Louisiana lesson 1 of 6
Name your Louisiana LLC
geauxBIZ checks proposed names against the Secretary of State's records during formation, but a manual search before you start saves a rejected submission later.
Required wording
A Louisiana LLC name must contain the words limited liability company or an abbreviation such as L.L.C. or LLC. Limited may be shortened to Ltd. and Company to Co.
- Acceptable: Bayou Fabrication LLC, Bayou Fabrication, L.L.C.
- Not acceptable: wording implying the LLC is a bank, insurer or government agency without the required approval
- Certain regulated terms may need approval from the relevant Louisiana licensing board before the name is accepted
Checking availability and reserving a name
Search the Secretary of State's business filings database before you file, since Louisiana requires a proposed name to be distinguishable from names already on record. Minor changes in punctuation or a generic designator are usually not enough to separate two names.
If you want to hold a name before filing the Articles of Organization, Louisiana allows a name reservation filed through geauxBIZ or on paper with the Secretary of State; check the current reservation fee and reservation period on the fee schedule before submitting.
Louisiana calls a name used in business that differs from the entity's legal name a trade name, registered separately with the Secretary of State rather than at the parish level.
🇺🇸 Check United States company name availability
Search the official United States state registry before you file. Opens the government portal in a new tab.
Tip: also confirm the .com domain and matching social handles are free before you commit.
Key takeaways
- End the name with LLC, L.L.C., or limited liability company in full.
- Search the Secretary of State's business filings database before submitting through geauxBIZ.
- A separate trade name registration is needed if you trade under a name different from your Articles.
Official sources
Or let us file your Louisiana LLC for you
Everything above is yours to use for free. If you would rather hand it over, we prepare and file the Articles of Organization, act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team