Change LLC Name in South Dakota

Can I change the name of my LLC in South Dakota?

Absolutely! You can easily change your South Dakota LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Amended Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in South Dakota.

The filing fee for the Amended Articles of Organization in South Dakota is $60.

After the state approves your LLC name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

• the IRS
• state tax department
• your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in South Dakota?

1. Check if your new LLC name is available
2. File the South Dakota LLC Amendment form (and wait for approval)
3. Update the IRS
4. Update the South Dakota Department of Revenue
5. Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
6. Update business licenses
7. Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in South Dakota?

It costs $60 to change your LLC name in South Dakota. This is the filing fee for the Amended Articles of Organization form.

How do I change my South Dakota LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file the Amended Articles of Organization with the South Dakota Secretary of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The South Dakota Secretary of State is responsible for LLC formation and administration, including name changes.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Amended Articles of Organization by mail. (You can’t file this form online in South Dakota.)

Our instructions only describe how to change the LLC name. If you want to make other changes, like the LLC’s mailing address or Registered Agent, you may need to use a different form or different amendment process.

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Amended Articles of Organization yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

South Dakota LLC amendments are legal documents, so they can be filed by the business owner or an authorized agent of the business owner.

Because the Amendment filing in South Dakota can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Step 1: Make sure your new South Dakota LLC name is available

Before filing your South Dakota amendment form (the Amended Articles of Organization), you should check that your new LLC name is available in South Dakota.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired South Dakota LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entity search.

Step 2: File the South Dakota LLC name change form

The South Dakota LLC name change form is called the Amended Articles of Organization.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your South Dakota Articles of Organization.)

How to file the Amended Articles of Organization in South Dakota

Get started

Download the Application for Amended Articles of Organization form.

You can complete the form on your computer (type it) and then print it out to sign. Or, you can print it out and complete it by hand using black ink.

1. The Name and Business ID of the company

Enter your LLC’s current name. (Not the name you want to change it to.)

Enter your LLC’s Business ID.

2. Original Articles of Organization Filing Date

Enter the date of filing the original Articles of Organization.

3. The amendment to the Articles

In this box, you’ll list the article being amended and the new information (the new LLC name).

Enter this text:

Article 1. The name of the Domestic Limited Liability Company is amended. The new legal name is: [new name of LLC].

Just replace “[new name of LLC]” with the name you want to use. And make sure to include an appropriate designator (like “LLC”) at the end of your LLC’s name.

For example: Jeff wants to change the name of his company to Bison Snacks LLC. In Item 3, he will type: “Article 1. The name of the Domestic Limited Liability Company is amended. The new legal name is: Bison Snacks LLC.”

In South Dakota, you can use these designators:

• LC
• L.C.
• LLC (most common)
• L.L.C.
• Ltd. Co.
• Ltd. Company
• Limited Co.
• Ltd. Liability Co.
• Limited Liability Co.
• Ltd. Liability Company
• Limited Liability Company

Signature

Dated
Enter the date you’re signing the document.

Email
This is optional. The Secretary of State may use this to contact you with questions about your filing, if they have any.

Printed Name
Enter your name.

Title
Enter your title:

• If you’re an LLC Member (owner) and your LLC is Member-managed, enter Member.
• If you’re an LLC Manager and the LLC is Manager-managed, enter Manager.

If you’re not sure or these terms are confusing, check out these articles for help:

• Member-managed LLC vs Manager-managed LLC
• LLC Officer Titles

After you print out the form, don’t forget to sign it.

File by mail

1. Prepare a check or money order for $60 payable to the “Secretary of State”.
2. Send the payment, and the signed Amended Articles of Organization, to:

Secretary of State Office
500 E. Capitol Ave
Pierre SD 57501

Wait for approval from the Secretary of State

After submitting your Amended Articles of Organization to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 1-2 business days (plus mail time) for your South Dakota business name change to be approved.

When you file online, you’ll receive your name change approval by email.

Step 3: Change your South Dakota LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your South Dakota LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the SD Department of Revenue

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the South Dakota Department of Revenue).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. In South Dakota it’s called the Department of Revenue, and this is who you’ll update with your new LLC name.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

• online
• by mail
• by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the Department of Revenue. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your South Dakota LLC name with the IRS and SD Department of Revenue business tax department, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

• LLC business bank account
• business checks
• business debit card
• business credit cards
• Paypal or other online banking solutions
• business loans or lines of credit
• brokerage accounts
• bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

South Dakota doesn’t have a general state business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license: South Dakota Occupational Licensing Agencies.

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or county clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your county clerk on the SD Association of County Officials website, and you’ll need to look up your town or city, too.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

• online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
• website, domain registrar, hosting company
• letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• social media accounts

Professional services:

• Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
• accountant
• attorney

Other government agencies:

• local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
• business licenses and permits
• sales tax permit
• utility companies
• Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your South Dakota LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

• You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
• Or, you can use our free template on South Dakota LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in South Dakota FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.