On the Business Registration Certificate, the business name is one of the indispensable contents (Clause 1, Article 28 of the Law on Enterprises 2020).

According to Article 38 of the Law on Enterprises 2020, the enterprise name is understood as the Vietnamese name of the enterprise. In addition, businesses also have foreign names (usually English) and abbreviations.

In particular, the Vietnamese name is required, while the foreign name and abbreviation may or may not be present.

The Vietnamese name of a business includes 02 elements in the following order: Type of business + Personal name. When changing the type of business or personal name, the company must carry out name change procedures.

Businesses can change their name during operation. The name change is based on the needs of the business. In only 01 case, according to Clause 2, Article 19 of Decree 01/2021/ND-CP, an enterprise must change its name when that name infringes on industrial property rights, then the enterprise whose name violates must register to change its name.

Besides, when a business changes its type of operation, the nature of the company name will also change (For example: Hong Duc Co., Ltd. => Hong Duc Joint Stock Company) but does not have to go through name change procedures.

Latest procedures for changing company name

Within 10 days from the date of issuance of the Decision or Resolution to change the name, the enterprise is responsible for registering to change the content of the Business Registration Certificate.

Step 1: Check the usability of the proposed new company name

Look up the new company name on the National Business Registration System to see if the new company name can be used or not.

Step 2: Prepare documents to change the company name including:

Step 3: Submit documents and fees to change the company name at the Business Registration Office where the company is headquartered main.

Particularly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, online application is required. After receiving the business registration authority, the enterprise submits the paper application directly to the business registration authority.

The registration agency issues the result of approving the application or requesting to amend the application (if any) within 03 days from receipt of the application.

Step 4: Re-engrave the seal if changing the Vietnamese name

After the enterprise is granted a Business Registration Certificate with a new name, the enterprise carries out the procedure of engraving a new legal entity seal with the new enterprise name.

However, the 2020 Enterprise Law stipulates that businesses do not have to carry out procedures to notify seal samples to the business registration authority. The quantity and form of the enterprise’s seal will be decided by the enterprise and will no longer be managed by the business registration authority.

Step 5: Announcing business change information

After changing business registration, enterprises must publish changed information on the national business portal within 30 days from the date of change.