Download this form for Reservation of the Name you are going to use for your company or any other entity. This form is valid in the State of Alabama.
Alabama Certificate of Name Reservation Form
Text Version of the Form
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STATE OF ALABAMA
NAME RESERVATION REQUEST FORM
FOR DOMESTIC ENTITIESPURPOSE: To request reservation of entity name prior to forming
said entity in the State of Alabama. Pertinent requirements are listed
in Title 10A, Chapter 1, Article 5 of the Alabama Business and
Nonprofit Entities Code. These requirements apply to all entity types,
business and non-profit.INSTRUCTIONS: Mail this completed form with the appropriate
fee to the Office of the Secretary of State at PO Box 5616,
Montgomery, AL 36103. Include a check, money order , or credit
card payment for $10 for standard processing (no guaranteed
processing timeframe – dependent on volume) or $25 for expedited (For SOS Office Use Only)
processing (within approximately 3 business days after date of
receipt). The request is only accepted via mail or courier and will not be accepted via fax or email. Using a credit card
and our website, you may reserve the name online in the time it takes to type this request (see page 3). Due to volume,
we are unable to search for filings that may or may not have been received via regular mail to provide receipts or
status – if a receipt is needed use registered mail service or a courier service. No fees are charged or deposited until
the Reservation is approved. If the credit card does not authorize or the check is dishonored the Reservation will be
terminated. All processing instructions are complete in this form; cover letters are not necessary and will not be reviewed.The information completing this form must be typed or laser printed.
Faxed or emailed request will not be acknowledged, processed, or returned.1. Type of Entity (check one):
Business Corporation ____ Limited Partnership (LP)
Nonprofit Corporation ____ Limited Liability Limited Partnership (LLLP)
Professional Corporation (PC) ____ Employee Cooperative Corporation
Limited Liability Company (LLC) Real Estate Investment Trust
Registered Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
2. Name Requested:
Please see page 3 of this form for naming related requirements under Code of Alabama 1975.
To check the availability of a name: go to www.sos.alabama.gov and click on Government Records, then Business
Entity Records in the drop-down listing, then search the database under Entity Name by typing in the name that you
would like to use for your entity. Do not complete any of the other boxes on the search page and the system will show
all entities using the name or, in many cases, similar names. Entity names must be distinguishable (excluding entity
designations) on the index from existing names [10A-1-5.03]. Performing the search may shorten the time it takes to
get a Name Reservation completed by reducing rejections.Domestic Name Reservation – 8/2011 Page 1 of 3
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3. The request for name reservation is submitted by and for the use of (this information will appear on the certificate):
Name (entity or individual):
Address:
4. The certification of name reservation is to be mailed to:
Mailing Address (If the certificate is to be held for pick-up, Hold For Pickup must be typed in this line.)
Date Name of Requester
If the requester is, a Service Provider using a prepaid account:
Acct Name: Acct Number:
$10.00 Standard Processing or $25.00 Expedited Processing
Credit Card Payment Option (must be completed and signed):
$10.00 standard processing option (processing timeframe depends on volume and staffing – no
timeframe can be guaranteed or estimated)$25.00 expedited processing option (processed within approximately 3 business days after date of
receipt)Card Type: (Visa, MC, Discover & AmEx)
Card Number: Expiration Mo/Yr: /
Card Holder Name:
Complete Billing Address:
Street or PO City State ZipSignature of Card Holder:
MUST be signed in order to process.Domestic Name Reservation – 8/2011 Page 2 of 3
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Informational Only/Do Not Send With Request
Online Service Available:
The name reservation request may be fully processed in real-time online. Go to www.sos.alabama.gov and click on the
Business Services tab. Scroll down to the Online Services link beneath the Business Entities subheading. Non-
subscribers pay a $28 fee with a credit card and receive the reservation by printing it immediately at the end of the
process.Mailing of Certifications of Name Registration:
All documents are mailed standard USPS unless preaddressed envelopes with special postage or overnight courier
envelopes are included with the request. Any overnight courier envelopes must have a completed airbill showing no
reference to the Office of the Secretary of State, with the billing information completed and clearly marked “bill
recipient.” Reservations will not be faxed or emailed (see Online Service Available above).Status of Request:
If a status of the request is needed, please go to www.sos.alabama.gov and click on the Government Records tab. Under
that tab, there is a link for Business Entity Records, select it. The screen that appears will offer a variety of ways to
search. Search by the entity name – that screen will list the “filings completed through” date to show the date through
which processing has been completed. Enter the name just as filed following the instructions on the screen with regard to
punctuation, etc. to determine if the request has been processed. If you do not have evidence of receipt and the request
was not completed by the appropriate “through date,” we have to assume that the request never got into the office – the
only way to obtain a receipt is through registered mail or courier service. If there is an issue about the status of a request,
email the details and a copy of the receipt of delivery to [email protected] and a supervisor will
research the problem and respond in the order in which the email was received. Please do not call the office or come in
with a question about status as research time is required and every call slows processing procedures. If processing time is
an issue the Online Service is the fastest method of processing available.Name requirements of Title 10A:
Corporations: The name of a corporation must contain the word “corporation” or “incorporated”; or an abbreviation of
one of those words. Exceptions are: nonprofit corporations, banks, trust companies, savings and loan associations, or
insurance companies. [10A-1-5.04] Professional Corporations: The name of a professional corporation must contain the
words “professional corporation” or the abbreviation “P.C.” or “P C”. [10A-1-5.08]Limited Liability Companies (LLC): The name of a limited liability company must contain the words “Limited Liability
Company” or the abbreviation “L.L.C.” or “LLC”. [10A-1-5.06]Limited Partnerships: The name of a limited partnership that is not a limited liability limited partnership must contain the
phrase “limited partnership” or “Limited,” or the abbreviation “L.P.,” “LP,” or “Ltd.” and must not contain the phrase
“limited liability limited partnership” or the abbreviation “LLLP” or “L.L.L.P.”. The name of a limited partnership may
not contain the following words: “bank,” “banking,” “banker,” “trust,” “insurance,” “insurer,” “corporation,”
“incorporated,” or any abbreviation of such words. [10A-9-1.08]Limited Liability Limited Partnerships: The name of a limited liability limited partnership must contain the phrase
“limited liability limited partnership” or the abbreviation “LLLP” or “L.L.L.P.” and must not contain the phrase “limited
partnership” or the term “Limited,” or the abbreviation “L.P.,” “LP,” or “Ltd.”. [10A-9-1.08]Names Requiring Letters from Other Agencies: any banking entity will need a letter from the Alabama Banking
Commissioner’s Office and any insurance entity will need a letter from the Alabama Insurance Commissioner’s Office.Names Requiring Evidence of Licensing: any name using a professional designation in the name (i.e., engineering).
Domestic Name Reservation – 8/2011 Page 3 of 3