URSB Name Search: How to Check and Reserve a Business Name in Uganda

In Uganda, every company and business name is registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB). Before you register, URSB has to confirm your proposed name is available. This guide covers the URSB name search, how to reserve a name on the Online Business Registration System (OBRS), and how to pre-check a name for free.

How to do a URSB name search and reservation

1. Prepare three candidate names in order of preference, in case your first choice is taken.
2. Go to OBRS at obrs.ursb.go.ug and create an account, or visit a URSB service point in person.
3. Choose name search / reservation, pick the entity type (company or business name) and enter your proposed name.
4. Pay the reservation fee using the payment registration slip the system generates. URSB lists UGX 35,000 for a business name reservation; confirm the amount on ursb.go.ug before paying, as fees are revised.
5. Once approved, you receive a reservation notice. It is valid for a limited period, so complete registration before the expiry date it shows.

Pre-check the name against registered companies

Fylings holds Uganda's company register, so you can see whether a registered company already uses your proposed name, with its registration number and status. An exact or close match means URSB is likely to refuse it. No match is a good sign, but only URSB's own search is final, because pending reservations do not appear in public records.

Why URSB rejects a name

• It is identical or too similar to a registered or reserved name
• It suggests a link to government or a public body without consent
• It uses words tied to licensed activities (for example bank or insurance) without regulator approval
• It is offensive or misleading about what the business does

After the name is reserved

With the reservation in hand, you register the entity on OBRS. For a company that means submitting the incorporation documents; for a business name, the business name registration form. Once registered, the entity has a Business Registration Number (BRN), which is what you and others use to verify it later. See how to check if a company is registered in Uganda and our URSB search guide.