How to Change Your Kentucky Business Name

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How to Get a New Business Name in Kentucky

Choose a new business name
Gather information for filing your amendment
File your Kentucky amendment

You may have started and named your company years ago. But, over the years, things change. And as things in your company change over the years, at some point, you may find yourself wondering about the possibility of changing your company’s name. It’s no small matter to alter the name of your company. After years in business, changing your name might confuse your customer base. It will also mean changing anything that bears your company name like your letterhead, business cards, website name, and more. But a new name can also reflect a change in the company that you want the world to know about. Once you’ve decided to change your business’s name, we’re here to help you do this easily. So today, we’ll talk about how to change a business name in Kentucky.

But know that you don’t have to do it on your own. By using our Amendment Filing Service you can be assured that whatever name you choose, it’ll be filed correctly and with little effort.

How to Get a New Business Name

If you already have an existing company registered with the state, you can change your business name in Kentucky by following the process described below.

1.) Choose a new business name

First, you have to choose what your new business name is going to be. This can be the fun part, and you are allowed to get creative if you wish! However, as you think up your new name, you need to keep in mind that there are just a few rules that Kentucky requires you to follow:

Your new name has to be unique
Your new company name has to use the business structure abbreviation at the end of the name, such as “Inc” for a corporation or “LLC” for a limited liability company

The first step is choosing a unique name. But how do you know the name you’re thinking of using is one-of-a-kind? Well, one easy way is to use our Business Name Checker. This will help you check a list of current business names that are being used in Kentucky to see if your new name is already in use. If the name is not currently in use, it’s yours for the asking. And if you’re not ready to change your name immediately, but want to reserve the name so no one snatches it up, you can reserve the name for 120 days.

2.) Gather information for filing your amendment

To change your name — or to make any changes to your business formation documents — you must amend those documents by completing Articles of Amendment. To complete this form, you’ll need the following information:

The current, official name of your company as filed with the state
The date that the company adopted the new name
The text of any amendments being made, including but not limited to the name change
Confirmation that the amendment was properly adopted by the owners of the company
The signature of an authorized party

After you’ve provided all the proper information, signed the document, and submitted it with the proper filing fee, the document will be in effect.

3.) File your Kentucky amendment

The amendment can be filed online at the Kentucky Secretary of State’s website or you can use our Amendment Filing Service. There will be a small, one-time filing fee when you submit the business name change in Kentucky. It’s effective upon receipt by the state. As confirmation, the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office will mail you a postcard detailing the information.

After You Change Your Business Name

Now that you know how to change a business name in Kentucky, you should focus on what to do after the amendment is officially filed. There are things to do to finalize the name change throughout your business:

Change all of your marketing plans
Change all of the legal documents that have the old name
Change contact information online and in the phone book (yes, people still use the phone book)
Change the name with business cards, etc.

We Can Help

Not only can we help you with how to change a business name in Kentucky, but we can help you set up a new business if necessary. Visit our Kansas LLC Formation page and our Kansas Corporation Formation page to learn everything you need to do to create a new company. Once everything is established, use our Worry-Free Compliance Service for protection going into the future.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.

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FAQs

What's the difference between a doing-business-as (DBA) name and business name?
A doing-business-as name is a new name that you’ve decided to use for any number of business purposes. Perhaps you want to establish a branch of your company that is distinguishable in its purpose from the original “umbrella” company, or perhaps you simply thought of a new name you like better — but you don’t want to go through the trouble of changing your original name. Instead, you can just file a DBA name. It’s something that you establish with the state, but it doesn’t replace your old company’s name.
Do I have to change my business name if I have a DBA name?
No. Your original business name will remain intact.
How do I register my business name in Kentucky?
You can use our Name Reservation Service or go to the website of the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office.
How many amendments can I make to my business?
There are technically no limits to the number of amendments you can make. But understand that each amendment filing will require a small filing fee.

Kentucky Business Resources

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