One quick search can help set your business up for success in the Old Line State.
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by Connor Beaulieu
Connor is a content strategist, journalist, and legal writer living and working in Chicago. Over the past decade, he'...
Updated on: August 29, 2024 · 3 min read
Aspiring Maryland business owners can perform a business search on the state’s Business Express website.
If you're like most people starting a new business, you likely have a thousand things to remember and priorities to sort. Even so, taking the time to perform a quick, free business search can save you significant time and frustration later on.
Website: https://egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress/
Phone: (410) 767-1330
Address: 700 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21202
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST)
Email: https://egov.maryland.gov/support?website=CBLP#email
From start to finish, an official business search only takes four simple steps:
Fortunately for Maryland business owners, the state provides an entire website dedicated to helping you form and grow your business. Simply navigate to the Business Express website and find their "Business Entity Search" page.
Once there, choose how you'd like to search for businesses. People commonly use a business name for their search, but you can also use a trade name, department ID, or resident agent.
Depending on your goals, you may be looking for anything from business names similar to yours to a list of potential Maryland-based competitors in your specific niche such as a coffee shop.
While this is an optional step, consider downloading or printing copies of the information you found most valuable during your search.
Most importantly, a quick business entity search can help prevent your business registration from being rejected outright. Besides that, however, it can also ward off a number of other issues, such as marketing and branding challenges, increased SEO difficulties, and even legal disputes with similarly named competitors.
Just like with other states, Maryland maintains a list of rules to follow when naming your company:
With any luck, your first choice of business name will be available in Maryland. Even if it is, however, you still might consider doing a little more research.
Even if your business name is available in Maryland, it's no guarantee that the exact domain name will be available, too. Before committing to a name, check whether you'll be able to get a domain name for your business' website that aligns closely with it. Online tools and services such as GoDaddy can help you check domain names. Brand consistency is important, so don't settle for anything too far off the mark.
Just like you checked for available domains, you should also check Facebook, Instagram, X, and other social media platforms to see if you can get a handle identical to your business name. While it's rare to get an exact match (especially on multiple platforms), getting as close as possible is typically your best bet.
Unlike social media or domain names, a trademark search is a legal necessity for keeping your business clear of any unnecessary litigation. Before choosing a business name, always make sure that the name won't infringe on any registered trademarks (especially for companies known to be particularly litigious).
Once you've done your initial research, it's time to move to the next steps of your entrepreneurial journey. If you haven't already, consider:
Regardless of which path you take, remember that there are experienced, dedicated professionals on hand to help you succeed.
Maryland's Business Express website provides a number of tools for business owners, including help registering and obtaining business licenses.
Even if there are other businesses with relatively similar names in the state, consider using design elements, such as a unique graphic symbol or logo, to help your company stand out.
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