Florida LLC Name Reservation — Hold Your Name for 120 Days

If you have found an available LLC name through your name search but are not ready to file your Articles of Organization immediately, you can reserve the name with the Florida Division of Corporations. A name reservation holds your chosen name for 120 days, preventing anyone else from filing an entity with that name during the reservation period. The fee is $25, filed through Sunbiz.org.

This is an optional step in the LLC formation process. If you are ready to file your Articles of Organization now, skip the reservation and proceed directly to filing — your name becomes yours once the Articles are accepted.

How Name Reservation Works in Florida

Under §605.0112, the Division of Corporations accepts name reservations that hold a name exclusively for the applicant:

• Fee: $25 (non-refundable)
• Duration: 120 days from the date the reservation is filed
• Filed through: Sunbiz.org (electronic filing)
• Transferable: Yes — a name reservation can be transferred to another person or entity
• Renewable: No — you cannot extend a reservation. If it expires, you must file a new reservation ($25 again) and hope the name has not been taken in the interim
• Cancellable: Yes — you can cancel the reservation before it expires, but the $25 fee is not refunded

Important: A name reservation does not create an LLC. It simply holds the name. You must still file Articles of Organization (Form INHS18, $125) to actually form the LLC.

When You Need a Name Reservation

A name reservation makes sense when:

1. You are coordinating with business partners — You need time to finalize your operating agreement, agree on ownership percentages, or get all members' information before filing.

2. You are waiting on professional licensing — If forming a Professional LLC, you may need to confirm your license status or get approval from your professional board before filing.

3. You are applying for external funding — Investors or lenders may want to see your business plan before you incur formation costs, but you want to lock in the name.

4. You found the perfect name but have not selected a registered agent — You need a few days to engage a registered agent service or confirm that a Florida-resident individual will serve.

5. You are forming near year-end and want a January effective date — Reserve the name now, then file Articles of Organization with a January 1 effective date. This pushes your first annual report to May 1 of the following year, giving you maximum time before the $138.75 fee is due.

When You Do NOT Need a Name Reservation

Skip the reservation and file directly if:

• You have all your information ready (registered agent, addresses, management structure)
• You are forming a simple single-member LLC with no partners to coordinate with
• You are comfortable paying $125 today — the name is secured the moment your Articles are submitted to Sunbiz.org, even before processing is complete
• You are using a formation service (like ours) that files on your behalf quickly

How to File a Name Reservation on Sunbiz.org

1. Navigate to sunbiz.org
2. Select "Start a Business" from the top navigation
3. Choose "Name Reservation" (not "Florida Limited Liability Company")
4. Enter the exact name you want to reserve, including the "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company" designator
5. Enter the applicant's name and address (this is who holds the reservation)
6. Pay $25 by credit or debit card
7. Submit — you will receive a confirmation with the reservation number and expiration date

The reservation is effective immediately upon filing. The name will no longer appear as "available" in Sunbiz.org search results — it will show as "Reserved" until the 120-day period expires or you file your Articles of Organization.

What Happens When the 120 Days Expires

If you do not file Articles of Organization before the reservation expires:

• The reservation simply lapses
• The name becomes available again for anyone to use
• You receive no refund of the $25 fee
• If you still want the name, you must file a new reservation ($25) — assuming no one else has taken it
• There is no grace period after expiration

Timing tip: If you reserved a name and are approaching the 120-day expiration, file your Articles of Organization before it lapses. The $125 formation filing secures the name permanently (as long as you maintain your LLC in good standing with annual reports).

Name Reservation vs. Fictitious Name Registration

These are different filings with different purposes:

If you already have an LLC and want to operate under an additional brand name, that is a fictitious name registration — not a name reservation. See our LLC vs DBA guide for details.

FAQ

Can someone else take my name during the 120-day reservation?

No. That is the entire purpose of the reservation — it blocks anyone else from filing an entity with that name (or a name not distinguishable from it) during the 120-day period. Your name is protected until the reservation expires or you use it by filing Articles of Organization.

Is the $25 fee refundable if I decide not to form my LLC?

No. The $25 name reservation fee is non-refundable regardless of whether you proceed with formation. You can cancel the reservation early, but you will not receive a refund.

Can I transfer my name reservation to someone else?

Yes. Florida allows name reservations to be transferred. This can be useful if you reserved a name personally but want to have a different person or entity file the Articles of Organization. File the transfer through Sunbiz.org.

What if my reserved name gets rejected when I file Articles of Organization?

This is rare but possible if the Division identifies a conflict that was not caught during the reservation process. If this happens, contact the Division of Corporations to resolve the discrepancy — a successful reservation strongly suggests the name should be accepted.

Should I reserve a name or just file my LLC?

If you can file today, just file. The name is secured the moment you submit your Articles of Organization through Sunbiz.org — even before the Division processes it (since submissions are timestamped and processed first-come, first-served). The $25 reservation fee is only worthwhile if you genuinely need time before you are ready to file.