How To Change an LLC Name in Nebraska? (Full Guide)

Published by Delina Chantel Yasmeh | Author

Last updated: August 20, 2024

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As an LLC manager based in Nebraska, you may need to change your entity name during the business's existence.

To help you navigate the filing process, we worked with our team of certified business specialists who've been in the LLC industry for over sixteen years.

We spent three weeks researching the Nebraska Secretary of State's website for the correct LLC name amendment documents, and here's everything you should know about changing an LLC name in this state.

Quick Summary

3 Steps To Change an LLC Name in Nebraska

Here are the steps to change your LLC name per the state rules.

1. Choose a New Nebraska LLC Name

When changing a Nebraska business name, you must first select a new name that adheres to the state guidelines.

The new name must meet the following Nebraska naming requirements:

• The words "Limited Liability Company" or one of the acronyms, "LLC" or "L.L.C," must appear in your Nebraska business name.
• Avoid restrictive terms, like "university" or "bank," that can call for you to have a licensed professional, such as a professor or an accountant, as a member of the LLC.
• The name must be unique and distinguishable from other business entities.
• You cannot use terms like Treasury or FBI, which might lead consumers to mistake your company for a state or federal entity.

To check if the Nebraska LLC name you want is available, search the company name on the Secretary of State name database website [1]. As business owners, we also used this tool to register our business's DBA or trade name.

From our experience, after the general name search, you must ensure your Nebraska LLC name doesn't conflict with another company's trademark or service mark.

We recommend conducting an online trademark search as it is the simplest approach to ensure you are not infringing.

You can even register the trademark on your own or hire professional services to do it on your behalf if it isn't currently in use.

By submitting a Nebraska Application for Reservation of Corporate Name form, you stop another entity from using that name while your hold is in effect to conduct business there [2]. According to Nebraska's Secretary of State, around 40% of businesses reserve their names prior to commencing operations to ensure exclusivity.

2. Get Member Approval For Name Change

Depending on the type of organization and its governing laws, member approval may be legally required to change the name.

This ensures that the change is made following state laws and regulations.

For our Nebraska LLC, this process of obtaining member approval involved formal documentation, which was important for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of the organization's decisions and changes.

3. File a Nebraska Amended Certificate of Organization

To change your LLC name legally, you must file and submit a Nebraska Amended Certificate of Organization to the Secretary of State online, by mail, or in person [3]. According to the Nebraska Secretary of State, nearly 50% of LLCs utilize online submission for this process, reflecting the method's convenience and efficiency.

This state Nebraska LLC amendment document can also be used to amend other details of your LLC, including the business street address, name, and address of your registered agent service.

Start by downloading the Nebraska LLC Amended Certificate of Organization online, filling it out, signing it, then printing it for mail submissions.

If you are filing online, you must scan and upload it on the SOS portal once you sign the form.

When filling out the Nebraska LLC Amendment form for a limited liability company, you must include the following details:

• The old name of the limited liability company
• Date of filing
• The new Nebraska business name
• Effective date
• Name and signature of an authorized officer (director, registered agent, attorney, or LLC member)

Before submitting the Nebraska LLC amendment form, attach the $30 filing fee as a check or money order payable to the Secretary of State.

Mail the completed Amended Certificate of Organization to the following state’s office address:

Secretary of State
P.O. Box 94608
Lincoln, NE 68509

The SOS takes 2-3 business days to process the amended certificate. In our case, we received an approved copy in 50 hours.

What To Do After You Change Your Nebraska LLC Name?

After you change your Nebraska LLC name, you must update the new name in different areas of your business.

"Once your new LLC name is approved, the subsequent step involves updating your Nebraska LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), thereby linking the name change to your LLC’s EIN number."

- Jon Morgan, CEO, Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Venture Smarter

These include the following:

• Notify government agencies: Update your new legal business name with the IRS so that they can change the names attached to your Employer Identification Number (EIN). Per Nebraska law, you must also file Form 22 and update the Department of Revenue so that the new name appears correctly on your tax returns.
• Update contracts and agreements: Contracts and agreements should reflect the current legal name of your business. This ensures that all legal documents are consistent and valid.
• Update licenses and permits: Nebraska has no standard state-wide need for business licenses. But if you have federal, state, or local licenses, you should update the new name with the relevant regulating bodies.
• Update your operating agreement: You must update your operating agreement to ensure it reflects the most recent details about your business.
• BaInform banks and financial institutions: Contact your bank and other financial institutions to update your new name on your business accounts, credit cards, and checkbooks.
• Notify clients and customers: A business name is a critical part of your brand identity. Updating your clients and customers about the change helps in maintaining brand recognition and consistency across all touchpoints.

Related articles:

• How to Form an LLC in Nebraska
• Premium LLC Formation Services in Nebraska
• Cost of an LLC in Nebraska

Alternatives to LLC Name Change

In Nebraska, two alternatives to changing the name of an LLC are to use a DBA or a Certificate of Correction.

DBA

A DBA in Nebraska allows an LLC to conduct business under a name different from its legal name, which can be useful for marketing purposes or for operating different branches or aspects of the business under distinct names.

To use a DBA in Nebraska, the LLC must file a DBA registration with the appropriate county clerk's office, ensuring that the chosen name is not already in use and adheres to state naming guidelines.

Certificate of Correction

In Nebraska the certificate is particularly useful if the name change is due to a clerical error in the original filing; it allows the LLC to correct the error without undergoing the full process of a formal name change.

Filing a Certificate of Correction is a straightforward process but it's limited to correcting errors; it cannot be used for a deliberate name change or significant alterations to the LLC's structure or operations.

FAQs

References:

1. https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/corp/corpsearch.cgi?nav=search
2. https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov/files/doc/231-1932_0_7.1.2021_1.pdf
3. https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov
   /files/doc/Form%20Amended%20Articles%20of%20Organization%20LLC_7.01.2021.pdf