Name Reservation for Domestic Entities Alabama

STATE OF ALABAMA
NAME RESERVATION REQUEST FORM
FOR DOMESTIC ENTITIES

PURPOSE: To request reservation of entity name prior to forming said entity in the State of Alabama. Pertinent requirements are listed in Title 10A, Chapter 1, Article 5 of the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entities Code. These requirements apply to all entity types, business and non-profit.

INSTRUCTIONS: Mail this completed form with the appropriate fee to the Office of the Secretary of State at PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103. Include a check, money order, or credit card payment for $10 for standard processing or $25 for expedited processing (within twenty four (24) hours of receipt). The request is only accepted via mail or courier and will not be accepted via email. Using a credit card and our website, you may reserve the name online in the time it takes to type this request (see page 3). The filing will not be processed if the credit card does not authorize and will be removed from the index if the check is dishonored $30. Fee; (will be collected prior to filing of the entity formation/registration documents if necessary). All processing instructions are complete in this form; cover letters are not necessary and will not be reviewed.

The information completing this form must be typed or the requests will be rejected without review.
Emailed request will not be acknowledged, reviewed, processed, or returned.

1. Type of Entity (check one):

2. Name Requested [10A-1-5.11]:

Please see pages 3 and 4 of this form for naming requirements under Code of Alabama 1975.

3. The request for name reservation is submitted by and for the use of (this information will appear on the certificate):

Requester Name (entity or individual):

Address:

4. The certificate of name reservation is to be mailed to:

Mailing Address (If the certificate is to be held for pick-up, Hold for Pickup must be typed in this line.) There is no call for pick-up service available.

If the requester is, a Service Provider using a prepaid account:

Credit Card Payment Option (must be typed and signed):

Card Type:

Card Holder Name:

Complete Billing Address:

Informational Only/Do Not Send With Request

Online Service Available:

The name reservation request may be fully processed in real-time online. Go to www.sos.alabama.gov and click on Business Services (below the picture), Scroll down to the Name Reservation Menu. Non-subscribers pay a $28 fee with a credit card and receive the reservation by printing it immediately at the end of the process.

Mailing of Certifications of Name Reservation:

All documents not processed online are mailed standard USPS unless preaddressed envelopes with special postage or overnight courier envelopes are included with the request. Any overnight courier envelopes must have a completed air bill showing no reference to the Office of the Secretary of State, with the billing information completed and clearly marked "bill recipient" – if they are not completed in this manner they will be discarded.

Checking the Availability of a Name:

Go to www.sos.alabama.gov and click on Business Services(below the picture), then click on Business Entity Search, you can search the database under the Entity Name by typing in the name that you would like to use for your entity excluding entity identifiers such as Inc., LLC, etc. and any punctuation. Do not complete any of the other boxes on the search page and the system will show all entities using the name or, in many cases, similar names. Entity names must be distinguishable excluding entity designations on the index from existing names [10A-1-5.03]. Performing the search may shorten the time it takes to get a Name Reservation completed if you file on paper by reducing rejections. If you use the Online Filing method, the search is a part of the process and it is not necessary to perform it separately.

Name requirements of Title 10A:

Corporations: The name of a corporation must contain the word “corporation” or “incorporated”; or an abbreviation of one of those words. Exceptions are: nonprofit corporations, banks, trust companies, savings and loan associations, or insurance companies. [10A-1-5.04]

Professional Corporations: The name of a professional corporation must contain the words “professional corporation” or the abbreviation “P.C.” or “P C". [10A-1-5.08]

Limited Liability Companies (LLC): The name of a limited liability company must contain the words “Limited Liability Company" or the abbreviation “L.L.C.” or “LLC”. [10A-1-5.06]

Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP): The name of a limited liability partnership shall contain the words “Limited Liability Partnership" or the abbreviation “L.L.P.” or “LLP". [10A-1-5.05]

General Partnerships (GP or NGP): The name of the general partnership must contain the words "General Partnership" or the abbreviation "G.P." or "GP" or "Not for Profit General Partnership" or the abbreviation "N.G.P." or "NGP". [10A-1-5.10]

Limited Partnerships: The name of a limited partnership that is not a limited liability limited partnership must contain the phrase "limited partnership" or "Limited," or the abbreviation "L.P.," "LP," or "Ltd." and must not contain the phrase "limited liability limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LLLP" or "L.L.L.P.". The name of a limited partnership may not contain the following words: "bank," "banking," "banker," "trust," "insurance," "insurer," "corporation," "incorporated," or any abbreviation of such words. [10A-1-5.05]

Limited Liability Limited Partnerships: The name of a limited liability limited partnership must contain the phrase "limited liability limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LLLP" or "L.L.L.P." and must not contain the phrase "limited partnership" or the term "Limited," or the abbreviation "L.P.," "LP," or "Ltd.". [10A-1-5.05]

Names Requiring Letters from Other Agencies: any banking entity will need a letter from the Alabama Banking Commissioner's Office and any insurance entity will need a letter from the Alabama Insurance Commissioner's Office.

Names Requiring Evidence of Alabama Licensing: any name using a professional designation in the name (i.e., engineering, architect, attorney, doctor) requires a copy of the license of one officer/member or a letter from the governing agency allowing the use of the name without licensing.