KRS 14A.3-010: Entity name.

(1) Except as authorized by subsection (24) of this section, the real name of an

entity or foreign entity shall be distinguishable from any name of record with the

Secretary of State.

(2) The real name of a corporation or nonprofit corporation:

(a) 1. Shall end with the word "corporation," "company," or "limited" or the

abbreviation "Corp.," "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd." or words or abbreviations

of like import in another language, provided, however, that if a

nonprofit corporation's name includes the word "company" or the

abbreviation "Co.," it may not be immediately preceded by the word

"and" or the abbreviation "&";

2. If a professional service corporation, shall end with the words

"professional service corporation" or the abbreviation "P.S.C."; or

3. If a public benefit corporation, shall end with the words "public

benefit corporation" or "benefit corporation" or the abbreviation

"P.B.C." or "PBC"; and

(b) Shall not contain language stating or implying that the corporation is

organized for a purpose other than that permitted by its organic act and its

articles of incorporation.

(3) The real name of a limited liability company shall end with the phrase "limited

liability company" or "limited company" or the abbreviation "LLC" or "LC,"

provided, however, if the company is a professional limited liability company

the name shall end with the phrase "professional limited liability company" or

"professional limited company" or the abbreviation "PLLC" or "PLC." In the

name of either a limited liability company or a professional limited liability

company, the word "limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd." and the word

"Company" may be abbreviated as "Co."

(4) The real name of a limited liability partnership registered pursuant to KRS

362.555 shall contain the phrase "Registered Limited Liability Partnership" or

the abbreviation "LLP" as the last words or letters of its name.

(5) The real name of a partnership subject to KRS 362.1-101 to 362.1-975, the

"Kentucky Revised Uniform Partnership Act (2006)":

(a) Shall not contain the word "corporation" or "incorporated" or the

abbreviation "Corp." or "Inc."; and

(b) May contain the word "limited" or the abbreviation "Ltd." only if the

partnership has filed a statement of qualification.

(6) The real name of a limited liability partnership that has filed a statement of

qualification pursuant to KRS 362.1-931 shall end with the phrase "Registered

Limited Liability Partnership" or "Limited Liability Partnership" or the

abbreviation "R.L.L.P.," "L.L.P.," "RLLP," or "LLP."

(7) The real name of a limited partnership subject to KRS 362.401 to 362.525, the

"Kentucky Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act," shall:

(a) Contain the word "Limited" or the abbreviation "Ltd." unless the limited

partnership was formed under any statute of the Commonwealth prior to

the adoption of the Kentucky Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act;

and

(b) Not contain the name of a limited partner unless:

1. That name is also the name of a general partner; or

2. The business of the limited partnership had been carried on under

that name before the admission of that limited partner.

(8) The real name of a limited partnership subject to KRS 362.2-102 to 362.2-977,

the "Kentucky Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2006)," that is not a limited

liability limited partnership may contain the name of any partner and shall:

(a) End with the phrase "limited partnership" or "limited" or the abbreviation

"L.P.," "LP," or "Ltd."; and

(b) Not contain the phrase "limited liability limited partnership" or the

abbreviation "L.L.L.P." or "LLLP."

(9) The real name of a limited partnership subject to KRS 362.2-102 to 362.2-977,

the "Kentucky Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2006)," that is a limited liability

limited partnership may contain the name of any partner and shall:

(a) End with the phrase "limited liability limited partnership" or the

abbreviation "L.L.L.P." or "LLLP"; and

(b) Not contain only the phrase "limited partnership" or the abbreviation "L.P."

or "LP."

(10) Subject to KRS 362.2-974, subsections (8) and (9) of this section shall not

apply to a limited partnership formed under any statute of this Commonwealth

prior to July 15, 1988.

(11) The real name of a rural telephone cooperative corporation:

(a) Shall contain the word "Telephone," "Telecommunications," "Company,"

or "Corporation" and the abbreviation "Inc.," unless in an affidavit made

by its president or vice president, and filed with the Secretary of State, or

in an affidavit made by a person signing articles of incorporation,

consolidation, merger, or conversion which relate to that cooperative, and

filed, together with any such articles, with the Secretary of State, it shall

appear that the cooperative desires to do business in another state and is

or would be precluded there from by reason of the inclusion of such words

or either thereof in its name; and

(b) May include the word "Cooperative."

(12) The phrase "Rural Electric Cooperative" may not be used in the name of any

entity or foreign entity except for one formed under KRS Chapter 279.

(13) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the word "cooperative" may not

be used in the name of any entity doing business in this Commonwealth.

(14) The name of a limited cooperative association shall end with the words "limited

cooperative association" or "limited cooperative" or the abbreviation "L.C.A." or

"LCA." "Limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd.," "Cooperative" may be

abbreviated as "Co-op" or "Coop," and "Association" may be abbreviated as

"Assoc." or "Assn."

(15) There are no required identifiers for a business trust or a statutory trust, but the

name of a business or statutory trust may include "Limited" or "Ltd." and may

not include any of "incorporated," "corporation," "Inc.," "Corp.," "partnership," or

"cooperative."

(16) The real name of an unincorporated nonprofit association that has filed a

certificate of association with the Secretary of State shall end with "Limited" or

"Ltd.," and the real name of an unincorporated nonprofit association that has

not filed a certificate of association with the Secretary of State shall not include

"Limited" or "Ltd." No unincorporated nonprofit association shall include in its

name any of "incorporated," "corporation," "Inc.," "Corp.," "company,"

"partnership," "benefit," or "cooperative."

(17) This chapter does not control the use of assumed names.

(18) The filing of articles of incorporation, articles of organization, articles of

association, a statement of qualification, a certificate of limited partnership, a

declaration or certificate of trust, a certificate of association, an application to

transact authority in the Commonwealth, a statement of foreign qualification, a

name registration, or name reservation under a particular name shall not

automatically prevent the use of that name or protect that name from use by

other persons.

(19) The provisions of subsection (2)(a) of this section shall not affect the right of

any nonprofit corporation existing on June 13, 1968, to continue the use of its

name as then in effect.

(20) The assumption of a nonprofit corporate name in violation of this section shall

not affect or vitiate the corporate existence, but the courts of this

Commonwealth having equity jurisdiction may, upon the application of the

Commonwealth or of any person interested or affected, enjoin such corporation

from doing business under a name assumed in violation of this section,

although a certificate of incorporation may have been issued.

(21) This section shall not apply to any domestic or foreign telephone cooperative

which became subject to KRS 279.310 to 279.600 by complying with the

provisions of KRS 279.470 or which does business in this Commonwealth

pursuant to KRS 279.570 and which elects to retain a name which does not

comply with this section.

(22) Nothing in this section shall limit the ability of a professional regulatory board to

promulgate rules governing entities and foreign entities under its jurisdiction.

(23) The real name of a foreign entity will be determined according to KRS 365.015.

For entities not covered by that statute, the real name of the foreign entity will

be the real name of the entity as so recognized in the jurisdiction of its

origination.

(24) The real name of a partnership, other than that of a limited liability partnership

as set forth on a statement of qualification or a registration as a limited liability

partnership filed pursuant to KRS 362.555 or that of a foreign limited liability

partnership as set forth on a statement of foreign qualification, need not be

distinguishable from any name of record with the Secretary of State.