Are you ready to change your business name? CT can help you do this correctly and in accordance with all national and local laws. We`ll know if you can legally change your name to any applicable state, comb through the requirements for the name change, prepare your articles, and make sure the entire name change process runs smoothly and quickly. Learn more about the name change process. Failure to notify government agencies when you move in business can have serious consequences. Choosing and Protecting your business` legal name When filing a tax return for the current year, check the appropriate name change field of the type of Form 1120 you are using: Filing change items is the only way to inform the status of your desire to change your business` legal name. They also show the approval of the significant members of your corporation when ratification by directors, shareholders or officers is required. The name change is not official until the change article is approved. You can get approval by resolution for a company name change. Be sure to read the company(corporation) statute or LLC Operating Agreement (LLC) for more details on how to approve the name change. 6. Update your business documents.
Replace your branding with your new name and logo. This includes all business forms, signage, and your website. Contact your website administrator and ask them to redirect your website to your new domain. Is it possible to change the name of your business after incorporation? For businesses that have incorporated as a registered company or LLC, the short answer is yes. If you operate as one of these entities, you have not established a formal business structure with the state. A sole proprietorship or partnership is a unit like its owners – the business name must include the first and last name of the owner. However, this does not mean that sole proprietorships and partnerships cannot market themselves under a more interesting and attractive name. You can submit a fictitious company name, also known as “Doing Business As” (DBA). The name change must first be approved by the owner or members of the LLC or, in the case of a corporation, by the shareholders.
Refer to your LLC operating agreement or corporate charter to consider how to deal with these issues. 7. Communicate with your customers. Sometimes a name change takes place because the company has been bought, the new management has taken control, or a negative turn of events has triggered a fresh start. Let your customers know as soon as possible that you are always open for business. Briefly explain (even celebrate!) why your company name has changed. This will help you maintain their trust and start building your new brand. Depending on the type of entity, the process of changing a company`s name varies. This can be confusing, so let`s take a moment to break down the options that sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and businesses have when they change their business name. Sole proprietor: “Write to us at the address where you filed your tax return and notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the name change. Note: The notice must be signed by the business owner or his/her authorized representative.
You must also amend your LLC Internal Operating Agreement to reflect the new name of your LLC. If you need confirmation of the name change, please send it. Follow the chart below to determine who is the person authorized to change your business name to your type of business: What`s your best advice for someone who wants to name their business? We`ve put together the best tips for naming companies and summarized their answers below. Learn more Submit your name change form along with a copy of the updated regulations (if required) for submission to the ministry. Wait for state approval that your new name is listed now, and you can use it throughout the business. The basic steps for sole proprietorships and partnerships to change their DBA include: Companies that are registered as an LLC or a company can change their name using one of two methods. One requires that the original company name be dropped completely, while the other retains the original name and creates a new one for marketing purposes (e.g. for a new product line). But how do you change the name of your company? And if you run an LLC or a company, can you change the name of your business? A company registered as a corporation has methods similar to those of an LLC to change its company name. By filing a document called “Articles of Amendment,” an LLC or corporation may request to change the company`s name. If it is approved, it means that your business will operate under its new name.
Note: Companies that have a foreign qualification in other states (i.e., that are registered in multiple states) must submit amendment articles in all of those states. Business owners and other authorized persons may submit a name change for their business. The specific measures required may vary depending on the type of business. If the EIN has recently been assigned and responsibility for the submission has not yet been established, send requests to change the company name to the IRS address where you are submitting your return. If you have business licenses, you must notify the agencies that issued those licenses so that they can update their records. You may need to provide them with a certificate from the state that approves the name change. Amend your bylaws based on the requirements of the form. If your articles require a vote by your board of directors or shareholders before changing your name, you must call a meeting to hold a formal vote on the matter. Whatever the reason, you can easily change the name of your LLC by filing documents with your state agency that handles commercial filings. 2. Keep the original name as a registered company name and submit a DBA for the new name If your company is a sole proprietorship or partnership and you want to change your DBA, you can do so by: To obtain a DBA, you must submit documents to the state. Some states also require the business owner to place a notice in one or more local publications to inform the public about the database administrator and the owner of the business using it.
If a business owner files a DBA and later decides to change the name, they can do so if they follow the right process. The process is simple as long as you understand the consequences of adding an owner to your business. Before deciding (after consulting with your lawyer) which method is most favorable to change the name of your company, you should check if the name you want to use is available.