About Name Reservations

In the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Corporation’s Division, a corporate name “may not be the same as, or so similar as to be likely to be mistaken for” the name of any other existing corporation or other entity authorized to transact business in the commonwealth or any reserved name.

If a corporation or other business entity wishes to reserve a corporate name prior to incorporating or filing a certificate with the Corporations Division, a name reservation may be filed in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 156D, s. 4.02.

A person may reserve a corporate name, including a fictitious name for foreign corporations whose corporate name is not available, by delivering the following to the Secretary of the Commonwealth:

• An Application of Reservation of Name (PDF)
• A filing fee of thirty dollars ($30.00)

If the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Corporations Division finds that the corporate name applied for is available, the name will be reserved for the exclusive use of the applicant for a sixty-day (60) period.  During the sixty days, the applicant may extend the reservation for an additional sixty days, with an additional thirty dollars ($30.00).

A preliminary search of both the corporate database and the name reservation database may check name availability.