1. The name of a limited liability company must contain the words “limited liability company” or “limited company” or the abbreviation “L. L. C.”, “LLC”, “L. C.”, or “LC”. “Limited” may be abbreviated as “Ltd.”, and “company” may be abbreviated as “Co.”.

Need help with a review of an LLC operating agreement?
Have it reviewed by a lawyer, get answers to your questions and move forward with confidence.
Connect with a lawyer now

Terms Used In Iowa Code 489.108

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Foreign limited liability company: means an unincorporated entity formed under the law of a jurisdiction other than this state and denominated by that law as a limited liability company. See Iowa Code 489.102
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Iowa Code 489.102
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Iowa Code 489.102
  • State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Iowa Code 489.102
  • undertaking: means a promise or security in any form. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. Unless authorized by subsection 3, the name of a limited liability company must be distinguishable in the records of the secretary of state from all of the following:

 a. The name of each person that is not an individual and that is incorporated, organized, or authorized to transact business in this state.
 b. Each name reserved under section 489.109.
 3. A limited liability company may apply to the secretary of state for authorization to use a name that does not comply with subsection 2. The secretary of state shall authorize use of the name applied for if either of the following applies:

 a. The present user, registrant, or owner of the noncomplying name consents in a signed record to the use and submits an undertaking in a form satisfactory to the secretary of state to change the noncomplying name to a name that complies with subsection 2 and is distinguishable in the records of the secretary of state from the name applied for.
 b. The applicant delivers to the secretary of state a certified copy of the final judgment of a court establishing the applicant’s right to use in this state the name applied for.
 4. A limited liability company may use the name, including the fictitious name, of another entity that is used in this state if the other entity is formed under the law of this state or is authorized to transact business in this state and the proposed user limited liability company meets any of the following conditions:

 a. Has merged with the other entity.
 b. Has been formed by reorganization of the other entity.
 c. Has acquired all or substantially all of the assets, including the name, of the other entity.
 5. This article does not control the use of fictitious names. However, if a limited liability company uses a fictitious name in this state, it shall deliver to the secretary of state for filing a certified copy of the resolution of its members if it is member-managed or its managers if it is manager-managed, adopting the fictitious name.
 6. Subject to section 489.805, this section applies to a foreign limited liability company transacting business in this state which has a certificate of authority to transact business in this state or which has applied for a certificate of authority.