Choosing a business name? ONECheck it first

Starting a new business in New Zealand? ONECheck provides a useful starting point for businesses seeking to register a new business name, trade mark, identifying social media usernames and web domains.

Choosing a name for your business is a big decision, especially if you plan to build a brand around this name. Before you settle on a name it pays to make a few quick checks to see if any other businesses are using similar names, and how easy it will be to protect the name you choose. This also applies to existing businesses – while it’s better to get it right from the start, it is never too late to make a quick check.

Business.govt.nz’s free ONECheck tool can help. With one easy search, ONECheck can tell you if the business name, web domain, trade mark and social media usernames are available.

ONECheck searches the Companies Register, the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand and the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) Register. Searching the NZBN Register means your name is checked against all business types – not just companies – so you will know if another business (like a sole trader, registered charity or partnership) is already using the name.

Establishing a brand is often one of the first big decisions to make for a business owner so getting the name right is essential. Imagine putting considerable effort into building a small business, only to find out later there’s another business with a similar name or brand. Customers might get your business confused with someone else’s.

ONECheck not only helps identify similar business names, but it provides other useful information for new business owners, like linking to other government websites where businesses can register as a company or trade mark.

Find out more about ONECheck at business.govt.nz/onecheck(external link).