LLC Name Change Steps For Your Business
Have you decided that you’d like to change the name of your legalized LLC – Limited Liability Company?
In this training, I’ll guide you through the 4 steps to change it.
STEP ONE – Decide On The New Name
First & foremost you will want to decide on the new name you want to change your business to.
Naming Considerations:
- Clarity over cleverness – make it logical/memorable so people trying to search for you can more easily find you.
- Consider your BRAND … your mission & how your company relates to your clients with what they love so they are happy to wear & market your logo for you.
- Check with your state to make sure it is available.
- Check to be sure the website link is available.
- Consider the logo & if you will want to use an abbreviated initial form at any point & if that will look right. (Passion Profit CEO is PP CEO … It’s hysterical!! I wished someone had pointed this out when I was naming my business.)
STEP TWO – File Your Name Reservation Form
Second, you will want to file your name reservation form with your state.
This step can be done by going to (your state).gov website & searching for it there.
For the state of Alabama, this is the Domestic Formation – Name Reservation Only option.
You can do this electronically & the price will vary from state to state.
Be sure to print the certificate when you complete the filing for safe record keeping.
STEP THREE – File Your Business Amendment
Third, you will want to file your Business Amendment.
It should ask you to do a search with your EIN to attach your current business to make the changes.
When doing this for the state of Alabama, this is the Business Filing Amendment option.
This form can also be filed electronically & the prices also vary from state to state.
Additionally, you will want to print the confirmation as it is only available for 15 days & they will not send a notice in the mail.
STEP FOUR – Update Your IRS EIN
Lastly, you will need to send a name change request to the IRS.
This currently, as of 2023, has no form & must be done via USPS mail or FAX instead of filing electronically.
To request your name change you will want to write a letter on a business document with your own business letterhead.
We found that the EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER website did a great job of giving the steps for what is included & where to send it based on the state you live in. The IRS site did not & had conflicting information.
However, we did spend an hour on hold with the IRS to confirm that these steps were accurate so you definitely don’t have to do that.
Include In Your LLC Name Change Request:
- Old Business Name
- Responsible Party Full Legal Name
- SSN or ITIN
- Business or Sole Proprietor’s Full Legal Name (whatever is registered for your business name);
- Employer Identification Number (EIN);
- Business Mailing Address
- Description of the information that needs to be changed associated with the EIN number.
Then mail via USPS or Fax your signed request to one of two locations:
Internal Revenue Service
Stop 343G
Cincinnati, OH
USA 45999
Fax Number: 1-855-270-4081
If your business is registered in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia or Wisconsin, mail or fax the letter to the Cincinnati, OH location.
Internal Revenue Service
M/S 6273
Ogden, UT
USA 84201
Fax Number: 1-801-620-7116
If your business is registered in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, or any place outside of the United States, mail or fax the letter to the Ogden, UT location.
CONCLUSION
There really isn’t that much work to change the name of your business if you have the steps & fees.
Don’t forget after you change the name, you will also want to change all your branding for marketing & update any vendors + your bank account with your new name.
It took us longer to figure out the steps for our client to change their business name than it did to actually guide them through the process once we knew what they needed to do.
This brings me to a bit of a rant but I’d like to mention, if you are going to automate your business so you can do less customer service please be direct & provide all the information people need so that it is not confusing & they can take the actions they need to without second-guessing & having to call you. Even large corporations need to do this & review this periodically to create better customer experiences.
Need Further Support?
Just not sure if you understand or have the right website links so you can get it done?
Looking to automate & make sure you have that set up right too?
No matter where you are in your business, schedule a consult to get customized support so you can take the actions & move forward today.
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