

Check a name