                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CORPORATE NAME (§ 13.1-829)

A. A corporate name shall not contain:

   1. Any word or phrase that indicates or implies that it is organized for the
   purpose of conducting any business other than a business that it is authorized
   to conduct;

   2. The word &#8220;redevelopment&#8221; 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.

B. Except as authorized by subsection C, 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 &#xA7; 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 &#xA7; 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 &#xA7; 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 &#xA7; 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.

C. A domestic corporation may apply to the Commission for authorization to use a
name that is not distinguishable upon the Commission&#8217;s records from one or
more of the names described in subsection B. 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 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.

D. The use of assumed names or fictitious names, as provided for in Chapter 5
(&#xA7; 59.1-69 et seq.) of Title 59.1, is not affected by this chapter.

E. 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 B, shall not consider any word, phrase, abbreviation, or designation
required or permitted under &#xA7; 13.1-544.1, subsection A of &#xA7; 13.1-630,
subsection A of &#xA7; 13.1-1012, &#xA7; 13.1-1104, subsection A of &#xA7;
50-73.2, and subdivision A 2 of &#xA7; 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.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 13.1-207; 1956, c. 428; 1975, c. 500; 1985, c. 522; 1986,
c. 232; 2003, c. 592; 2005, c. 379; 2007, c. 925; 2009, c. 216; 2012, c. 63;
2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 487.