A. A corporate name shall contain the word "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited," or the abbreviation "corp.," "inc.," "co.," or "ltd." Such words and their corresponding abbreviations may be used interchangeably for all purposes.
B. A corporate name shall not contain:
1. Any language stating or implying that the corporation will conduct any of the special kinds of businesses listed in § 13.1-620 unless it proposes in fact to engage in such special kind of business;
2. The word "redevelopment" unless the corporation is organized as an urban redevelopment corporation pursuant to Chapter 190 of the Acts of Assembly of 1946, as amended;
3. Any word, abbreviation, or combination of characters that states or implies the corporation is a limited liability company, a limited partnership, a registered limited liability partnership, or a protected series of a series limited liability company; or
4. Any word or phrase that is prohibited by law for such corporation.
C. Except as authorized by subsection D, a corporate name shall be distinguishable upon the records of the Commission from:
1. The name of any corporation, whether issuing shares or not issuing shares, existing under the laws of the Commonwealth or authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth;
2. A corporate name reserved or registered under § 13.1-631, 13.1-632, 13.1-830 or 13.1-831;
3. The designated name adopted by a foreign corporation, whether issuing shares or not issuing shares, because its real name is unavailable for use in the Commonwealth;
4. The name of a domestic limited liability company or a foreign limited liability company registered to transact business in the Commonwealth;
5. A limited liability company name reserved under § 13.1-1013;
6. The designated name adopted by a foreign limited liability company because its real name is unavailable for use in the Commonwealth;
7. The name of a domestic business trust or a foreign business trust registered to transact business in the Commonwealth;
8. A business trust name reserved under § 13.1-1215;
9. The designated name adopted by a foreign business trust because its real name is unavailable for use in the Commonwealth;
10. The name of a domestic limited partnership or a foreign limited partnership registered to transact business in the Commonwealth;
11. A limited partnership name reserved under § 50-73.3; and
12. The designated name adopted by a foreign limited partnership because its real name is unavailable for use in the Commonwealth.
D. A domestic corporation may apply to the Commission for authorization to use a name that is not distinguishable upon the Commission's records from one or more of the names described in subsection C. The Commission shall authorize use of the name applied for if the other entity consents to the use in writing and submits an undertaking in a form satisfactory to the Commission to change its name to a name that is distinguishable upon the records of the Commission from the name of the applying corporation.
E. The use of assumed names or fictitious names, as provided for in Chapter 5 (§ 59.1-69 et seq.) of Title 59.1, is not affected by this chapter.
F. The Commission, in determining whether a corporate name is distinguishable upon its records from the name of any of the business entities listed in subsection C, shall not consider any word, phrase, abbreviation, or designation required or permitted under this section and § 13.1-544.1, subsection A of § 13.1-1012, § 13.1-1104, subsection A of § 50-73.2, and subdivision A 2 of § 50-73.78 to be contained in the name of a business entity formed or organized under the laws of the Commonwealth or authorized or registered to transact business in the Commonwealth.
Code 1950, § 13.1-6; 1956, c. 428; 1968, c. 241; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 1986, c. 232; 2003, c. 592; 2005, cc. 379, 765; 2009, c. 216; 2012, c. 63; 2019, c. 734; 2020, c. 1226; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 487.