Starting a business in Maine is going to be an exciting journey. It is an excellent choice for building a brilliant financial future for you and your family. However, you need to make sure that you have the right business name. More than four in five customers will choose what business to buy from because of the name. And there are legal consequences for choosing the wrong name. So in this guide, we will talk about how to do a Main Business Name search and complete a business name availability check.

maine business name search

Why Start a Business in Maine

Maine is considered one of the great locations to start a business. They have developed their ten-year plan to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic but their efforts are already being recognized. Recently, they’ve been recognized as the 13th best state to start a business, and the 7th fastest growth for building permits, and in the past two years, more than $50 million has been invested in innovative products and businesses.

The state is within a day’s drive of more than 90 million people. And they have a tight-knit business community.

The state is well-known for investing in innovation within the state, infrastructure, and even renewable energy. And those that are looking to invest in buildings, equipment, and job creation can benefit from significant tax breaks that can help brands maintain profit margins.

Quality of life is also considered to be very high on the platform. A better work-life balance is central to the culture of the state, allowing people who work hard to have more time off, time with the family, and excursions outside. The state is also known to have traffic jams and short commutes to ensure that not too much time is wasted traveling to and from.

The state is also known for its fantastic natural locations like beaches, lakes, mountains, and more. Maine is known as one of the best locations for skiing in the state. And those that love to explore culture, there are nine art museums, numerous art galleries, and lots of entertainment venues.

The talent in the state is absolutely one of the best reasons to do business in the state. With the highest rate of adults with a high school education or better, there is talent for any business. And there are 25 establishments for higher education, including seven community colleges and three world-class research universities.

Infrastructure within the state is one of the best throughout the US. There is access to markets within the US and Canada. And international trade is easier with access to three deepwater ports, including the deepest natural harbor on the East Coast. Two international airports serve twenty-five destinations.

maine business name search

Why do you Need to Check for Business Name Availability?

It is really important to check for business name availability within any state, not just Maine. And perhaps even complete a check for business name availability across the world. Part of the reason is that you don’t want to confuse audiences. If two businesses share the same name, it can be very challenging for audiences to know which one is which.

As a result, the younger business can often lose out, as Google tends to favor the brands that have been around the longest. Therefore, on your website, you could lose out and see a reduction in your brand’s website traffic.

In addition, you will have legal problems if you choose a name that has been registered and protected by law. You could be taken to court and could be told to pay compensation for the use of the name so far.

Even if the name is not the same but is similar you can run into problems. Some fashion brands are very notorious for taking other brands to court because they have one word in their business name that is similar to their brand.

maine business name search

Steps to Complete for a Maine Business Name Search

Here are the steps that you need to do to check for business name availability in Maine and then the instructions on how to register a Maine business name.

Step 1 – Choose some Business Name Ideas

Most people start with one name. But there are problems with this. First, if the name proves to be taken or has something very similar, then you have to start the process all over again. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you don’t just have one name, you have several names that you can use for your business.

To come up with some other potential names for your Maine Business, then it is highly recommended to use an online tool. A business name generator can be a great option as these are free and can be used as much as you like. There are business name generators that can help create general business names or even be more specific like setting up a carpentry business name or perhaps a retail store business name.

Ideally, you want to have about 10 to 20 business names available, the more the better it is going to be for you.

maine business name search

Step 2 – Maine Business Name Search

Now you need to take the time to ensure that you complete a thorough Maine business name search. You can do this on the secretary of state’s website. All you need to do is enter your potential names in Maine’s Corporate Name Search. Then the potential conflicting businesses with similar names will appear.

You can then disregard the names that have been taken.

In addition to completing this process, it is highly recommended that you check on Google, domain name searches, and social media. Sometimes businesses and brands might be registered on another site or registered. If you rely on just one state business state directory, you could miss the chance to avoid complications later on.

If you need to speak to the secretary of state, then you can use these contact details to get in contact with them.

Website www.maine.gov/sos/
Phone 207-626-8400
Email [email protected]
Hours 8 am – 5pm, Monday to Friday

Step 3 – Register a Maine Business Name

Once you’ve completed the Maine business name search, you should think about registering your business name in the state. There are a few steps to this, and it can take some time. You can reserve your business name first, which will protect it for some time before the registration is complete.

maine business name search

Final Word: Maine Business Name Search

In this article, we’ve discussed the benefits and the process of the Maine business name search. It is a relatively straightforward process, but one that can help you build a better business in one of the best states for business in the United States. If you need help, you can always register the business with the help of ZenBusiness and Bizee.

FAQs
Maine is investing in the business environment to make it one of the best states for business in the US. However, even now it has some of the best elements to make it a great place to start a business.
Numerous industries are excellent in Maine. The state is well-known for small-time farming, food/drink, and tourism.
Small business owners in Maine have an average salary per year of $53,000. This salary is higher than the average across the US, and above the average income of most Americans.
Maine has a decreasing unemployment rate. The rate at the moment is about 2.8%, which is 0.4% lower than it was in 2022 and lower than the long-term average, which was 5.55%.
Filing for your business can take about two to three weeks. This time includes the sending of the documents, processing times, and information being sent back to you. Compared to other states, this is about average.
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