A. The corporate name shall:

(1) contain the separate word "corporation," "company," "incorporated" or "limited" or shall contain a separate abbreviation of one of these words;

(2) not contain any word or phrase which indicates or implies that it is organized for any purpose other than one or more of the purposes contained in its articles of incorporation; and

(3) not be the same as, or confusingly similar to, the name of any domestic corporation existing under the laws of this state or any foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state, or a name the exclusive right to which is, at the time, reserved in the manner provided in the Business Corporation Act, or the name of a corporation which has in effect a registration of its corporate name as provided in the Business Corporation Act.

B. Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of this section shall not apply if the applicant files with the commission [secretary of state] either:

(1) the written consent of such other corporation or holder of a reserved or registered name to use the same or confusingly similar name and one or more words are added to make the name distinguishable from the other name; or

(2) a certified copy of a final decree of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the prior right of the applicant to the use of the name in this state.

History: 1953 Comp., § 51-24-7, enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 81, § 7; 1975, ch. 64, § 3; 1983, ch. 304, § 25.

Bracketed material. — The bracketed material was inserted by the compiler and is not part of the law.

Laws 2013, ch. 75, § 9 provided that as of July 1, 2013, the secretary of state, pursuant to N.M. const., Art. 11, § 19, shall assume responsibility for chartering corporations as provided by law, including the performance of the functions of the former corporations bureau of the public regulation commission, and that except for Subsection D of 53-5-8 NMSA 1978, references to the "public regulation commission", "state corporation commission" or "commission" shall be construed to be references to the secretary of state. See 8-4-7 NMSA 1978.

Compiler's notes. — This section is derived from Section 8 of the ABA Model Business Corporation Act.

The 1983 amendment, effective June 17, 1983, inserted "separate" in two places in Paragraph (1) of Subsection A.

Law reviews. — For article, "1975 Amendments to the New Mexico Business Corporations Act," see 6 N.M.L. Rev. 57 (1975).

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 18A Am. Jur. 2d Corporations §§ 273, 277, 283, 284, 286 to 299.

What names import corporation within rule that one contracting with body described by corporate name is estopped to deny its corporate existence, 5 A.L.R. 1580.

Corporation doing business and making contracts under assumed name, 56 A.L.R. 450.

Validity and construction of constitutional or statutory provisions which prohibit the use by a corporation or partnership, as a part of its name, of certain described words giving the impression that it is subject to governmental control, 63 A.L.R. 1049.

Use of abbreviations of name of municipal body or private corporation in designating party to judicial proceedings, 167 A.L.R. 1217.

18 C.J.S. Corporations §§ 98 to 105.