Is your company name available in Luxembourg?
Published on 10 October 2026 · Updated on 10 October 2026
In short
To check company name availability in Luxembourg, you request a certificate of free company name from the LBR, which shows whether a name is already entered in the RCS. It does not reserve the name, which goes to the first company registered under it. The LBR checks for identical names only, not for similar names or trademarks.
Definition
The certificate of free company name is a document issued by Luxembourg Business Registers (LBR) certifying that a name is not yet entered in the Trade and Companies Register on the date of issue. It gives no right to the name and does not stop a third party who registers before you from using it.
What the LBR checks, and what it does not
- Check
- Identical names only
- Sufficient difference
- One alphanumeric character
- Reservation
- None
- Download
- 20 days in the LBR account
Checking a name in practice
- 1
Free RCS search
Free consultation of the register on the LBR website to rule out names already taken.
businessregistration.lu - 2
Trademark check
Search for similar Benelux, European and international trademarks in the classes of your activity.
businessregistration.lu - 3
Certificate of free company name
Online request from the personal LBR account, with LuxTrust or RCS identifier. Fees according to the RCS fee schedule.
LBR - 4
Quick incorporation
The name is protected on the register only once registered: articles, deed and filing must follow without delay.
Lawyer, notary, LBR
A free certificate does not protect your name
Guichet.lu states it plainly: the certificate of free company name does not reserve the name. It is valid from its issue until anyone enters the name in the RCS. The LBR offers no reservation procedure. Only the registration of your company makes the name unavailable to others.
The rules that matter when choosing a name
The RCS manager does not accept a name identical to that of a person already registered. Two names are distinct as soon as they differ by at least one letter or digit. Accents, capital letters, spaces and punctuation are not enough to tell them apart. Neither is the legal form: “Taxis SARL” and “Taxis SA” are the same name. Reversing two words, however, creates a different name.
This check is made without prejudice to trademark law, unfair competition and intellectual property. A name accepted by the RCS can therefore be challenged in court by the owner of an earlier trademark. Trade names and abbreviations are not checked.
For the substantive rules on choosing a name, read our guide on company name rules in Luxembourg. To change an existing name, see changing a company name in Luxembourg.
Next step
Have your name checked
Register search and screening of similar trademarks before the articles are drafted.
Frequently asked questions
Can you reserve a company name in Luxembourg?
No. The LBR offers no reservation. The certificate of free company name only records that a name is not entered in the RCS when it is issued. On the register, the name belongs to the first person who registers under it.
How much does the certificate of free company name cost?
The request is subject to administrative fees set by the RCS fee schedule, published on the LBR website. The certificate is made available in the applicant’s personal account and stays downloadable for 20 days. It is not sent by email.
Is a name very close to an existing company accepted?
On the register, yes, if it differs by at least one alphanumeric character. But the owner of the name or of a similar trademark can take legal action, for example for unfair competition or trademark infringement. A one-letter difference is therefore no legal protection.
Do you also need to register a trademark?
The RCS protects only the company name, and only against an identical name. If the name has commercial value, a trademark filing with the Benelux Office or the EUIPO gives separate protection. This filing is a matter for an intellectual property adviser or a lawyer.
Does the name of a struck-off company become available again?
Yes, a name becomes available again once the person holding it is struck off the RCS. As long as the company remains registered, including in liquidation or after a closed bankruptcy not yet struck off, the name stays unavailable on the register. The LBR gives no advance notice of names about to be freed.