Alaska business search
You can search for business entities registered and operating in the state of Alaska by using the official business search tool. It is the Alaska Corporations Database Tool. Read how to access the free tool below.
Official Alaska Corporations Database Tool
Search for business entities on the Secretary of State’s website. It’s free.
Visit Alaska business search tool
Why search for names?
Benefits of entity search tool
Checking entities in a state helps you as a business owner and a concerned citizen
Brand protection
You can check if your brand name is used by another company in a state.
Business expansion
To expand your business to another state, you can see check if your name is taken.
Find the people behind
As a concerned citizen, you can see the individuals and entities behind local businesses.
Trademark research
Before you file for trademarks, it is important to conduct thorough research into existing entity names.
Actions in Alabama
View step-by-step instructions on certain tasks you can do in the state.
How to form an LLC in Alaska?
Follow these 7 steps:
1. Name your LLC
Think about what kind of name would appeal to your customers. Then, show the list to some friends and some customers and get their feedback. If you already have a few names in mind, that's great!
To check if those names are available in the state of Alaska, go to the official entity search tool on the Secretary of State website. It’s free to search.
The state will reserve a name for you for a small fee. The reservation lasts a certain amount of time, after which the name becomes available again. If you file your Articles of Organization with the state, you do not need to reserve a separate name.
Reservation fees
$250
Reservation duration
10 - 15 days
Every Limited Liability Company (LLC) must have the words ‘Limited Liability Company’ or its abbreviation at the end of its name.
Make sure you follow LLC naming guidelines specified by Alaska state as per AS §10.50.020. This includes not using names similar to existing companies, etc.
2. Get a mailing address
If you have a business address in Alaska, you can use that as your official company address. Note that this address will be made public.
You could also choose to have a virtual office address. This means that you pay a business for a street address and they handle all your mailing. You can then give this address to the state.
3. Hire a registered agent
To be the registered agent for your Alaska LLC, you must be a resident of Alaska. However, your details will be made public and you must be available during all business hours to receive service of process.
You can also hire a service to act as your registered agent. This will give you the privacy and freedom that come with not having to worry about compliance.
4. File Articles of Organization
When you have a registered agent and an official office address, you can file Articles of Organization online on Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development website.
Filing fees
$250
Processing time
10 - 15 days
Address
State of Alaska Corporations Section
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811
5. Create an Operating Agreement
In Alaska, operating agreements aren't mandatory, but they're highly recommended. There are online websites to create one. Create one and get it signed by your LLC members.
6. Get Employer Identification Number (EIN)
The Internal Revenue Service uses the Employer Identification Number (EIN) to identify business entities. You can create an EIN for free at the IRS website or by phone.
7. Open a business bank account
It is important to separate your business and personal transactions. You can open a business checking account at a traditional bank like Chase or Wells Fargo, or you can look into modern banking solutions that offer plenty of benefits to entrepreneurs.
Entity name
Every LLC should have a unique name in Alaska. Alaska maintains a list of names of entities in the state. Go through it to check if your chosen name is available.
Search for names
Go to the official website of the Alaska corporations database tool to see if the name you want is available.
Searching fee
Free
Reservation
You can reserve a name for your LLC for a specific duration by paying reservation fees to the Alaska division of corporations, business & professional licensing. You will have to file your LLC formation documents within this period to keep the name. Alternatively, you can directly go ahead with the LLC formation without any reservation. That's fine too.
Reservation fee
$25
Reservation period
120 days
LLC naming guidelines
The name you choose for your LLC must the official naming guidelines.
AS §10.50.020
Visit
Here are some of the guidelines in simple language:
- 1
Must contain the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C.," or "LLC". The word "limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd.," and the word "company" may be abbreviated as "Co."
- 2
Don’t include terms that indicate that you are doing an activity that you are not authorised to do.
- 3
Your name should be ‘distinguishable’ in the Secretary of State records. Adding a punctuation or ‘the’ does not make it distinguishable.
- 4
Don’t use words that makes it seems like you are a governmental entity or has an affiliation.
Operating agreement
Operating agreement is an internal business document that outlines the general rules and policies of the LLC.
Importance
It is not a legally mandatory document. However, it is recommended to have one since many courts, banks and financial institutions use it for verification. It is also nice to clearly outline the duties and relations between multiple members of an LLC—so you avoid any confusion in the future.
Format
There is no ‘required’ format for an operating agreement. You can include anything reasonable in it. In general, it has the following sections:
Basic Business information
Contains name, address, names and details of members, purpose
Member relationship
Contains membership interest, decision making process, powers, duties.
Membership transfer
Contains details on how to add or remove members and managers.
Accounting and tax
Contains details on how company records and distributions are maintained.
Dissolution
How to dissolve, wind up and terminate, due process to follow and exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
Business in Alaska
Knowing the entity names that are available in Alaska helps you run your business better. Read our guides to learn how to get started with these entities in Alaska.
Alaska LLC
Alaska C-Corp
Alaska S-Corp