A California name reservation costs $10 and holds an available name for 60 days. A name search or reservation is not trademark clearance and does not guarantee final acceptance of formation documents. Review the naming rules for your entity type and any profession-specific requirements before committing to a name.
Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF)Official source: California Secretary of StateVerified against the California Secretary of State and FTB on Oct 21, 2026
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Private information and filing service; not a government agency.
Start with the right question.
Search the right records
The SOS checks availability against names of like entity types on file. Its name availability review does not check trademarks or county fictitious business names. Separate those checks before you invest in a name.
Official source: California Secretary of StateReview entity and professional naming rules
Follow the applicable entity identifier, distinguishability and misleading-name rules. A checklist cannot guarantee acceptance. The proposed name is reviewed with the actual filing, and regulated professions may impose separate rules not verified by an SOS name search.
Official source: California Secretary of StateReserve if a temporary hold is useful
The reservation form allows up to three names in order of preference; only the first available name is reserved, and the others are not researched. The reservation lasts 60 days. Additional handling fees can apply to in-person paper requests.
Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF)Your preparation checklist
- Search SOS names of the relevant entity type
- Review naming and entity-identifier requirements
- Check trademarks and county FBN separately
- Confirm licensing-board naming rules if applicable
- Decide whether a temporary reservation is useful
Name rules review
Name rules review
Not an availability result. No live search was performed. Only the SOS reviews a proposed name for its filing; other rights and licensing rules need separate checks.
Keep the requirements separate.
| Requirement | Verified detail / confirmation needed | Official authority |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation filing | $10; 60 days | Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF) |
| Preferences on request | Up to three; only first available is reserved | Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF) |
| SOS availability review | Like entity types; not trademarks or fictitious names | Official source: California Secretary of State |
| Final acceptance | Not guaranteed by reservation | Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF) |
Carry the decision forward.
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. State fees are pass-through. Service fees and taxes are separate. Review the order price before payment.
Before your next step
No. It tracks your review steps but does not query SOS or decide legal availability.
Official source: California Secretary of StateNo. Formation requires the appropriate Articles filing.
Official source: California Secretary of State