Name Availability
One of the most common reasons for rejection of
business startup filings is that the proposed name of the new
company is already in use in West Virginia. State law
requires that the company name or trade name requested be
distinguishable from any other registered name.
Checking for Name Conflicts Before Filing
Take the following steps to insure the name is
available when you file:
- Make sure the name you want to use does not violate the name
restrictions for the particular organization type. See Choosing
a Business Name.
-
Search for the names you are considering on the
Business Organizations Data
System.
-- To make sure you see all the possible conflicts, search
using only the most distinctive word in the name. If you
searched only on common words like 'medical' or 'construction'
or 'enterprises', the system would like find too many matches
to process your request.
-- Use the 'wild card' character '%' before the word or words
you are entering, e.g. '%Allegheny'. Using this
character will assure you see all the entries with the your
word at any position in the name.
-- If you find a match that is very close, check to see if the
company has been dissolved or withdrawn, or if it was revoked
more than two years ago. In those cases the name may
still be available.
- Once you have found a name you think is available, call the
Business Organizations Division at (304) 558-8000 for an
informal, non-binding check to see if the staff believes there
will be no conflict.
- If the staff finds the name available, go to Name
Reservation and prepare your filings to reserve the name
until you have your business filings ready.
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