Legal Name Change for Business

Your name change must be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service by the business owner or other authorized person, depending on the type of business. A partnership or corporation can change its name in the appropriate field of the current year`s tax return or write a letter to the address where the tax return was filed. The written notice must be signed by a partner or officer. A sole proprietorship can only submit a name change signed in writing by the entrepreneur to the address where the tax return is filed. 3. Amend licences and permits. Almost all businesses have licenses and permits at various levels of government. Contact each of the offices associated with these permits to find out how to change the name on these forms. Fees may apply. 1. File state bylaws to change business name Jane Haskins is a freelance writer who has been practicing law for 20 years.

Jane has handled a variety of commercial disputes. Kristie Lorette began writing professionally in 1996. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Multinational Business from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. His work has been published online on Bill Savings, Money Smart Life and Mortgage Loan. All you need to do is submit a legal name change request. If you just want a new business name, you can apply for a fictitious company name, also known as DBA (“doing business as”). Applying for a DTA is easier and less expensive than applying for a legal name change, as there is no need to make changes to other documents. When an LLC goes out of business, formal dissolution is an important step that protects the business owner from future liability. If you`re moving your business to another state, you`ll probably want to sign up there.

Here`s how. If you require confirmation of the name change, please request that a name change be sent to you. Use the following table to determine who is authorized to change your business name: Once your new business name has been updated with the IRS, you need to notify everyone of your company`s name change. You may want to make a list of your suppliers, bankers, creditors and other authorities to be informed of the name change. You must choose a different name than any other company name or LLC in your state. If you have already filed your tax return for the current year, write to us at the address where you submitted your return to inform us of the name change. Also: You need to change your LLC name on your business bank account and order new checks and credit cards. If not, check with an accredited registrar to see if the domain name is available. Ideally, if you`re a for-profit business, you`ll want a .com address, and if you`re a nonprofit, you`ll want an .org address. If you have commercial licenses, you must notify the agencies that issued those licenses so they can update their records. You may need to provide them with a state certificate that approves the name change. Choosing and protecting your company`s legal name The process is simple as long as you understand the consequences of adding an owner to your business.

Every business should have a registered representative, and in many cases this is required by law. Before attempting to change the LLC name, you need to make sure that the name is available in your state. In most states, you can perform an LLC name search online on the Secretary of State`s website or other business filing agency. An LLC (limited liability company) has two options for changing its business name. The first is to remove the original company name and register a new one. The second is to keep the original name as the legal name of the entity and create a DBA for marketing and branding purposes. Once your name change is approved by the state, you can tell the world about your new name. This can mean changing signage, brochures, forms, your website, business cards, and stationery – anything that still uses your old name. You may also need to promote your name change so customers know they`re still dealing with the same company. Let`s explore these and other frequently asked questions about business name change.

Even if your LLC hasn`t done any business in the past year, you may need to file a federal tax return. 5. Request a new EIN number. Some businesses must obtain a new employer identification number. See IRS Publication 1635 [PDF] to determine if you need to reapply. Write to us at the address where you filed your return and notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the name change. Note: The notice must be signed by the owner or agent of the business. 6. Update your business documents.

Change your branding to your new name and logo. This includes all business forms, signage, and your website. Contact your website administrator and ask them to redirect your website to your new domain. 2. Inform your Secretary of State. Your state office has a form to change your business name. States have different names for these forms. Go to USA.gov to find a link to your state office. There will likely be a fee for the name change.

4. Notify the IRS. The IRS has different requirements depending on the nature of your business. Visit the IRS website to learn more about your specific needs. In some cases, it`s as simple as noting the name change on your next tax return. If changing the name of your LLC is not critical, apply for a DBA. With a database administrator, you can run your business under the name you want without changing your company`s legal name. In addition, you only need to submit a basic form with a small fee. Sole proprietorships and open partnerships are not business structures officially registered with the state, and the IRS considers these forms of business to be the same tax entity as their owners. The name of a sole proprietorship or partnership includes the first and last names of the owners, but owners can market their business under a fictitious name – also known as a trade name or DBA (“Doing Business As”) – which is more creative and interesting. Like everything else in the world, company names sometimes have to change.

C-corporations, S-corporations, and multi-member LLCs that have filed at least one corporate tax return can notify the IRS of the name change by simply checking the name change box when filing your current year`s tax return. Note that this option is not available for single-member LLCs. Whatever your reason, changing your business name is a difficult task, and you run the risk of losing brand awareness. That is, if the positive outweighs the negative, it can be done. Here`s how. By filing a document called “Articles of Amendment,” an LLC or corporation may apply to change the name of the corporation. If approved, it means your business will operate under its new name. Note: Companies that have foreign qualifications in other states (i.e. are registered in multiple states) must file articles of association for amendment in all those states. If you change your business name, you need to make sure that the IRS and other relevant parties are notified.

Typically, you don`t need to get a new EIN to change your business name. However, you must update the name in your EIN. Businesses and LLCs can check the name change box when filing their annual tax return with the IRS.3 min spent reading To create an LLC, you must file the incorporation documents, also known as the articles of incorporation or certificate of incorporation.