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In Alabama, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $30.
In Alaska, a DBA is known as a trade name, assumed name, or also known as and must be filed with the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development's Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing.
The fee is $25.
In Arizona, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $10.
In Arkansas, a DBA is known as a fictitious name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $25 by mail and $22.50 online.
In California, a DBA is known as a fictitious business name and must be filed at the county level.
The fee will vary by county.
In Colorado, a DBA is known as a trade name must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $20.
In Connecticut, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the town hall wherever the business is located.
The fee will vary by city.
In Delaware, a DBA is known as a trade name or a fictitious name and must be filed at the county level.
The fee is $25.
In Washington, D.C., a DBA is known as trade name and must be filed with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
The fee is $55.
In Florida, a DBA is known as a fictitious name and must be filed with the Department of State's Division of Corporations.
The fee is $50.
In Georgia, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed at the county level.
The fee will vary by county.
In Hawaii, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
The fee is $50.
In Idaho, a DBA is known as an assumed business name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $25 online and $45 by mail.
In Illinois, a DBA is known as an assumed name and must be filed with a county clerk.
This state has unique filing fee requirements:
For sole proprietorships, general partnerships, and professional corporations, filing must be done at the county level, so fees will vary.
In Indiana, a DBA is called a fictitious business name and must be filed at the county level.
The fee will vary depending on the county and business type.
In Iowa, a DBA is called a fictitious name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $5.
In Kansas, a DBA is known as a fictitious name. Filing one can be unique since there is no procedure to do so. Things depend on the business location, meaning that filing may be done either at the county or city level.
The fee will vary.
In Kentucky, a DBA is called an assumed name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $20.
In Louisiana, a DBA is known as a trade name. Businesses requesting a DBA will need to publish an article in their local newspaper to announce their DBA filing. The filing must be done with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $75.
In Maine, a DBA is known as an assumed name and must be filed with the Bureau of Corporations at the Office of the Secretary of State.
The fee varies by county.
In Maryland, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)
The fee is $25.
In Massachusetts, a DBA is known as an assumed name and must be filed at the local level. This means that rules, guidelines, and the fee will vary.
In Michigan, a DBA is called an assumed name. For sole proprietorships and general partnerships, it's done at the county level, so prices and rules will vary.
Businesses with Articles of Incorporation or Organization will need to file with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Fees will also depend on the business type:
In Minnesota, a DBA is known as an assumed name and must be filed with the Secretary of State. The state requires that a Certificate of Assumed Name be filed and published in a newspaper prior to doing business. It can be published in any newspaper in the county where the business is located in. The certificate must be published for two consecutive issues.
The fee depends on the method: $50 online or $30 by mail.
In Mississippi, a DBA is called a fictitious name. The state doesn't require businesses to register a DBA name. If doing so, it has to be done with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $25.
In Missouri, a DBA is called a fictitious name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $7.
In Montana, a DBA is called an assumed name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $20.
In Nebraska, a DBA is known as a trade name and is not a legal requirement. If done, it must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $100.
In Nevada, a DBA is known as a fictitious firm name and must be filed at the county level. This means that regulations and cost will vary depending on the county.
In New Hampshire, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $50.
In New Jersey, a DBA is known by different terms depending on the business type:
For an alternate name, a business will need to file form C-150G with the State Treasurer. For a trade name, registration is done at the county level via a Trade Name Certificate.
The fee for an alternate name is $50 and a fee for a trade name varies by county.
In New Mexico, a DBA is known as a trade name and isn't required to file. However, if a business owner chooses to get one, it must be filed with the Secretary of State.
In New York, a DBA is known as a certificate of assumed name and must be filed with the New York State Department of State.
There is a general filing fee of $25 but additional fees will depend on location and business type. For example, for counties within New York City (The Bronx, Queens, etc.), the additional fee for corporations is $100 per county. For other counties, the fee is an additional $25 per county.
In North Carolina, a DBA is known as an assumed business name certificate and must be filed with the Register of Deeds office in the county the business is located in.
The fee depends on the county.
In North Dakota, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $25.
In Ohio, a DBA can be known as a trade name or a fictitious name. Of the two, registering as a trade name ensures that no one else can use it. A DBA needs to be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $39.
In Oklahoma, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $25.
In Oregon, a DBA is known as an assumed business name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $50.
In Pennsylvania, a DBA is known as a fictitious name and must be filed with the Department of State.
The fee is $70.
In Puerto Rico, a DBA is called a trade name. To register a DBA in Puerto Rico, submit a Trade Name Application to the Puerto Rico Department of State.
The fee is $150
In Rhode Island, a DBA is known as a fictitious business name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $50 for corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships. The fee is $20 for nonprofits.
In South Carolina, a DBA is known as a fictitious name or an assumed name and must be filed at the local level. If the business is a limited partnership, it must file with the Secretary of State.
The fee will vary depending on the county or city.
For limited partnerships, the filing fee is $10.
In South Dakota, a DBA is known as a fictitious name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $10.
In Tennessee, a DBA is known as an assumed name (trade name and fictitious name are also sometimes used) and filing depends on the business type:
The fee for sole proprietorships and general partnerships varies by county and the fee for incorporated businesses is $20.
In Texas, a DBA is known as as an assumed name and filing depends on the business type:
The fee is $25 if filing with the Secretary of State but varies at the county level.
In Utah, a DBA is known as an assumed name and must be filed with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code.
The fee is $22.
In Vermont, a DBA is known as an assumed business name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $50.
In Virginia, a DBA is known as a fictitious name and must be filed with the State Corporation Commission (SCC). Filing requirements are different for business entities and individuals, but both must done through the SCC.
The fee is $10.
In Washington, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed through the Department of Revenue.
The fee is $5.
In Washington-District of Columbia, a DBA is known as trade name and must be filed with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
The fee is $55.
In West Virginia, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State. Filing rules depend on the business type:
There is no fee for individuals, sole proprietorships, and general partnerships. The fee for other business entities is $25.
In Wisconsin, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Department of Financial Institutions.
The fee is $15.
In Wyoming, a DBA is known as a trade name and must be filed with the Secretary of State.
The fee is $100.
When getting ready to start a business, you have spend some time picking out the right name, then look it up online to see if it's available. The same is true for getting a DBA name. You should first jot down a list of potential names that best fits your brand.
Once you have your list ready, use RCA's Business Name Search by State to lookup the name availability on your preferred state’s Secretary of State website (or in some cases. the state's Commonwealth website) to determine which ones are available.
If you’re not yet ready to register your DBA name, you might want to consider reserving your DBA name online or by snail mail. Most states charge for this service, but will reserve your DBA name for 120 days. We can help you with reserving your business name.
Once you have made a decision on the right name, we suggest doing a quick domain name search to find out if there're any that fits your brand, then decide on making a purchase.
You may also want to consider trademarking your DBA name. You can also apply to register a trademark at the state and federal levels. You’ll want to check the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database for any existing trademarks on your name.
while federal trademark registration comes with broader protections, state level trademark registration is often easier and quicker. There’s typically a state-level database you can check, and if your name is in the available and clear, you can register your DBA trademark in the state where you’ll be conducting business.
Note, that some states may have specific rules and regulations regarding company names, such as words that cannot be included in your name. Be sure to check your state’s regulations before committing to your prefer DBA name.
Once you’ve ready to file the DBA forms to have it registered! Note, that some states do not refer to this as a DBA name, and instead refer to it on their application as an - assumed name, fictitious name, or trade name.
These forms are located on each state's Secretary of state or Commonwealth website and the application are typically submitted via online filing in minutes or by snail mail. There is a filing fee in most states for this application process.
To complete the application, you’ll need your DBA name and your company’s Employer Identification Number (EIN). If you have a sole proprietorship and do not have an EIN, you will need to use your Social Security number instead. You may also need to provide your company’s official name.
Also keep in mind that there may be additional requirements for filing a DBA name at the city, county or state level. Reach out to your county clerk or other regulatory agencies, if you have questions about DBAs.
The last step may not be as relevant in all states. but, you’ll be required to publish your DBA in local newspapers. We have listed some of the states that require this:
The exact requirements may vary state by state, but typically the expectations are that you’ll publish your company’s DBA name each week for atleast a month. This might require publishing an ad or a statement of use that includes your company’s official name, contact information, and DBA name.
We know that going through the process of getting a DBA can be time consuming. but rest easy, because we can help you with registering your DBA name. We also have many other business formation services that can ease your workload, so you can focus on being successful.
