Do you have the perfect name idea for a new business entity in the state of Alaska, but you’re not quite ready to form your company?
Alaska allows you to reserve a business name until you’re prepared for the business formation process, but how does the reservation process work and how long will the state reserve the name for you? In this guide, we’ll run down all the important details of reserving a business name in Alaska.
Rocket Tip: If you’d rather officially incorporate in Alaska rather than file the extra paperwork to register a business name, there are many good incorporation services that can do it for you.
How to Reserve a Business Name in Alaska
The first step is to determine if your desired business name is even available in Alaska to begin with. Alaska has a convenient business license tool that shows which names have already been registered in the state. You can access this search tool here. Once you’ve determined the availability of your desired name, you can begin the process of reserving it with the state.
In Alaska, multiple businesses can be licensed under the same name. However, if you would like to have exclusive rights to your name prior to forming your business, you can do so by filing a Business Name Reservation with the Secretary of State. This form can be filed online or printed out and filed by mail. In either case, this process will require the following information: Corporations Section PO Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
Once you’re finished filling out this form, you should provide credit card payment information or, if you’re filing by mail, write a check for $25 made payable to “State of Alaska” and mail it with your completed reservation form to the following address:
How Long Is My Business Name Reserved For?
Once you submit your Business Name Reservation form, the state of Alaska will reserve your business name for a period of 120 days. If you’re still not ready to form your business entity at the end of that 120-day period, you may submit a renewal request for an additional 120 days. There is no limit to how many times you can renew a name reservation, but you will have to pay the $25 fee each time.
Conclusion
Just because you aren’t ready to form your Alaska business entity doesn’t mean you can’t lock down your desired business name.
If the name you want is available today, there’s no reason to wait until you form your business to reserve it for your exclusive use. The required form is easily filled out with your basic information, and the filing fee is quite affordable, so you should reserve your name today.