South Carolina lesson 1 of 6
Name your South Carolina LLC
The Secretary of State will reject an Articles of Organization filing if the proposed name is not distinguishable from a name already on record, so it pays to search first.
Required wording
A South Carolina LLC name must include the words limited liability company, limited company, or an abbreviation such as L.L.C., LLC, L.C. or LC. Limited may be shortened to Ltd. and Company to Co.
- Acceptable: Lowcountry Builders LLC, Lowcountry Builders, L.L.C.
- Not acceptable: wording that implies the LLC is a bank, insurance company or government agency without the required approval
- Certain professional or regulated words may need sign-off from the relevant licensing board before the Secretary of State will accept the filing
Checking availability
Search the entity name index inside Business Entities Online before you file. South Carolina applies a distinguishable-on-the-record standard, so small changes in punctuation, spacing or a generic designator are usually not enough to separate your name from one already registered.
If you are not ready to file the Articles of Organization but want to hold a name, South Carolina allows a name reservation application filed with the Secretary of State for a set period; check the current reservation fee and length on the forms page before submitting.
If you plan to trade under a name that differs from the one on your Articles of Organization, check with the Secretary of State on the current process for registering that trade name, since South Carolina treats it separately from the entity's legal name.
🇺🇸 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 the words limited liability company in full.
- Search Business Entities Online for conflicts before filing.
- A name reservation can hold your chosen name while you prepare the Articles of Organization.
Official sources
Or let us file your South Carolina 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