(1)(a) The name of a business corporation:
(i)(A) Except in the case of a social purpose corporation, must contain the word "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd.," or words or abbreviations of similar import in another language; or
(B) In the case of a social purpose corporation, must contain the words "social purpose corporation" or the abbreviation "SPC" or "S.P.C."; and
(ii) Must not contain any of the following words or phrases: "Bank," "banking," "banker," "trust," "cooperative," or any combination of the words "industrial" and "loan," or any combination of any two or more of the words "building," "savings," "loan," "home," "association," and "society," or any other words or phrases prohibited by any statute of this state.
(b) The name of a professional service corporation must contain either the words "professional service" or "professional corporation" or the abbreviation "P.S." or "P.C." The name may also contain either the words "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd." The name of a professional service corporation organized to render dental services must contain the full names or surnames of all shareholders and no other word than "chartered" or the words "professional services" or the abbreviation "P.S." or "P.C."
(2) The name of a nonprofit corporation:
(a) May include "club," "league," "association," "services," "committee," "fund," "society," "foundation," "guild," ". . . . . ., a nonprofit corporation," ". . . . . ., a nonprofit mutual corporation," or any name of like import;
(b) Except for nonprofit corporations formed prior to January 1, 1969, must not include or end with "incorporated," "company," "corporation," "partnership," "limited partnership," or "Ltd.," or any abbreviation thereof; and
(c) May only include the term "public benefit" or names of like import if the nonprofit corporation has been designated as a public benefit nonprofit corporation by the secretary of state in accordance with chapter 24.03 RCW.
(3) The name of a limited partnership may contain the name of any partner. The name of a partnership that is not a limited liability limited partnership must contain the words "limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LP" or "L.P." and may not contain the words "limited liability limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LLLP" or "L.L.L.P." If the limited partnership is a limited liability limited partnership, the name must contain the words "limited liability limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LLLP" or "L.L.L.P." and may not contain the abbreviation "LP" or "L.P."
(4) The name of a limited liability partnership must contain the words "limited liability partnership" or the abbreviation "LLP" or "L.L.P." If the name of a foreign limited liability partnership contains the words "registered limited liability partnership" or the abbreviation "R.L.L.P." or "RLLP," it may include those words or abbreviations in its foreign registration statement.
(5)(a) The name of a limited liability company:
(i) Must contain the words "limited liability company," the words "limited liability" and abbreviation "Co.," or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC"; and
(ii) May not contain any of the following words or phrases: "Cooperative," "partnership," "corporation," "incorporated," or the abbreviations "Corp.," "Ltd.," or "Inc.," or "LP," "L.P.," "LLP," "L.L.P.," "LLLP," "L.L.L.P," or any words or phrases prohibited by any statute of this state.
(b) The name of a professional limited liability company must contain either the words "professional limited liability company," or the words "professional limited liability" and the abbreviation "Co.," or the abbreviation "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC," provided that the name of a professional limited liability company organized to render dental services must contain the full names or surnames of all members and no other word than "chartered" or the words "professional services" or the abbreviation "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC."
(6) The name of a cooperative association organized under chapter 23.86 RCW may contain the words "corporation," "incorporated," or "limited," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," or "Ltd."
(7) The name of a limited cooperative association must contain the phrase "limited cooperative association" or "limited cooperative" or the abbreviation "L.C.A." or "LCA." "Limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd." "Cooperative" may be abbreviated as "Co-op." or "Coop." "Association" may be abbreviated as "Assoc." or "Assn."
[ 2019 c 37 § 1402; 2015 c 176 § 1302.]
NOTES:
Uniformity of application and construction—Savings—2019 c 37: See RCW 23.100.1501 and 23.100.1503.
Effective date—Contingent effective date—2015 c 176: See note following RCW 23.95.100.
RCW 23.95.305
Name requirements for certain types of entities. (Effective January 1, 2022.)
(1)(a) The name of a business corporation:
(i)(A) Except in the case of a social purpose corporation, must contain the word "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd.," or words or abbreviations of similar import in another language; or
(B) In the case of a social purpose corporation, must contain the words "social purpose corporation" or the abbreviation "SPC" or "S.P.C."; and
(ii) Must not contain any of the following words or phrases: "Bank," "banking," "banker," "trust," "cooperative," or any combination of the words "industrial" and "loan," or any combination of any two or more of the words "building," "savings," "loan," "home," "association," and "society," or any other words or phrases prohibited by any statute of this state.
(b) The name of a professional service corporation must contain either the words "professional service" or "professional corporation" or the abbreviation "P.S." or "P.C." The name may also contain either the words "corporation," "incorporated," "company," or "limited," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd." The name of a professional service corporation organized to render dental services must contain the full names or surnames of all shareholders and no other word than "chartered" or the words "professional services" or the abbreviation "P.S." or "P.C."
(2) The name of a nonprofit corporation:
(a) May include "club," "league," "association," "services," "committee," "fund," "society," "foundation," "guild," ". . . . . ., a nonprofit corporation," ". . . . . ., a nonprofit mutual corporation," or any name of like import;
(b) Except for nonprofit corporations formed prior to January 1, 1969, must not include or end with "incorporated," "company," "corporation," "partnership," "limited partnership," or "Ltd.," or any abbreviation thereof;
(c) May not be deceptively similar to the name of an existing domestic entity which is not then administratively dissolved; and
(d) May only include the term "public benefit" or names of like import if the nonprofit corporation has been designated as a public benefit nonprofit corporation by the secretary of state in accordance with chapter 24.03A RCW.
(3) The name of a limited partnership may contain the name of any partner. The name of a partnership that is not a limited liability limited partnership must contain the words "limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LP" or "L.P." and may not contain the words "limited liability limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LLLP" or "L.L.L.P." If the limited partnership is a limited liability limited partnership, the name must contain the words "limited liability limited partnership" or the abbreviation "LLLP" or "L.L.L.P." and may not contain the abbreviation "LP" or "L.P."
(4) The name of a limited liability partnership must contain the words "limited liability partnership" or the abbreviation "LLP" or "L.L.P." If the name of a foreign limited liability partnership contains the words "registered limited liability partnership" or the abbreviation "R.L.L.P." or "RLLP," it may include those words or abbreviations in its foreign registration statement.
(5)(a) The name of a limited liability company:
(i) Must contain the words "limited liability company," the words "limited liability" and abbreviation "Co.," or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC"; and
(ii) May not contain any of the following words or phrases: "Cooperative," "partnership," "corporation," "incorporated," or the abbreviations "Corp.," "Ltd.," or "Inc.," or "LP," "L.P.," "LLP," "L.L.P.," "LLLP," "L.L.L.P," or any words or phrases prohibited by any statute of this state.
(b) The name of a professional limited liability company must contain either the words "professional limited liability company," or the words "professional limited liability" and the abbreviation "Co.," or the abbreviation "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC," provided that the name of a professional limited liability company organized to render dental services must contain the full names or surnames of all members and no other word than "chartered" or the words "professional services" or the abbreviation "P.L.L.C." or "PLLC."
(6) The name of a cooperative association organized under chapter 23.86 RCW may contain the words "corporation," "incorporated," or "limited," or the abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," or "Ltd."
(7) The name of a limited cooperative association must contain the phrase "limited cooperative association" or "limited cooperative" or the abbreviation "L.C.A." or "LCA." "Limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd." "Cooperative" may be abbreviated as "Co-op." or "Coop." "Association" may be abbreviated as "Assoc." or "Assn."
[ 2021 c 176 § 5103; 2019 c 37 § 1402; 2015 c 176 § 1302.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2021 c 176: See note following RCW 24.03A.005.
Uniformity of application and construction—Savings—2019 c 37: See RCW 23.100.1501 and 23.100.1503.
Effective date—Contingent effective date—2015 c 176: See note following RCW 23.95.100.