Natalie E. Tennant Penney Barker, Manager
Secretary of State Corporations Division
1900 Kanawha Blvd E. Tel: (304)558-8000
Bldg. 1, Suite 157-K Fax: (304)558-8381
Charleston, WV 25305 Website: www.wvsos.com
E-mail: business@wvsos.com
FILE ONE ORIGINAL
(Two if you want a filed Office Hours: Monday Friday
stamped copy returned to you) Hrs: 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. ET
FEE: $15.00
1. I want to reserve the following name for a
period of one hundred twenty (120) days: ___________________________________________________
2. The name will be used for a (check one):
Corporation Limited Liability Company Limited Partnership
Business Trust Voluntary Association Limited Liability Partnership
3. The person or company reserving this
name intends to (check one):
4. The name and address of the Name: _______________________________________
applicant (person or company) is:
Street: Street Address: _______________________________________
City/State/Zip: _______________________________________
5.
Signature information (see *Important Legal Notice Regarding Signature in the attached instructions):
Signature: ____________________________________ Date: ______________________________
Title: ______________________________
Important Note: This form is a public document. Please DO NOT provide any personal identifiable information on this form
such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, tax identification or driver’s license numbers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
(For office use only)
TO THE APPLICANT:
The name is reserved for the exclusive use of the applicant for one hundred twenty (120) days
beginning ______________________ and ending ___________________________.
The name is NOT available (see attached name conflict), and the application is accordingly denied.
NATALIE E. TENNANT
Secretary of State BY:_____________________________________
Business & Licensing Clerk
Form NR-1 Issued by the Office of the Secretary of State Revised 11/14
APPLICATION FOR
NAME RESERVATION
Change existing (present) company name.
Organize as a West Virginia company.
Qualify as a foreign company in West Virginia the
original state of registration is
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING APPLICATION FOR NAME RESERVATION
BEFORE you fill out the application: The name you select will be approved only if it is available--that is, if the name is not the
same as and is distinguishable from any other name which has been reserved or filed. Before you prepare this application, call the
Corporations Division at (304)558-8000 to find out if the name you have chosen is available. A telephone check on availability
of a name is NOT a guarantee, but it will help find a name you can use. Once your name reservation application is approved,
you are guaranteed exclusive use of the name for 120 days, enough time to prepare and submit the actual filing to establish or
authorize the type of business you will form.
FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION:
1) The requirements for the name of the new company depends on the laws for each company type.
All company types The name may not contain any word or phrase which implies that it is organized for any purpose
other than the stated purpose of the company.
The terms “banking” and/or “insurance” cannot be used in the business name if the
business activity does not include “banking” and/or “insurance.
Words such as “engineer” or “engineering” may only be used if the purpose is to
practice professional engineering and one of the principals is a registered WV
professional engineer.
Some licensed professions have specific requirements and prohibitions.
The term “911” is prohibited.
Any company which is not a corporation may not use the corporate terms listed below.
Corporation The name must include one of these words or abbreviations:
Incorporated; Corporation; Company; Limited; Inc.; Corp.; Co.; Ltd.
Limited Liability The name must include one of these terms or abbreviations:
Company
Limited Liability Company; Limited Company; L.L.C.; LLC; L.C.; LC; Ltd. Co.
Professional companies must first obtain board approval for the name and must use either:
Professional Limited Liability Company; Professional L.L.C.; Professional LLC;
P.L.L.C.; PLLC
Limited Liability The name must include one of these terms or abbreviations:
Partnership
Registered Limited Liability Partnership; L.L.P.; LLP
Limited Partnership The name must include one of these terms or abbreviations:
Limited Partnership; Ltd. Partnership; L.P.; LP
The name may not contain the name of a limited partner unless that person or company
is also a general partner, or unless the business has been carried on under the name
before that limited partner was admitted.
Voluntary Association May not include any term indicating it is incorporated.
& Business Trust
2) Sole Proprietorships, General Partnerships and/or Joint Ventures may not reserve a name with the Secretary of State.
These types of business structures form through the West Virginia State Tax Department. Check the type of company you
plan to form, and make sure the name you propose meets those requirements.
3) Check the reason you are reserving the name.
4) When you are ready to register the company, the person who signs as the applicant to reserve the name will be required to file
the company formation documents with Secretary of State. The applicant is essentially the owner of the name for 120 days.
The applicant should be a principal of the company.
Form NR-1 Issued by the Office of the Secretary of State Revised 11/14
5) Signature of the applicant and Date the application is signed.
*Important Legal Notice Regarding Signature:
Corporations/Voluntary Associations/Business Trusts/Unincorporated Nonprofit Associations/Limited Partnerships -
Per West Virginia Code §31D-1-129
. Penalty for signing false document. Any person who
signs a
document he or she
knows is false in any material respect and knows that the document is to be delivered to the Secretary of State for filing is
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more
than one
thousand dollars or confined in the
county or regional jail not more than one year, or both. Limited Liability Companies/Limited Liability Partnerships - Per
West Virginia Code
§31B-2-209. Liability for false statement in filed record. If a record authorized or required to be filed
under this chapter contains a false statement, one who suffers loss by reliance on the statement may recover damages for the
loss from a person who signed the record or caused another to sign it on the person's behalf and knew the statement to be
false at the time the record was signed.
Note: A reserved name may be transferred from any other person or company by filing with the Secretary of State a Notice of
Transfer executed by the applicant for whom the name was reserved, specify the name and address of the transferee.
Important Note: This form is a public document. Please DO NOT provide any personal identifiable information on this form
such as social security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, tax identification or driver’s license numbers.
SUBMIT THE COMPLETED APPLICATION ALONG WITH PAYMENT TO THE ADDRESS
AT THE TOP OF THE APPLICATION.
Filing Fee -- $15 Make checks payable to the West Virginia Secretary of State.
Form NR-1 Issued by the Office of the Secretary of State Revised 11/14