How to change an LLC name in New York: $60, mostly paper filing, and the online exception
To change a New York LLC's legal name, you usually file a Certificate of Amendment with the Department of State and pay $60. New York now allows online filing for a name-change-only amendment, which is the easy exception. For other amendments, the state still expects a paper filing sent to Albany.
The short answer
If your LLC is already formed in New York and you want a different legal name, the filing is a Certificate of Amendment under section 211 of the Limited Liability Company Law. The state lists the filing fee at $60. It also says name-change amendments for domestic LLCs may now be filed online.
That online shortcut matters because many New York business filings still feel older than they should. A name-only amendment is one of the cleaner tasks. If you are changing more than the name, or you are looking at a broader amendment, you should expect the paper path instead.
| New York LLC name change basics | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Main filing | Certificate of Amendment for a domestic LLC |
| Filing fee | $60 |
| Online option | Yes, for name-change-only amendments |
| Mailing address | Department of State, Division of Corporations, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231 |
| Name inquiry fee | $5 per name submitted |
| Expedited options | $25 for 24-hour, $75 for same-day, $150 for 2-hour processing |
Step 1: make sure the new name can work
New York says the Division of Corporations must reject a name that is not distinguishable from existing names on file. It also warns that the public entity database is for status checks, not a final name-availability decision. That warning is easy to ignore, but it is real.
If you want the official answer before you commit, New York lets you submit a written name availability inquiry. The fee schedule lists that search at $5 per name. The state also says a name being available on the date of the search is not the same thing as formal approval forever, so do not print packaging or order signs too early.
Step 2: file the Certificate of Amendment
For a straight LLC name change, the Department of State has a separate Certificate of Amendment page just for name-change-only filings. That page says these amendments may now be filed online. If your filing is only changing the LLC's legal name, this is the cleanest route.
New York also says the LLC name and the original filing date must exactly match the Department of State's records. That sounds minor, but it is one of those details that can create a dumb rejection if you are sloppy with old records.
In New York, changing the legal LLC name is not a profile edit. It is an amendment to the formation record.
When the paper route still applies
The broader New York amendment page says all other Certificates of Amendment must be submitted on paper and sent to Albany. So if your filing is doing more than a simple name change, do not assume the online shortcut covers it.
This is one reason people mix up the New York rules. They see that amendments exist online, but the state really carved out a narrow online exception for name-only changes.
The fee is simple, but speed costs extra
The filing fee for the amendment itself is $60. If timing matters, New York offers expedited handling: $25 for 24-hour processing, $75 for same-day, and $150 for 2-hour processing. Those are add-on fees, not replacements for the filing fee.
If the name change is tied to a bank update, contract rollout, or marketplace switch, the expedite fee may be worth more than the filing fee itself. If not, standard handling is usually fine.
After the state filing, update the IRS
Changing the LLC name with New York does not automatically update the IRS. The IRS says a business name change does not usually require a new EIN by itself. It also says you do not need a new EIN if you just change the business name or location.
That is the good news. The less-fun part is that you still need to notify the IRS using the method that matches your tax classification. Partnerships can mark the name change box on Form 1065 or write to the IRS if the return has already been filed. Corporations do the same idea through the relevant Form 1120 return or a written notice. If your LLC is taxed as a sole proprietorship, the IRS says the owner writes to the address where the return was filed.
Also update the places that care about name matching
Once the amendment is accepted, the real cleanup begins. Your bank, payment processor, licenses, contracts, insurance, and marketplace accounts may all care that the legal entity name now matches state records. Amazon's seller registration guidance is a good example of why this matters. It asks for the exact business name used to register the business and makes clear that the company registration number is different from the EIN.
If your LLC sells online, the boring consistency work matters. A legal name mismatch is the kind of thing that creates support tickets you did not need.
Bottom line
To change a New York LLC name, file a Certificate of Amendment and pay $60. If the filing is only changing the name, New York now allows the amendment online. If the filing is broader than that, expect paper filing to Albany. Check name availability first, keep the old LLC record details exact, and remember that the IRS and your business accounts still need follow-up after the state accepts the change.