What changes when you name your Sdn Bhd now? On 30 October 2026, the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) issued new Guidelines on Company Names. They replace the 14 July 2026 guideline. Boss Boleh runs a name search as the first step of every Sdn Bhd (private limited company) we set up. This guideline is now the rulebook we check every proposed name against.
📌 Quick summary
- SSM issued the new guideline on 30 October 2026. It replaces the 14 July 2026 guideline.
- When SSM compares names, it ignores “The”, suffixes, symbols, plurals, translations and short forms.
- Only five symbols are allowed. A name must be 3 to 100 characters long.
- Words like “Bank”, “Engineer” or “Halal” need a consent letter from the regulator before you apply.
- Checking a name’s availability on Boss Boleh is 100% free; only the full Sdn Bhd incorporation package is paid.
About the Author:
This guide was written by Boss Boleh’s company secretarial team. Boss Boleh is an online company secretary and incorporation platform for first-time entrepreneurs, and its company name availability check is 100% free to use.
📌 What changed on 30 October 2026?
SSM has not published a line-by-line changelog against the 14 July 2026 guideline. What the new document itself confirms: it is dated and signed 30 October 2026, and paragraph 21 states it supersedes the 14 July 2026 guideline. Every naming rule, symbol, restricted word and identical-name test in this guide comes from the 30 October 2026 text below.
Your action: if you shortlisted a name before 30 October 2026, re-check it against the current guideline below rather than relying on an older summary.
📌 How does a company name search work in Malaysia?
Every rule in this guide is applied at one gate: the SSM name search. Before you incorporate or change a name, the Registrar of Companies must confirm the name is available. “Available” means the name is NOT:
- undesirable or unacceptable;
- identical to an existing company, corporation or business entity, or to a name someone has already reserved;
- a name the Minister has directed the Registrar to refuse.
Once the name is confirmed and you pay the fee, the Registrar may reserve it for 30 days from lodgement [Guidelines on Company Names, paragraph 5]. The Registrar may also allow a longer period.
Foreign companies: a foreign company registers under the name it uses in its home country. That name must still pass the same availability test. A name change for a foreign company is refused if the new name is not available.
📌 What will SSM reject in the name itself?
Passing the availability test is only half the job. The name itself must also follow specific rules.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Spelling and grammar | Must be correct, as in KEJURUTERAAN MEWAH. |
| Mixing Malay and English | Allowed only to describe your business, with correct grammar. MAJU CONSTRUCTION is fine. CONSTRUCTION MAJU is not. |
| Other languages | You must give the meaning of the word. |
| Religion and offence | Nothing offensive, and nothing that resembles or refers to religion. |
| Too general | Refused on its own. Examples: BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA SDN BHD, a person’s name alone, or a place name alone. |
| Personal names | Only directors named on the incorporation form, or their family members. Family members need proof, such as an identity card, passport, utility bill or credit card. |
| Historical figures | Allowed if written in full, such as Parameswara or Abraham Lincoln. |
| Invented words | You must explain the meaning. You need a consent letter from an existing company using the same word only if your new company is related to it (holding company, subsidiary or associate). JELLEX ASSETS HOLDING SDN BHD needs consent from JELLEX ASSETS SDN BHD. JELLEX TRADING SDN BHD does not. |
| Length | 3 to 100 characters. Symbols, numbers, spaces and the suffix (Sdn Bhd, Bhd) are not counted. |
| Acronyms | Nothing that could be confused with a public university, such as UM (Universiti Malaya). Nothing that could be confused with a government agency or government-linked company, such as LHDN (the Inland Revenue Board). |
Which symbols are allowed? Only these five:
| Symbol | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| & (or “dan”, “and”, “N”) | Joining words | TAN & LIM SDN BHD |
| . (full stop) | Titles | DR. LEE TRADING SDN BHD |
| – (hyphen) | Standard hyphenated words only | ALPHA E-COMMERCE SDN BHD |
| ( ) (brackets) | At the end of the name only | SINAR TRADING (PENANG) SDN BHD |
| ‘ (apostrophe) | Showing possession | MAK’S KITCHEN SDN BHD |
Which words are restricted?
- “Malaysia” or a state name at the START of a name needs consent from the government or the relevant party.
- “Company”, “Co” and “Syarikat” are banned.
- “Corporation”, “Corp”, “Incorporated”, “Inc” and their Malay versions are banned. There are three exceptions: the government has an interest in the company and the ministry approves; it is a foreign company registration; or the word is already part of your current name when you change your name.
The Registrar may also refuse a name that is obscene, against public policy, likely to offend a community or religion, misleading about what the company is, or that contains a controlled government slogan.
📌 When does SSM treat two names as identical?
The identical test is stricter than it looks. That is because SSM compares names only after removing these parts:
- “The” at the start;
- suffixes such as Sdn Bhd, Berhad, PLT (a Malaysian limited liability partnership), and foreign company suffixes such as Pte Ltd, LLC and Pvt Ltd;
- symbols and plurals;
- translations of the same business word;
- root words and short forms, such as Technology, Technologies and Tech.
Worked example: SINAR TECHNOLOGIES SDN BHD already exists. You apply for THE SINAR TECH SDN BHD or SINAR TEKNOLOGI SDN BHD. SSM removes “The”, the plural, the short form and the translation. Both names now read the same as the existing one, so both are identical.
🔔 QUICK TAKE AWAY
Strip your name down the way SSM does. If what is left matches an existing name, it is identical.
Can adding a word make your name different? It depends on the word:
| Word added to an existing name | Does it make your name different? |
|---|---|
| “Malaysia”, “(M)”, “MY” or “Msia” at the end | Never, even with a consent letter. |
| “Holding”, “Group”, “Kumpulan”, “Consortium”, “Consolidated” | Yes, but only for a related company, and only with a consent letter from the existing company. |
| “Company”, “Co”, “Corporation”, “Corp”, “Inc” variants | No, even with consent. The only exception: the government has an interest and you attach a government agency’s consent letter. |
When can you reuse an old name?
| Earlier entity | Name can be reused after |
|---|---|
| Company struck off | 7 years |
| Company wound up (by court order or voluntarily) | 2 years |
| Dissolved limited liability partnership | 2 years |
| Expired or terminated business name | 12 months, or sooner if the termination notice was already lodged |
📌 Which words need approval from the Minister or a regulator?
A separate question is whether a word is off-limits no matter who else uses it. The Minister has directed the Registrar to refuse these names:
- Royal links: Royal, King, Queen, Prince, Crown and similar words. There are narrow exceptions: place names, product sizes or brand names such as “Musang King”, and your own legal name.
- Official links: government departments, ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the United Nations, foreign governments, political parties, unions and cooperatives.
- Listed words: Bank, Insurance, Trust, University, Finance, Credit, “Chamber of Commerce and Industry” and others.
If you disagree with the Registrar’s decision, you may appeal to the Minister. You must do this within 30 days of the decision, with a formal letter and an RM300 appeal fee.
Some words need a consent letter from the relevant authority BEFORE you apply for the name search:
| Example words | Consent from |
|---|---|
| Accountant, Tax | Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) |
| Engineer | Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) |
| Cyber | Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) |
| Halal, Islam | Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) |
| Bank, Insurance, Forex | Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the central bank |
| University, College | Ministry of Higher Education |
Can SSM make you change a name after registration? Yes. If the Registrar believes a name should never have been registered, the Registrar can order a change. You then have 60 days to comply, or a longer period if allowed. If you do not comply, the Registrar may replace your name with your company registration number.
These lists have narrow exceptions. If your name is close to one, WhatsApp us your shortlist before you file.
📌 Trademark vs company name: does an approved name protect your brand?
SSM’s rules decide whether you can register a name. They do not protect your brand. A company name and a trademark are two separate registrations:
- Company name: registered with SSM. It identifies your company as a legal entity.
- Trademark: registered with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO). It protects a brand used for goods or services.
An approved company name does not give you a trademark. The guideline connects the two in one way: a government authority, or the owner of a MyIPO-registered trademark, can apply to make a word “controlled”. For trademark owners, this costs RM100 per word per application. You also need to attach the trademark’s registration certificate, and its renewal certificate if there is one.
Your action: search MyIPO’s trademark records as well as SSM’s. If the brand matters to your business, get advice on intellectual property, and WhatsApp us your shortlist so we can check it against SSM’s naming rules first.
📌 Can you check company name availability for free before paying SSM?
Yes. Boss Boleh’s company name availability check is 100% free to use, with no obligation to incorporate. It is separate from the paid Sdn Bhd incorporation package, which covers SSM’s own registration and reservation fees.
Run your shortlisted name through the free check together with the rules above: identical-name clashes, banned words, allowed symbols and length. The Registrar still makes the final decision, but checking first helps you avoid a rejected paid application.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions
Do the new rules apply to a name I chose before 30 October 2026?
The 30 October 2026 guideline keeps the same naming rules as the 14 July 2026 version it replaces. Check again any name you have not incorporated yet.
Will adding “(M)” at the end make my name different?
No. “Malaysia”, “(M)”, “MY” or “Msia” at the end never makes a name different, even with a consent letter.
Can I add “Group” to an existing company’s name?
Only for a related company, and only with a consent letter from the existing company.
How long does a name reservation last?
30 days from lodgement, or a longer period if the Registrar allows it.
Can I reuse a struck-off company’s name?
Yes, 7 years after it was struck off.
References
ABOUT BOSS BOLEH
Boss Boleh is an online company secretary and incorporation platform built for first-time entrepreneurs setting up their Sdn Bhd. Beyond company secretarial work, it also offers a one-stop compliance solution for entrepreneurs, including accounting, tax planning and tax filing services. We can set up your Sdn Bhd in 2 working days with eKYC and digital signatures, then help with your company bank account opening online or with a banker visiting you. With over 1,500 Google reviews at a 4.9-star average, we support founders in Kuala Lumpur, every other state and Malaysians abroad through WhatsApp.
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