Michigan lesson 1 of 6
Name your Michigan LLC
LARA will reject Form CSCL/CD-700 if the name is not distinguishable from one already on record, which means resubmitting and losing time. Search the corporate database first.
Required wording
A Michigan LLC name must contain the words Limited Liability Company or the abbreviation L.L.C. or LLC. Limited may be shortened to Ltd. and Company to Co.
- Acceptable: Great Lakes Fabrication LLC, Great Lakes Fabrication L.L.C.
- Not acceptable: wording that implies a corporation, bank or government agency without the required approval
- Certain regulated words may need approval from the relevant Michigan agency before use
Checking availability and reserving a name
Search LARA's business entity database before filing. Michigan applies a distinguishable-on-the-record standard, so small variations in punctuation or spacing are usually not enough to separate your name from an existing entity's.
To hold a name before you are ready to file, submit a name reservation on Form 540 for $25, which reserves the name for six months.
Operating under a name different from your Articles is an assumed name in Michigan, filed on Form 541 with LARA rather than at the county 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.
- Search the LARA business entity database before filing Form CSCL/CD-700.
- A $25 reservation on Form 540 holds a name for six months.
Official sources
Or let us file your Michigan 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 (Form CSCL/CD-700), act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team