Skip to main content
GET
Check a business name

Authorizations

Authorization
string
header
required

Your secret API key: fc_test_… in test mode, fc_live_… in live mode.

Query Parameters

name
string
required

The proposed business name.

Maximum string length: 100
category
string
required

One of GET /v1/businesses/categories.

simulate
string | null

Test keys only: force an outcome (available, requires_certificate, or a reason code such as name_exists). Ignored with a live key.

Response

Successful Response

name
string
required

The name as CAC will record it (upper case, single spaces).

category
string
required

CAC's line of business, one of GET /v1/businesses/categories.

available
boolean
required
requires_certificate
boolean
required

Available, but CAC will want a professional certificate (upload it as a supporting_document).

reason
V1NameCheckReason · object | null
required

Why it isn't available; null when it is.

similarity_score
number | null
required

How close (0-100) the nearest registered name is.

most_similar_name
string | null
required
similar_names
string[]
required
suggested_names
string[]
required

Names to try instead.

object
string
default:name_availability
Allowed value: "name_availability"