To change an LLC name in NY, you file a Certificate of Amendment with the New York Department of State under Limited Liability Company Law § 211, pay a $60 filing fee, and then notify the IRS, FinCEN, and anyone else who holds your business under its old name.1New York State Department of State. Certificate of Amendment for Domestic Limited Liability Companies Name-change-only amendments can be filed online and are usually processed within minutes. Before you file, confirm the new name is legally available and get the approval your operating agreement requires.
Check That the New Name Is Available and Compliant
Your proposed name has to be distinguishable from every other active business entity registered in New York. Search the Department of State’s Corporation and Business Entity Database to see whether the name is already in use or too close to an existing filing.
New York law also requires every LLC name to end with “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” No other abbreviation is allowed.2New York State Senate. New York Limited Liability Company Law 204 – Limited Liability Company Name Beyond that, some words are banned outright and others need agency sign-off before the Department of State will accept your filing.
Words You Cannot Use
An LLC name cannot contain words that suggest a different type of entity. Prohibited terms (and their abbreviations or derivatives) include “corporation,” “incorporated,” “partnership,” “cooperative,” “attorney,” “board of trade,” “chamber of commerce,” “state police,” “state trooper,” “community renewal,” “urban development,” “urban relocation,” and “tenant relocation.”2New York State Senate. New York Limited Liability Company Law 204 – Limited Liability Company Name
Words That Need Agency Approval
A long list of regulated-industry words can only appear in your LLC name if the relevant state agency approves in writing first. Financial terms such as “bank,” “insurance,” “mortgage,” “loan,” “finance,” “investment,” “savings,” “trust,” “bond,” and “annuity” require written approval from the Superintendent of Financial Services.3Department of Financial Services. Approval of the Superintendent to Use Certain Words in the Titles of Corporations Education-related terms like “school,” “university,” “college,” “academy,” “museum,” and “library” require Board of Regents approval. “Exchange” requires the Attorney General’s approval. “Blind” and “handicapped” require approval from the Department of Social Services.2New York State Senate. New York Limited Liability Company Law 204 – Limited Liability Company Name
If your name includes any restricted word, attach the agency’s written approval when you file the Certificate of Amendment. Without it, the Department of State will reject the filing.
Get Member or Manager Approval
Before you file anything with the state, check your operating agreement for the procedure to approve a name change. Most agreements require a vote of the members or managers, often at a majority or supermajority threshold. If your operating agreement is silent on amendments, New York law generally requires a majority vote of the members.
Document the approval in a written resolution signed by the voting parties. Keep that resolution with your other company records alongside the operating agreement. It is the proof you went through the right internal process if a lender, court, or future member ever asks.
File the Certificate of Amendment
Once you have internal approval and a compliant name, prepare a Certificate of Amendment under LLC Law § 211.1New York State Department of State. Certificate of Amendment for Domestic Limited Liability Companies The certificate must state:
- The LLC’s current legal name, exactly as it appears in state records
- The date the original Articles of Organization were filed
- The new LLC name, including the required “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” or “Limited Liability Company” designator
- The county where the LLC’s office is located
- The signature, name, and address of an authorized person, such as a member or manager
Online Filing
Name-change-only amendments can be filed online through the Department of State’s website. Online filers get an email acknowledgment with a filing receipt as a PDF within minutes. You can also request add-on documents at filing time, such as a certified copy of the amendment or a certificate of existence.4New York State Department of State. Certificate of Amendment (Name Change Only) for Domestic Limited Liability Companies
Mail Filing
If you need to amend more than the name, or just prefer paper, mail the completed Certificate of Amendment to the Division of Corporations, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231-0001. Payment can be by money order, Visa, or Mastercard, payable to the Department of State.5New York State Department of State. DOS-1336-f – Document and Certificate Cover Sheet
Filing Fee and Expedited Options
The standard filing fee is $60.6New York State Department of State. Fee Schedules For mail filings, three expedited tiers are available on top of the $60 base fee, per document:
- 24-hour processing: $25
- Same-day processing: $75
- Two-hour processing: $150
Online name-change filings usually process within minutes, so expedited handling is rarely worth paying for.6New York State Department of State. Fee Schedules
No Newspaper Publication Required
New York’s newspaper publication requirement applies only to the initial Articles of Organization, not to amendments.7New York State Senate. New York Limited Liability Company Law 206 – Affidavits of Publication You do not need to publish notice of a name change in any newspaper.
Notify the IRS
A name change does not require a new Employer Identification Number. Your existing EIN stays with the LLC.8Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN You do, however, have to tell the IRS about the new name, and the method depends on how your LLC is taxed:9Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
- LLC taxed as a partnership: check the name change box on Line G, Box 3 of Form 1065 when you file your next return. If you have already filed for the current year, send a signed letter from a partner to the IRS address where you filed.
- LLC taxed as a corporation: check the name change box on Form 1120 (Line E, Box 3) or Form 1120-S (Line H, Box 2). If you have already filed, send a signed letter from a corporate officer.
- Single-member LLC treated as a disregarded entity: send a signed written statement from the owner to the IRS address where you file your return, telling them about the new name.
Form 8822-B often comes up in this context, but it is for changes of address or responsible party, not name changes.10Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business
File an Updated Beneficial Ownership Report
Under the Corporate Transparency Act, most LLCs have to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. A legal name change is a change to previously reported company information, which triggers a 30-day deadline to file an updated BOI report.11FinCEN.gov. Frequently Asked Questions
As of early 2025, a federal court order has paused enforcement of BOI reporting, and companies are not currently subject to liability for failing to file while that order is in effect.12FinCEN.gov. BOI Reporting Filing Dates That status can change, so check FinCEN’s website before assuming you can skip this step.
Update Trademarks, Banks, Licenses, and Contracts
After the state confirms your filing, work your way through the places that still carry your old name.
Federal Trademarks
If your LLC owns any federal trademark registrations or pending applications, update the owner name on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A legal name change requires recording an assignment through the USPTO’s Assignment Center, even though ownership itself has not changed. Just editing the owner name on a form without recording the assignment can trigger an office action and hold up your trademark filings.13USPTO. Correcting the Owner Name in Online Forms
Internal Records
Update your operating agreement to reflect the new legal name. If your LLC issues membership certificates, reissue them under the new name.
Financial Accounts and Vendors
Contact your bank to update your business accounts. Most banks will ask for a copy of the filed Certificate of Amendment or a certificate of existence. Update insurance policies, lines of credit, and merchant processing accounts. Send a new IRS Form W-9 to any client or vendor that pays your LLC, since the name on the W-9 should match the name on your tax return.14IRS.gov. Form W-9 (Rev. March 2024)
Local Licenses and Permits
Business licenses and permits issued by your city or county also need to match your state records. In New York City, businesses licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection have to report a name change to that agency after state approval, and daily fines can accrue for failing to update.15NYC311. Business Name or Address Change Ask your local licensing authority what documentation they want.
Existing Contracts
A name change does not void or alter your existing contracts. Your LLC is the same legal entity with the same rights and obligations. Even so, notifying counterparties and signing short amendments that substitute the new name into active contracts avoids confusion, especially with banks, landlords, and major vendors.
State Employment Accounts
If your LLC has employees, notify the New York Department of Labor to update your unemployment insurance account and other state payroll tax accounts. Out-of-date records can slow down processing of quarterly wage reports.