To change your business name, file an amendment to your formation documents with the state where the business is registered, then notify the IRS and update every bank, license, contract, and agency that knows the business by its old name. The state filing is the legally operative step; the notifications that follow are where most of the work sits. Learning how to change your business name is mostly a matter of doing those updates in the right order so nothing falls out of sync.
A name change does not create a new entity, and in almost every case it does not require a new Employer Identification Number. You keep the same EIN and simply tell the IRS the name attached to it has changed.
Confirm the New Name Is Available
Before you file anything, make sure the name you want is actually free to use. Search your state’s business entity database through the Secretary of State’s office. The standard your new name has to meet is “distinguishable on the record” from names already registered, so identical names get rejected, and so do near-identicals that only swap “Inc.” for “LLC” or add “The” to the front.
A state database only covers entities registered in that state. Also search the federal trademark database through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to check for registered trademark conflicts.1United States Patent and Trademark Office. Search Our Trademark Database Businesses skip this step and then find themselves on the receiving end of a cease-and-desist letter months after rebranding. The USPTO recommends going further with a comprehensive clearance search that covers domain name registries and general internet searches for unregistered marks that could still carry common-law rights.2United States Patent and Trademark Office. Comprehensive Clearance Search for Similar Trademarks Check the web domain and the social media handles you use while you’re at it.
Get Internal Approval and File the Amendment
A name change needs formal approval inside the company before it goes to the state. Corporations pass a board resolution followed by a shareholder vote, documented in meeting minutes. Multi-member LLCs approve the change by member resolution or written consent. Check your bylaws or operating agreement, since some require a supermajority for changing the entity’s name.
The state filing document depends on your entity type. Corporations file a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation. LLCs file a Certificate of Amendment or an amended Certificate of Formation, depending on the state. Either way, the form asks for your current legal name, the proposed new name, your state entity identification number, and the date the change was approved internally.
Most states have online filing portals that process amendments in a few business days; paper filings take weeks. Filing fees run anywhere from about $10 to $250 or more depending on the state, entity type, and whether you pay for expedited processing. Order at least one or two certified copies at the time of filing. Banks, insurers, and licensing boards will ask for them, and ordering later means another request and another fee.
Once the amendment is on file, update your internal governing documents to match. Amend corporate bylaws. Update the LLC operating agreement. If your LLC issues membership certificates, reissue them in the new name. These aren’t filed with the state, but they matter if the business is ever sold, audited, or sued.
If You’re a Sole Proprietor or Operate Under a DBA
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships don’t file articles of amendment because they never filed articles of incorporation or formation to begin with. If you operate under a trade name, you change it by filing a new Doing Business As registration, sometimes called a Fictitious Name Statement or Assumed Name Certificate. Fees generally run $10 to $100 depending on whether the filing happens at the state or county level. Some states require you to publish the fictitious name in a local newspaper, which adds roughly $30 to $100 more. If you had a prior DBA, check whether your state wants you to file an abandonment or withdrawal of the old name as a separate step.
Tell the IRS (and Keep Your EIN)
You almost certainly do not need a new EIN. The IRS is explicit that sole proprietors, corporations (including tax-exempt organizations), partnerships, and LLCs do not need a new EIN when they change the business name or location.3Internal Revenue Service. When To Get a New EIN A new EIN is triggered by structural changes such as incorporating a sole proprietorship, forming a new partnership, or changing entity type, not by a name swap.
How you notify the IRS depends on the entity:
- C corporations check the “Name change” box on Form 1120 (Page 1, Line E, Box 3) on the next return filed.
- S corporations check the box on Form 1120-S (Page 1, Line H, Box 2). The IRS notes that S corporations should generally have already amended their articles of incorporation with the state before reporting the change on the return.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1120-S (2025) – Section: Item H
- Partnerships check the box on Form 1065 (Page 1, Line G, Box 3).
- Sole proprietors have no checkbox and instead send a signed letter to the IRS at the address where the last return was filed.5Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
If your return for the current year is already filed, corporations and partnerships report the change by letter to the same IRS address where the return went in, signed by a corporate officer or a partner. You can also use Form 8822-B, which has a dedicated checkbox (Box 4a) for business name changes. Processing typically takes four to six weeks. Don’t attach Form 8822-B to your tax return; it mails separately to a designated IRS address based on your location.6Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
After the change goes through, call the IRS business and specialty tax line to request Letter 147C, which confirms your EIN assignment under the new name.7Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Banks often ask for this letter before they will update accounts, so requesting it early saves time.
Update Bank Accounts, Contracts, and Insurance
Banks will not change the name on a business account over the phone. Expect to bring the certified copy of your amended articles, the board resolution or member consent authorizing the change, and often your Letter 147C. Some banks also accept a filed tax form or updated license. Call ahead to confirm what your bank requires. The same documentation typically satisfies credit card issuers, merchant account processors, and lenders holding active loans in the business’s name.
Active contracts generally don’t become void because you changed your name, but they should be formally updated. A change-of-name agreement or a short contract amendment that substitutes the new name throughout the document is the usual mechanism. For critical vendor relationships, government contracts, and leases, send written notice of the change with a copy of the certified amendment. Some contracts include notification clauses with deadlines or specific procedures when either party changes its legal identity, so review key agreements before assuming a simple letter is enough.
Insurance policies are tied to your legal name. Notify your commercial general liability carrier, professional liability carrier, and any other business insurer promptly with your certified amendment, so there is no gap in coverage or confusion during a claim.
Update Licenses, Permits, and Tax Registrations
The state amendment updates the Secretary of State’s records. It does not cascade to other agencies. You have to separately update:
- State and local tax registrations, including sales tax permits and payroll tax accounts.
- Your state labor department account for unemployment tax purposes. The usual requirement is either the Secretary of State filing showing the name change or an IRS letter reflecting the new name with your EIN.
- Professional licenses, occupational permits, health department permits, and any other regulatory approvals your business holds. Some boards charge a small reissuance fee.
Failing to update permits can trigger fines or a temporary suspension of your authority to operate in a regulated industry. If you hold federal contracts or grants, update your registration in SAM.gov; when the legal business name there no longer matches your records, you may need to open an incident with the Federal Service Desk to reconcile the discrepancy before your registration can renew.
If You’re Registered in More Than One State
If your business is qualified to do business in states beyond its home state, you have to file a name change amendment in every state where you hold a foreign qualification. This is easy to miss. Operating under the old name in a state where you haven’t updated the registration means your filings there don’t match your legal identity, which complicates contracts, litigation, and regulatory compliance in that state.
Each state has its own form and fee. Some want a certified copy of the amendment filed in your home state; others use a standalone form. File in the home state first, order enough certified copies, and work through each foreign-qualified state from a checklist so nothing slips through.
Nonprofits With Tax-Exempt Status
Tax-exempt organizations have an extra reporting layer. An exempt organization that changes its name generally reports the change on its next annual return, such as Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.8Internal Revenue Service. Change of Name – Exempt Organizations Organizations that file Form 990-N, or that want a formal acknowledgment letter, can report the change by letter or fax to IRS Customer Account Services.
The letter must include the prior name, the new name, and the EIN, and must be signed by an officer or trustee who identifies their capacity. The IRS also requires supporting documentation that depends on how the organization is structured:
- Incorporated nonprofits: a copy of the amendment to the articles of incorporation, plus proof it was filed with the state.
- Trusts: a copy of the amendment to the trust instrument, or a signed resolution showing the effective date of the change.
- Unincorporated associations: a copy of the amendment to the articles of association or constitution, showing the effective date and signed by at least two officers, trustees, or members.
The IRS maintains a public database of exempt organizations tied to their legal name. If the name change isn’t reflected there, donors may not be able to verify your tax-exempt status, which can affect contributions and grant eligibility.