If you would like to start a business in Minnesota you will need to make sure that you choose a great name for your business. Names can be taken by other brands so you must choose a unique name. You can check for name availability by using the Minnesota Business Name Search.

In this article, we detail why it is important to complete the process of checking for business name availability, how to do this, and how to register a Minnesota business name.

Minnesota Business Name Search

Why Start a Business in Minnesota?

There are lots of reasons for starting a business in Minnesota. It has reasonable costs compared to other states and good transport networks. There are lots of businesses and companies based in Minnesota that you can make connections with.

There is a lot of talent in Minnesota. You will be able to hire the right employees to help your business grow and develop a strong workforce. There are lots of universities you can recruit from and you could consider pitching at local careers fairs to attract the right talent to your organization.

Minnesota is one of the best states to start a business in because the five-year survival rate is higher in the state than any other state in the country.

And the industries that are the best in the state include health, care, hospitality and even export business.

There are also some business niches that allow for tax breaks. For instance those that are involved in research and development. Also those that are involved within the IT industry can get a break from local sales tax for twenty years when they invest a certain amount into the local economy.

Though for the best results, it might be best to speak to an accountant or tax expert.

Finally, the average salary for those in the state is $10,000 a year better than those in neighbouring state. Therefore, you can benefit from higher disposable incomes.

Minnesota Business Name Search

Why is it Important to Check Business Name Availability

It’s really important to check for name availability when you are starting a new business. There are legal requirements to make sure that any name you choose isn’t already in use by any other business. You can use the Minnesota Business Name Search to help you achieve this.

If you chose a name that is already in use by another business you could face legal costs as they seek to protect their brand. You might have to pay compensation.

You also want to not have customers confuse your business with another. You could also face considerable competition on search engines, like Google. Having a unique name for your Minnesota business will enable you to distinguish yourself from other brands.

A good name is important for other businesses, for example when negotiating with suppliers or arranging premises for example. A great, unique name will also help with getting funding and investment because you will want to have a sensible and respectable name for these.

Minnesota Business Name Search

How to do a Minnesota Business Name Search and Register a Minnesota Business Name

Here are the steps for a Minnesota Business Name Search and also how to register a Minnesota business name.

Minnesota Business Name Search

Step 1 – Come up with Some Business Names

First of all, come up with business name ideas for your new business based in Minnesota. You can speak to your business partner, friends, and family to get some ideas of words that you should include in your business name. You could get some ideas from people you know who work in your industry or speak to other clients.

You could use a company name generator which is a free tool to help you come out with lots of name ideas.

You should come up with several business ideas that you can check against the state business registry. You will also need to make sure your name ideas are available as a domain, on social media, on marketplaces, etc. so If you have one choice you might be disappointed if your name choice has already been taken. Having 10-20 potential name ideas is the best option for you.

Step 2 - Minnesota Business Name Search

Now conduct a business name search for the potential names you have on your list. This is a fairly easy process that doesn’t take very long to do at all. Just go to the Minnesota Business Secretary of State website. Then enter your business name and the results will be shown to you.

If no results are shown, you are clear to use that name. However, you should also check on Google or social media accounts to make sure that the business isn’t registered there. You should also check other sales channels like Etsy, and eBay.

You should also check for domain availability for the right extensions and a variety of domain extensions for the names on your list you are considering using for your business.

If you want details on how to contact the secretary of state, then here they are.

Website https://www.sos.state.mn.us/
Phone Number 877 551 6767
Email Address [email protected]
Opening Hours Monday – Friday, 9 am – 4 pm

Step 3 – Reserve your Business Name

Now the next step for you is to choose the name you wish to use for your business that passed all the availability checks and then reserve your business name. There is a cost for this, but it ensures you can keep the name until you register a Minnesota business name. You can register your business name as an LLC or another business entity. You should look into the best option for you.

The reservation will last for a year. After this, you need to have registered your business name as an entity or reserve your name again.

Minnesota Business Name Search

Final Word: Minnesota Business Name Search

The instructions above will help you when you need to do a Minnesota business name search and check for business name availability. This is a very simple process that takes just a few hours to complete. The business name search is free to do and you can use a company name generator to come up with a great list of potential names for your business.

FAQs
Yes, the state is great for business with costs for business and living comparable to those in other states.
There is a 9.8% corporation tax for businesses in the state. This is relatively good against other states in the USA.
The personal tax rate is just 4.25% in the state. It is relatively simple to do and it allows you to keep most of the revenue that you have.
It takes about 3-4 days to complete the whole process. Though the actual search takes just a few minutes to complete.
It is important to consider the sales tax for Minnesota. It is just 6.875% in the state and there are no local increases.
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