How to Conduct a South Dakota Business Entity Search

The South Dakota business entity search, more commonly called the business information search, is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to learn more about registered businesses in the state. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur who wants to request a Certificate of Good Standing or a growing business that needs to verify the standing of a potential business partner, the business information search is a valuable tool.

The South Dakota name availability search is another valuable resource, especially for soon-to-be business owners who need to check if their desired name is available.

But using these searches can feel a little overwhelming, especially if you’ve never used tools like them before. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll walk you through how to use both the business information search and the name availability search. We’ll also talk through some important business name guidelines and what you should do after searching a business name.

Let’s get started.

South Dakota Secretary of State Contact Information

South Dakota Business Name Guidelines

When you’re starting a business, one of the most important things you’ll do is pick your business name. And like other states, South Dakota has several rules about naming your business. 

First, your name needs to be different from the names of other registered companies in South Dakota, including both domestic and foreign corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and so on. This is one of the simplest but most important naming standards. 

That said, uniqueness isn’t the only naming guideline to adhere to. Here are a few other rules your South Dakota business name should follow: 

• Your business name needs to include a designator.
  • For example, corporations need to include the word “incorporated,” “company,” “corporation,” or “limited.” Abbreviations of these words are also acceptable. 
  • Meanwhile, LLCs need to include the phrase “limited liability company” or “limited company.” You can abbreviate “limited” as “Ltd.” or company as “Co.” The abbreviations “LLC” or “LC” (with or without periods) are also acceptable.
• Your name can’t state or imply that you’re conducting activities that aren’t permitted by law or by your company’s formation documents.

If you’re in a licensed trade or profession, keep in mind that you’ll need to meet any naming rules that your industry has in place, too. If your business name doesn’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to pick a new one. 

How to Run a South Dakota Secretary of State Business Search by Company Name

The South Dakota business information search actually provides two primary search types: by business name or by business ID number. The Secretary of State’s office also offers another tool, the name availability search. We’ll cover all of these search types throughout this guide, but in this section, we’ll focus on the name search process.

Step 1: Set up your search

To get started, you’ll need to navigate to the search homepage. Here, you’ll be able to pick your search type and set a couple different filters.

You could simply type a business name into the search bar and get going, but before you do, keep in mind that this search tool offers a couple filter options. For starters, the “Active Entities Only” box underneath the search bar allows you to include or exclude inactive business entities in your search results.

You can also choose between a “Starts With” or “Contains” search; these options can be especially helpful if you don’t know the full business name that you’re searching. The “Starts With” search will show you business names that begin with the same words as your search terms. Meanwhile, the “Contains” setting will show you all the business names that include your search terms somewhere in the name.

Set the filters that best meet your search goals. Then, type your search terms into the bar and click “Search” or hit “Enter.”

Step 2: Review your search results

The state database will retrieve a list of each entity that has a business name that matches your search terms. For example, here’s what we saw when we searched the name “Smith.”

On this first page, you’ll see the business ID, type, name, name type (entity name, foreign registered name, old name, reserved name, or DBA/fictitious name), filing date, and status for each matching business entity. You can also see the company’s formation state immediately under its name. If you’d like to learn more about a specific entity, click on its ID number.

The business entity detail page will show you more information about the company, including its duration, how it’s managed (for LLCs), stock information (for a South Dakota corporation), principal office address, annual report due date, and more. You’ll also see the name and address of the company’s registered agent.

At the top of the page, you can access certain filing activities for the entity, including filing an annual report, requesting a Certificate of Good Standing, filing a Statement of Change, or requesting certified copies.

Finally, at the bottom of the page, you can view the company’s filing history, including annual reports, initial filings (such as the Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation), and more.

How to Search the South Dakota SOS by Business ID Number

Often, the business ID search is a much more direct search method than a business name search. The South Dakota Secretary of State assigns a unique ID number to every business that registers with their office; searching that ID will retrieve the listing for that specific business.

Running this search is pretty straightforward; simply navigate to the search homepage. Then, type the business ID into the second search bar and click “Search.”

As long as you typed the number correctly, you’ll see a listing for the business with that ID. For example, here’s what our results looked like when we searched the ID number for our example business above.

As before, you can click on the business ID number to review the company’s information, request certificates or certified copies, and more.

How to Run a Name Availability Search

Unlike some states, South Dakota actually offers a dedicated name availability search tool that you can use to check if your desired business name is available or not. It’s pretty easy to use, too.

To start, simply open the search page (linked above). Then, type in the exact name you’re hoping to use (minus entity type identifiers like “Inc.” or “LLC”). Click “Search.”

Ideally, you’ll see a message that reads, “No results found.” If that happens, there’s a very good chance that your name is available. This tool is kept pretty up to date, but the Secretary of State will have the final say about availability when you submit reservation paperwork or register your business.

If your desired name isn’t available, the tool will pull up the information for the registered business that already has a claim to that name. If this happens, you’ll need to edit your name or pick a different name altogether so you have one that’s unique.

Note: the name availability search is an exact search; it won’t retrieve variations of a name. If you want to search variations, run a business information search.

What to Do After Searching Business Names in South Dakota

After you’ve come up with a name and searched it, you’re probably feeling like you’ve done a lot of legwork. You’d hate for that hard work to go to waste, right? Here are some steps you can take to protect your South Dakota business name and make the most of it. 

Reserve your South Dakota business name (optional)

If you’ve picked the perfect business name but you’re not quite ready to file your business formation paperwork, South Dakota allows you to reserve a business name.

You can make a name reservation by filing an Application for Reservation of Name form with the Secretary of State (make sure you get the version that matches your business type). Currently, both LLCs and corporations pay $25 for this form. 

After your paperwork is filed and approved, your name reservation will be valid for 120 days. You can renew the reservation during the final 60 days of the reservation period (if needed). This step is optional, and you should only pursue it if you’ve picked a name but aren’t ready to file your formation paperwork yet.

Form an LLC or register your business

One of the best ways to protect your business name is to register your business. After you register a business under your chosen name, no one else in the state will be able to register their own company with the same name. 

Registering a South Dakota business is an important legal process. Learn more about starting a South Dakota LLC. 

Get a domain name that matches

You want your customers to find your business website easily. That means you need a domain name that matches your business name as closely as possible. A matching domain will help your brand maintain consistency both in person and online.

If you’re struggling to come up with a domain name (or the one that matches your name is already taken), try using a domain name generator. A generator can help you come up with a domain that matches your brand image. 

Set up your business online

Today, you can’t run a business without a good digital footprint. A good business website is a decent starting point. But don’t stop there; set up social media accounts like a Facebook page, a TikTok profile, and an Instagram account. Make sure your business name is included on each account so your brand is consistent across your online presence.

Last but not least, set up a Google Business Profile for your business (or claim it if it already exists). This profile will help you direct customers to your website or your store location. Plus, it’ll help you respond to customer reviews and build a good brand reputation in the Mount Rushmore State.

Trademark your business name (optional)

If you want the most robust protections for your business name, you could pursue trademark registration. Trademarks can be registered at the state or federal level (with federal protections being the strongest). 

Getting a trademark can be pretty complicated and time-consuming. If you go this route, it’s highly recommended to work with a trademark attorney.