How to Change a Delaware LLC Name (2026)

What does changing a Delaware LLC name actually involve?

Changing the name of a Delaware LLC is a single state filing: a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation, submitted to the Delaware Division of Corporations. The amendment recites the LLC's current legal name and the new name you want, and once the state accepts and stamps it, the new name becomes the legal name of the same entity. The key word is amendment — you are editing the founding document, not forming a new company.

That distinction matters for everything downstream. Because it is the same legal entity, the LLC keeps its original Delaware file number, its formation date, its EIN, its bank accounts, its contracts, and its entire history. Nothing resets. A three-year-old LLC that changes its name is still a three-year-old LLC, with the same good standing it had the day before. This is why a name change is far simpler than dissolving and re-forming under a new name — something you almost never want to do.

The amendment is authorized internally first (your members or managers consent to the new name as your Delaware LLC operating agreement requires), then filed with the state, then reflected across your IRS, banking, and platform records. Most of the real work is in that last step — updating everything so the new name appears consistently. The Delaware filing itself is quick.

How do you file the Certificate of Amendment, step by step?

The mechanics are routine. The Division of Corporations has handled LLC amendments for decades, and a name change is one of the most common. Done in order, the process is predictable and avoids the rejections that come from skipping a step.

• Step 1 — Confirm availability.The new name must be distinguishable on Delaware's records from every other entity and must carry an LLC designator ("LLC," "L.L.C.," or "Limited Liability Company"). We run this check before filing.
• Step 2 — Get internal consent. Approve the change the way your operating agreement specifies — usually a written consent of the members or managers recording the old and new names.
• Step 3 — Prepare the amendment. The Certificate of Amendment states the current name, the new name, and is signed by an authorized person of the LLC.
• Step 4 — File and pay. Submit to the Division of Corporations with the $200 fee. Standard handling is fast; expedited service is available if you have a deadline.
• Step 5 — Get the stamped copy and update records. Delaware returns a stamped acceptance. That document is your proof of the new name for the IRS, banks, and everyone else.

All of this is remote. You sign electronically, your registered agent channels the filing to the state, and there is no need to travel to Delaware or visit a government office. For the broader picture of how we handle filings, see our how it works page.

What does a Delaware LLC name change cost, year one and after?

The cost of the name change itself is the Delaware state filing fee plus any optional add-ons you choose. The Division of Corporations charges $200 for an LLC Certificate of Amendment. Expedited processing is optional: roughly $50 for same-day, $100 for two-hour, and $1,000 for one-hour service. A certified copy of the stamped amendment is $50. A name change creates no new recurring cost — it does not change your franchise tax or registered agent fee.

Your ongoing Delaware obligations are unaffected by the rename. The flat $300 annual franchise tax, due June 1 from your LLC's second year, stays at $300 regardless of the name — Delaware never sets an LLC's franchise tax by share count or par value (those methods apply only to corporations). Your registered agent renewal is also unchanged. For the full ongoing cost picture, see our Delaware LLC cost breakdown.

A worked example: renaming a single-member LLC

Picture a non-resident founder who formed "Coastline Goods LLC" a year ago and now wants to operate as "Marble Supply Co LLC" after a brand refresh. The entity is a foreign-owned, single-member Delaware LLC with an EIN, a Mercury account, and a Stripe account, all under the old name. Here is how the rename runs.

First, we confirm "Marble Supply Co LLC" is available and distinguishable on Delaware's records and carries a valid designator. The founder, as sole member, signs a one-page written consent recording the change. We prepare the Certificate of Amendment naming "Coastline Goods LLC" as the current name and "Marble Supply Co LLC" as the new name, the founder signs as the authorized person, and we file it with the $200 fee. Delaware returns a stamped acceptance.

Now the downstream work begins, and this is the part founders underestimate. The same EIN stays with the LLC, but the founder writes to the IRS to report the new name. The Mercury account name is updated using the stamped amendment as proof. Stripe's business name is updated the same way — and because approval of any change rests with the provider, the consistent stamped document is what makes it smooth. The operating agreement is amended to reflect the new name. The file number, formation date, EIN, banking history, and contracts all carry forward. Nothing about the entity's identity reset; only its name did.

Does a name change require a new EIN or affect taxes?

No new EIN is needed. Because the LLC is the same legal entity, the existing EIN stays attached to it. You do, however, notify the IRS of the new name so its records match the state and your filings. A single-member disregarded LLC reports the change by letter to the IRS; a multi-member LLC can report it on its next return or by letter. The EIN number itself never changes for a rename.

A name change does not alter your US tax position. A non-resident owner is taxed by the US only on income effectively connected with a US trade or business (ECI) and on US-source FDAP income (a 30% default rate, reduced only by a tax treaty in force). A rename touches none of that. If your LLC is a foreign-owned single-member entity, you still file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 each year — the new name simply appears on those forms going forward. For the broader US tax picture, see our Delaware LLC taxes overview, and for the non-resident path generally, our Delaware LLC for non-residents guide.

What records do you update after the name change?

The Delaware filing is the easy part. The work that determines whether a rename goes smoothly is updating every downstream record so the new name appears consistently. Mismatches — where some accounts show the old name and some the new — are what cause friction at banks and processors. Work through these in order once you have the stamped amendment.

A note on banking: providers such as Mercury, Relay, and Wise are fintechs operating on FDIC-insured partner banks, not chartered banks themselves, and each handles a name update on its own terms. Updating a name is usually routine, but as with Stripe, the provider makes the final decision on any account change. Submitting the stamped Delaware amendment as clean proof is the single best way to keep that update quick.

What are the most common mistakes when renaming a Delaware LLC?

The filing itself rarely fails when prepared correctly — Delaware accepts properly drafted amendments routinely. The friction shows up around the filing, and the causes are predictable. Knowing them in advance is the easiest way to avoid a rejection or a downstream mess.

• Choosing a name that is not distinguishable. If the new name conflicts with an existing Delaware entity, the amendment is rejected. Check availability first.
• Dropping the LLC designator.The new name must include "LLC," "L.L.C.," or "Limited Liability Company." Leaving it out causes a rejection.
• Skipping internal consent. In a multi-member LLC, filing without the consent your operating agreement requires can create a dispute later, even if the state accepts the amendment.
• Forgetting to notify the IRS. The EIN stays, but the IRS name should be updated so federal records match the state.
• Leaving banks and Stripe on the old name. Mismatched names across accounts cause holds and verification requests. Update them with the stamped amendment.

Every one of these is avoidable. We run the availability check, confirm the designator, document consent, prepare and file the amendment, and give you the stamped copy you need to update each downstream record in the right order.

What are the edge cases worth knowing?

Most renames are simple, but a few situations deserve attention before you file. Recognizing them up front keeps a routine change from turning into a tangle.

• Trademark conflict.A name can be available on Delaware's entity records yet still infringe a federal trademark. State availability is not a trademark clearance — if you are protecting a brand, consider a trademark search separately.
• Foreign-qualified in other states. If your LLC is registered to do business in states beyond Delaware, you update the name in each of those states too, typically via an amended foreign qualification. Delaware alone is not enough.
• Rename plus restructure. If the name change comes with a conversion to a corporation, a merger, or a member change, those are separate filings with their own consequences. A rename does not, by itself, change your entity type or ownership.
• Mid-year timing. A rename has no franchise tax consequence and no deadline of its own, so you can file it any time. Just make sure the new name is in place before it appears on contracts or marketing.

If a rename is part of a larger move — for example converting to a Delaware C-Corp for investors — the name change rides along with that filing rather than standing alone. For a straightforward rename of an LLC that stays an LLC, the Certificate of Amendment is the entire state-level action.

How does a name change compare to other Delaware LLC changes?

Owners sometimes confuse a name change with other amendments or with ending the entity entirely. They are different filings with very different consequences. The table below clarifies which is which so you choose the right one.

The takeaway: a name change is the lightest-touch amendment. It edits one field — the name — while leaving the entity, its EIN, its banking, and its history fully intact. If what you actually need is a structural change rather than a rename, that is a different filing, and getting the right one matters. We help you identify the correct filing and handle it accurately from start to finish.

A note on BOI / FinCEN beneficial ownership reporting

Beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act has changed and remains in flux. In March 2025, FinCEN issued an interim final rule that removed BOI reporting obligations for US-formed domestic reporting companies. Under that rule, foreign reporting companies registered to do business in the US remain in scope, while US-formed entities are generally exempt.

If your entity is in scope and you previously filed a BOI report, a name change is exactly the kind of update that the reporting framework would expect to be reflected. Because this area is evolving and the rules may shift again, do not treat any summary as final. Confirm the current FinCEN requirements at the source or with a professional before relying on your filing status. We flag changes to clients, but the duty to file if required rests with the owner.