Cooperative name
N.D. Cent. Code § 10-15-08.1
in effect10-15-08.1. Cooperative name
1. The cooperative name:
a. Must be expressed in letters or characters used in the English language as those
letters or characters appear in the American standard code for information
interchange (ASCII) table.
b. May contain the word "corporation" or "incorporated" or an abbreviation of either
of those words.
c. May not contain a word or phrase indicating or implying it is organized for a
purpose other than one or more business purposes for which a cooperative
association may be organized under this chapter.
d. Must be distinguishable in the records of the secretary of state from the name,
whether foreign and authorized to do business in this state, or domestic, unless
there is filed with the articles of association of a domestic cooperative or the
application for authority of a foreign cooperative, a record in compliance with
subsection 2 of:
(1) Another cooperative association;
(2) A corporation;
(3) A limited liability company;
(4) A limited liability partnership;
(5) A limited partnership;
(6) A limited liability limited partnership;
(7) A name the right to which is, at the time of organization, in some manner
reserved;
(8) A fictitious name registered with the secretary of state as provided in chapter
45-11;
(9) A trade name registered with the secretary of state as provided in chapter
47-25; or
(10) A trademark or service mark registered in the manner provided in chapter
47-22.
2. If the secretary of state determines a cooperative name is indistinguishable from
another name for purposes of this chapter, then the cooperative name may not be
used unless there is filed with the articles of association or application for authority:
a. A written consent to use the name obtained from the domestic or foreign
corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, limited liability
limited partnership, or limited partnership authorized to do business in this state
having an indistinguishable name, or the holder of a reserved name, registered
trade name, fictitious name, or trademark or service mark; or
b. A certified copy of a judgment of a court in this state establishing the prior right of
the applicant to the use of the name in this state.
3. The secretary of state shall determine whether a cooperative name is distinguishable
in the secretary of state's records from another name for purposes of this chapter and
may adopt rules reasonable or necessary for making these determinations.
4. This section and section 10-15-08.2 do not:
a. Abrogate or limit:
(1) The law of unfair competition or unfair practices;
(2) Chapter 47-25;
(3) The laws of the United States with respect to the right to acquire and protect
copyrights, trade names, trademarks, service names, and service marks; or
(4) Any other rights to the exclusive use of names or symbols; or
b. Derogate the common law or the principles of equity.
5. A cooperative that is involuntarily dissolved by the secretary of state under section
10-15-53.2 may reacquire the right to use that name by reinstating the cooperative
within the time provided in section 10-15-53.3 or by refiling articles of association,
unless the name has been adopted for use or reserved by another person, in which
case the filing must be rejected unless the filing is accompanied by a written consent
or judgment as provided in subsection 2. A cooperative that is unable to reacquire the
use of its name shall adopt a new name that complies with this section.
6. A cooperative that files its articles of association with an effective date later than the
date of filing as provided in section 10-15-07 shall maintain the right to the name until
the effective date.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c15.pdf#nameddest=10-15-08p1Fetched: 10/16/2026