Florida Business Name Availability Checker
Data verified July 11, 2026 · Official database: Florida Division of Corporations
LLC filing fee
Name reservation cost
Reservation hold non-renewable
Quick answer: Florida names are checked on Sunbiz, the Division of Corporations’ public database. Florida Statutes § 605.0112 requires an “LLC” or “L.L.C.” ending and applies one of the strictest similarity tests in the country: suffixes, articles, punctuation, and even the ”&” symbol are ignored when two names are compared.
Running a Sunbiz name search
The search box above runs a preliminary sweep of Florida records. The four steps below show the official Sunbiz name screens. Florida’s list is alphabetical, not a simple keyword dump, so technique matters. A clean Sunbiz result is a strong signal, not a guarantee. The Division of Corporations decides only when it files your articles of organization.
Step 1: Open the Sunbiz name search
Open the Sunbiz name search. The form heading is Search for Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Partnerships, and Trademarks by Name.
The primary control is the Entity Name field with a Search Now button. Under Other Search Options you can switch to Officer/Registered Agent, Registered Agent Name, Trademark Name, FEI/EIN, document number, zip code, or street address when you are not screening a proposed name.
Step 2: Type the name without LLC
Enter the core words of your proposed name in Entity Name. Prefer “Gulf Breeze Kitchens” over “Gulf Breeze Kitchens LLC” so the alphabetical list starts from the distinctive words, not the suffix.
Press Search Now. Keep the search on Entity Name for availability research rather than FEI/EIN or document number lookups.
Step 3: Read the Entity Name List
Results open as an Entity Name List. Columns are Corporate Name, Document Number, and Status. Status values include Active, InActive, INACT, and INACT/UA.
Because Florida’s similarity rules strip suffixes, articles, punctuation, and ”&”, scan names alphabetically near yours, not only the exact string. Click a blue Corporate Name link to open the detail. Use Next List when the page continues.
Step 4: Open Detail by Entity Name
The detail page is titled Detail by Entity Name. Under Filing Information you will see Document Number, FEI/EIN Number, Date Filed, State, Status, Last Event, and related dates, plus principal address.
Status ACTIVE on a close name is a live conflict signal for distinguishability review. Links such as Previous On List, Next On List, and Return to List move you through the search set. Events / name history may show “No Name History” on some records.
An empty neighborhood around your wording is only a preliminary Sunbiz snapshot. File promptly; Florida has no online name reservation path.
Florida LLC naming rules
The controlling statute is Fla. Stat. § 605.0112:
- Required ending: “limited liability company,” “L.L.C.,” or “LLC.” Florida’s list is shorter than most states’; “LC” alone does not qualify.
- The strict similarity screen: under § 605.0112(2), these differences do not make a name distinguishable:
- a suffix (“LLC” vs “Inc.”)
- the articles “a,” “an,” “the”
- punctuation and special characters
- singular, plural, or possessive forms of the same word
- ”&” versus “and”
- Purpose and government limits: the name cannot imply a purpose outside what Chapter 605 permits, and cannot suggest a connection with any state or federal agency.
Florida publishes no list of restricted words for LLCs. There is no banking-or-insurance approval regime like Georgia’s or Ohio’s; the guardrails are the similarity screen and the misleading-purpose rule.
Florida’s letter-only name reservation
Florida handles reservations differently from every other pilot state. Section 605.01125 allows a 120-day reservation for $25, but the request must arrive as a signed letter to the Department of State. The Sunbiz FAQ confirms there is no online path. The reservation is non-renewable: when the 120 days run out, the hold ends.
In practice, most Florida founders skip reserving entirely and simply file. Articles of organization cost $125 (which includes the registered agent designation), and filing both claims the name and creates the company in one step. The annual report that keeps a Florida LLC active is $138.75, due by May 1.
Fictitious names in Florida
Florida is the simple case: one statewide fictitious name registration on Sunbiz, $50 for every owner type, filed after advertising the name once in a newspaper in the registrant’s home county. Every registration expires on December 31 of its fifth year no matter the filing month, so a January filing buys nearly a year more than a December one, and renewal costs another $50. The register is public notice only: § 865.09(8) says it creates no presumption of rights in the name. The teeth are procedural, since a business trading under an unregistered fictitious name cannot maintain a lawsuit in Florida courts until it registers. Every registration sits in Sunbiz’s free statewide search.
When Sunbiz shows a conflict
- Change a substantive word. Florida’s screen means “Coastal Traders LLC” and “The Coastal Trader’s, L.L.C.” are the same name. Add or replace a real word: geography, specialty, or an invented term.
- Verify the blocker is active. A dissolved entity’s name may already be free; Sunbiz shows each record’s status and history.
- Split legal name from brand. Registering a Florida fictitious name (also through the Division of Corporations) lets the LLC do business under the taken-adjacent brand you wanted, within trademark limits.
When a name does clear, speed matters more in Florida than elsewhere. With no online reservation, filing your Florida LLC is effectively how you claim the name.
Official Florida sources
- Sunbiz name search: the authoritative index
- Fla. Stat. § 605.0112: naming statute
- Fla. Stat. § 605.01125: reserved names
- Division of Corporations fees and FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How do I search business names in Florida?
Use the Sunbiz name search run by the Florida Division of Corporations. Type the name without its suffix and read the alphabetical list around your proposed name. Florida's comparison rules ignore suffixes and punctuation, so neighbors in that list are your real competition.
How does Florida decide if two names are too similar?
Section 605.0112(2) disregards entity suffixes, the articles "a," "an," and "the," punctuation, singular/plural/possessive variations, and the "&" symbol. If removing those elements leaves two names the same, they are not distinguishable.
Can I reserve a business name in Florida online?
No. A name reservation under § 605.01125 requires a signed letter to the Department of State with the $25 fee. It holds the name for 120 days and cannot be renewed.
Does clearing a Sunbiz search guarantee my Florida name?
No. Sunbiz results are a snapshot; the Division of Corporations approves a name only when it files your articles of organization. Someone can register your name between your search and your filing, which is why searching and filing close together matters.