How to Change Your Business Name in Texas
To change the legal name of a business formed in Texas, such as an LLC, corporation, limited partnership, or nonprofit, the entity files a Certificate of Amendment (Form 424) with the Texas Secretary of State. The new name takes effect when the state files the amendment.
Before it can be filed, two things have to be true. The change must be approved the way Texas law and your governing documents require, which differs by entity type. And the new name must be available, meaning it is distinguishable from every other name on file with the state, and it ends with the right designation, such as LLC or Inc.
Two situations change the plan. If your business is forfeited, reinstatement has to come first. And if you want to keep your legal name and add a second name your business can operate under, that's a DBA, not a name change.
Let us handle the filing from start to finish. We check your status, screen your new name, and file the Certificate of Amendment with the Texas Secretary of State. One flat fee from $399 (or $199 for nonprofits and cooperatives), state filing fee included.
Who has to approve a business name change in Texas?
Approval depends on your entity type. Texas sets a default rule for each, and your governing documents can add or change their own steps.
Entity type | Default approval for a name change |
LLC | All members |
For-profit corporation | Board resolution, then two-thirds of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, or unanimous written consent. If no shares have been issued, the board alone |
Nonprofit with voting members | Board resolution, then two-thirds of the votes the members present were entitled to cast |
Nonprofit with no voting members | A majority of the board |
Limited partnership | The general partners |
Cooperative association | Two-thirds of the board proposes it, two-thirds of the members voting adopt it, and it must be filed within 30 days |
The LLC rule is the one that catches owners off guard. If your LLC has a member who has stepped back from the business, their approval is still part of the default rule.
Why would Texas reject a business name change?
Most rejections come down to the name itself. Texas will not file an amendment if the new name is the same as, deceptively similar to, or similar to the name of an existing entity, a name reservation, or a name registration. The name also has to include the designation for your entity type.
The state makes its final decision on a name only when it processes the filing. A preliminary clearance is not a guarantee, and approval by the state does not give you the right to use a name that infringes someone else's rights to it.
Status is the other common problem. A forfeited entity cannot amend its certificate of formation, so a forfeited business needs Texas reinstatement before a name change can go through.
That's why every Aureus order starts with a status check at both the Secretary of State and the Comptroller, followed by a screening of your new name. You give us an alternate name when you order. If your first choice won't clear, we already have a backup ready before anything goes to the state.
Worried your new name won’t clear? We screen it before anything is filed, and you give us an alternate when you order, so a backup is ready before the state sees anything.
Should I add a DBA instead of changing my legal name?
A DBA adds a name to your existing business. Your legal name stays the same, and the business can operate under both. A Texas LLC, corporation, or limited partnership adds a DBA by filing an Assumed Name Certificate tied to the entity already on file with the state. The state does not reject a DBA because another business uses the same name, and filing one gives you no exclusive right to it.
Change your legal name when the new name replaces the old one. Add a DBA when you want to keep your legal name and also operate under another, such as for a new product line or location.
What else changes after a Texas business name change?
The amendment updates the Secretary of State's record and nothing else.
If your business already has a DBA on file, a change in your legal name makes that certificate out of date, and Texas generally requires a new assumed name certificate within 60 days. You can order the name change and the new DBA together, and retire the old DBA in the same order.
Your bank, the IRS, licensing agencies, and contracts are all updated separately by you. None of that should happen until the state confirms the amendment is filed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start using my new business name before the change is filed?
Not as your legal name. The change takes effect when the state files the amendment. Hold off on printing materials or signing contracts under the new name until the filing is confirmed.
What if another business already has the name I want in Texas?
If the name isn't distinguishable from one already on file, the state won't accept it. That's why we screen your name before filing and ask for an alternate when you order. If none of your names clear, we contact you for another before anything is submitted.
Can a forfeited Texas LLC change its name?
Not while it is forfeited, because a forfeited entity cannot amend its certificate of formation. Reinstatement comes first. If another business took your name while you were forfeited, the state can require a name change as part of reinstatement.
My LLC was formed in another state. Can I change its name in Texas?
Not with a Certificate of Amendment. A business formed in another state changes its name in its home state first, then updates its Texas registration, which is a different filing. Our name change service covers businesses formed in Texas. If yours was formed elsewhere, contact us.
How long does a Texas business name change take?
We file within one business day of a complete order and a cleared name screen. After that, timing depends on the Secretary of State's processing, which we don't control. We send your filed copy as soon as the state accepts it.
Ready to make it official? Start with a free status check. If your business is in good standing, we file within one business day of a complete order and a cleared name screen, and send your filed copy electronically.
