Hawaii Business Entity Search with Naming Guidelines & Process

The foremost step toward starting an LLC or Incorporation is to name the business. The business name must be unique, it should also resemble the business you plan to open. While you plan to open a business in Hawaii, you have to conduct the Hawaii business entity search. You can do it by visiting the Hawaii SOS. There are some simple naming guidelines set by the Hawaii Secretary of State, which must be followed before you move ahead and register your business name.

Why Do Hawaii Business Entity Search?

The name you choose as your business name represents to a larger extent the type of business it is. Thus it must not be similar to any existing one and rather be unique. Performing the Hawaii business entity search would help you know whether the name you have selected can be registered or not. You have to visit the Hawaii SOS website to conduct the entity search. After the search result is generated, it lets you understand whether the desired name is previously used or not.

Hawaii LLC Naming Guidelines

There are certain naming guidelines set by Hawaii SOS which must be followed before your Hawaii LLC search.

• The name chosen must not match or signify any government firm.
• The term must contain Limited Liability Company or any of its abbreviations.
• There are certain restricted words like finance, educational, and must note used with your entity name.
• Use of any obscene words as entity names may be penalized.

Hawaii Corporation Naming Guidelines

Similar to the LLC, the Hawaii Corporation search also has a set of naming guidelines that must be followed while naming your corporation. The guidelines are as follows:-

• Words like Corp or corporation must be at the end.
• Avoid using illegal words.
• If using restricted words then prior government approval is a must.
• Don’t choose names that are too similar to existing corporations.

Hawaii Business Entity Search Method

To perform the Hawaii business entity search you have to visit the Hawaii SOS website. The search result generated contains details of all the registered LLCs and Corporations of Hawaii. You can search in 2 ways.

1. Search by Begins With: You can just enter your desired name and check the result generated. If your business name has the same beginning as other businesses then you cannot use it directly. You have to modify your desired name and conduct the search again.

2. Search By Contains: If you want to find out whether part of your business name is similar to existing ones then you can use this search mode.

Hawaii Business Entity Search Process

The search methods mentioned above can only help you understand whether your chosen name can be used for registering your business or not. However, apart from the search modes, there are other important things too that you must check before you go ahead and register the business name.

1. List out the Names: Create a list of desired names that you want to name your business. Having multiple names saves you time and choosing the correct name.

2. Perform the Hawaii Name Search: Once you have finalized the name, you can do the LLC/corporation name search. You have to visit the Hawaii SOS website to use the business name search tool.

3. Analyse the result:  After the search result is generated, you can easily know which names are open for registration. Similar names cannot be used and thus your business name has to be unique.

4. Reserve your LLC/Corporation name (Optional): If you are not quite sure about which name you should move forward with, then you can reserve the name. By visiting the Hawaii SOS Website you can reserve the name for 120 days. The online filing fee is $10.

5. Register your business with Hawaii SOS: If you are quite sure about which name you want to open your business with, then you can register your entity name in Hawaii.

Other Considerations Before Choosing A Name

After you have conducted the Hawaii Business Entity search there are a few other considerations to be made as well. A business name plays a vital role in the long run and thus 3 listed things need to be addressed as well.

1. Do A Trademark Search: Performing a trademark search helps you secure your business logo, slogans, and brand name in the future. It helps to secure your business from potential threats of copyrighting as well.

2. Get Your Business Domain Name: It is a must that you have the same domain name as your business. This will help your clients remember your website and create a larger online presence.

3. Open A Social Media Account: Social Media nowadays plays a vital role in expanding your business in the online sector as well as gain recognition. You must check whether your desired brand name already has been used on social media platforms or not.

Frequently Asked Questions