How to choose a business name in Kosovo

Your name is the first thing customers see, and one of the first things ARBK checks when you apply. A name picked in a hurry can be rejected, confused with another business or force an expensive change later on.

Official name and trading name#

Every business in Kosovo has an official name, as registered with ARBK, and it includes the legal form:

• "Arta Krasniqi B.I.": an Individual Business;
• "Dardania Tech SH.P.K.": a limited liability company.

Many businesses also use a trading name, the name the market knows them by. A restaurant called "Te Lisi", for example, might officially be "Hoti Gastro SH.P.K.". Trading names are registered with ARBK as well, and a business's Kerko profile shows both.

Why it matters: contracts, invoices and bank documents use the official name. If a customer only knows your trading name, they need to be able to find the official one easily, or checking you out becomes hard. More on that in How to check a business.

The basic rules#

ARBK usually rejects names that:

• are identical or very similar to an existing business's name;
• are misleading about the activity or size, e.g. "bank", "insurance" or "university" without the relevant licence;
• use state names or official symbols without permission, e.g. "Kosova" in a way that suggests a link to public institutions;
• are offensive or contrary to public morals.

The legal form (B.I., SH.P.K., SH.A., etc.) is not a free choice in the name. It must match the form you register. For the differences, see Legal forms of business.

How to check whether a name is free#

1. Search the name on Kerko, both as an official name and as a trading name. Kerko also covers closed businesses, which helps you avoid confusion.
2. Check variants: with and without spaces, with "ç" and "c", in Albanian and in English. "Kosova Food" and "KosovaFood" will probably count as too similar.
3. Check the ARBK registry, which is the official source.
4. Check trademarks. A name that is free at ARBK can still be someone else's protected trademark. See Registering a trademark.
5. Check the domain and social handles. If name.com or @name is taken, think twice.

How to pick a good name#

• Short and easy to say over the phone. If you have to spell it out, customers will get it wrong.
• Not tied to a single product. "Laptop Service" becomes a problem once you start selling phones too.
• No city name, unless the business will stay local.
• Searchable. Very generic names ("Business", "Services") don't stand out in search.
• Works in two languages, if you want customers from the diaspora or abroad.

Changing the name later#

A name can be changed by filing with ARBK. An SH.P.K. usually also needs an owners' decision. The process is covered in Changing business details at ARBK.

The real cost isn't the ARBK filing. It's everything else you have to update: stamp, invoices, signage, website, bank account, supplier contracts and your online profiles. That is why it pays to choose well from the start.

After registration#

Once the name is registered, make sure customers find it correctly. Verify your business on Kerko so your profile shows the trading name, contacts and description you chose.