How to Name Your Michigan LLC
Learn Michigan LLC naming rules, how to check name availability through LARA's MiBusiness Registry, and how to reserve or register your business name in Michigan.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Michigan LLC naming — key facts
Filing fee: $50 (Articles of Organization, standard filing)
Processing time: 10–15 business days (standard); expedited options available
State agency: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau
Annual report due: February 15 each year
State tax rate: No state-level LLC franchise tax; Michigan Corporate Income Tax applies to LLCs taxed as corporations
Michigan LLC naming rules and requirements
To name your Michigan LLC, your chosen name must be distinguishable from all other business entities on file with the state, include a required LLC designator like "LLC" or "L.L.C.", and avoid prohibited or restricted words. You check availability through LARA's MiBusiness Registry before filing your Articles of Organization.
Michigan LLC naming rules
Michigan's naming rules for LLCs come from the Michigan Limited Liability Company Act and are enforced by LARA. Most of the rules are straightforward, but a few details catch people off guard — especially the distinguishability standard, which is stricter than just avoiding identical names.
Distinguishable from existing entities: your name must have a different sequence of letters or numbers from any corporation, limited partnership, or LLC already on file in Michigan — not just different from identical names
Required designator: the name must end with "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "L.C."
Corporate terms are off-limits: you can't include "corporation," "incorporated," "corp.," or "inc." in an LLC name
No misleading government connections: the name can't imply a connection with a Michigan state agency or suggest the business will carry out activities it isn't legally authorized to perform
How to check Michigan LLC name availability
Check name availability through LARA's MiBusiness Registry Portal before you file anything. The registry is Michigan's official database of all active corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships. Running a search before filing saves you from a rejected Articles of Organization and the time it takes to start over.
Go to the MiBusiness Registry Business Search page and enter your proposed name in the search box. The basic search works for most checks. If you want more control, use the Advanced tab — it lets you filter by "Contains," "Starts With," or "Name Availability" to catch names that are similar but not identical to yours.
Prohibited and restricted words
LARA publishes a Restricted Words list that goes beyond the basic corporate-term prohibitions. Some words are banned outright — for example, federal agency names and acronyms like "FBI" are prohibited under federal law. Others are restricted, meaning you can use them only with prior approval from the relevant authority or under specific conditions.
Restricted categories typically include terms that imply a connection with government agencies, financial institutions, or licensed professions. Review the full list at michigan.gov before settling on a name — finding out a word is restricted after you've built a brand around it is a frustrating problem to fix.
Trademarks and service marks
Clearing your name with LARA only confirms it's available in Michigan's business registry — it doesn't tell you whether the name infringes on a federally registered trademark. A name can pass the state search and still be on the hook for trademark infringement if another business holds federal rights to a similar mark.
Search the USPTO's trademark database at uspto.gov before you commit to a name. If you want to protect your own name nationally, registering it as a federal trademark gives you rights that a state LLC filing alone doesn't provide.
Michigan DBA (assumed name)
Michigan allows LLCs to do business under a name that's different from their legal name. This is called an assumed name — also known as a DBA (doing business as), fictitious name, or trade name. It's useful if you want a customer-facing brand name that doesn't include your LLC's full legal designator.
You register an assumed name with LARA. Keep in mind that filing a DBA doesn't protect the name from use by others the way forming an LLC or registering a trademark does — it's a registration, not a reservation of exclusive rights.
How to reserve a Michigan LLC name
If you've found an available name but aren't ready to file your Articles of Organization yet, Michigan lets you reserve it. A name reservation holds the name for a set period so no one else can register it while you're getting ready to form your LLC.
File a name reservation application with LARA through the MiBusiness Registry Portal. The reservation is temporary — it doesn't form your LLC. You'll still need to file Articles of Organization to make the business official.
How to change your Michigan LLC name
To change your Michigan LLC's legal name, file a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Organization with LARA using form CSCL/CD-715. Before filing, run a name availability search to confirm the new name is distinguishable from existing entities on record.
The amendment filing requires your LLC's current legal name, LLC ID number, original filing date, and the new name you're requesting. You can file through LARA's MiBusiness Registry Portal online. Name changes don't happen automatically — until the amendment is approved, your LLC's legal name stays the same.
FAQ
Go to LARA's MiBusiness Registry Portal and search your proposed name. The basic search covers most situations. If you want to catch names that are similar but not identical, use the Advanced tab and select the "Name Availability" filter. A name that passes the state search is available to register — but also run a USPTO trademark search before committing.
Michigan requires your LLC name to be distinguishable from all other entities on file with the state, include a designator like "LLC," "L.L.C.," "LC," or "L.C.," and avoid prohibited or restricted words. You can't use corporate terms like "corporation," "incorporated," "corp.," or "inc." in an LLC name. LARA also publishes a Restricted Words list covering terms that require prior approval or are banned outright.
Yes. Michigan allows LLCs to operate under an assumed name — also called a DBA, fictitious name, or trade name — that's different from the LLC's legal name. You register the assumed name with LARA. Keep in mind that a DBA registration doesn't give you exclusive rights to the name the way forming an LLC or registering a trademark does.
Yes. LARA lets you reserve an available name before you're ready to file your Articles of Organization. File a name reservation application through the MiBusiness Registry Portal. The reservation holds the name temporarily — it doesn't form your LLC. You'll still need to file Articles of Organization to make the business official.
Forming an LLC in Michigan registers your legal business name with the state. File Articles of Organization with LARA through the MiBusiness Registry Portal and pay the state filing fee. Your name is officially registered once LARA approves the filing. If you want to operate under a different name, register an assumed name (DBA) with LARA separately.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), through its Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau, manages business name registration and the state's business entity records. All LLC filings — including Articles of Organization, name reservations, assumed names, and amendments — go through LARA's MiBusiness Registry Portal.
File a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Organization with LARA using form CSCL/CD-715. Check that the new name is available in Michigan's business registry before filing. The amendment requires your LLC's current name, LLC ID number, original filing date, and the new name. You can file online through the MiBusiness Registry Portal.
No. Forming an LLC in Michigan registers your name with the state, but it doesn't give you federal trademark rights. Another business could hold a federal trademark on a similar name and still have grounds to challenge your use of it. If you want national protection, search the USPTO trademark database and consider filing a federal trademark application separately.
