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You may be thinking of a business-to-business relationship in which you buy from or sell to another company. Learn more about an existing businessĮven if you’ve already formed your own company, a secretary of state business search can help you learn more about other companies. It’s also a good idea to apply for your federal Employer Identification Number ( EIN), which you’ll need to file your federal taxes. And since registering your company is just one step in starting a business, states may also provide next steps such as registering with your state’s department of revenue or labor department. If you’re apprehensive about taking this step, many secretary of state websites provide step-by-step instructions. Register your businessĪfter confirming that the desired business name is available, you may be able to register your business online though some states require (or allow) applications by mail and in person. Requirements vary depending on your business entity, but you’ll probably need to at least provide: names of the principal(s), registered agent and manager, plus the business name, address and duration. This allows business owners to claim a name while they gather paperwork necessary to go through the full registration process. If it is, many secretary of state websites allow you to reserve the business name online. By typing in the desired name, you can discover if it’s still available or not. Most secretary of state websites provide a name availability function.
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Search for available business namesīefore you spend a lot of time and money to brand your business around a particular name, you need to be sure that name hasn’t been taken by someone else. Here are three main reasons to seek out your secretary of state’s website.
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