How to File a DBA

Filing a DBA (doing business as), also known as an assumed name, trade proper noun, or fictitious proper noun, is an easy procedure that is achieved by registering with your state, county, and/or urban center.

Follow our footstep-by-stride How to File a DBA guide to get started today.

Filing a DBA won't protect your personal avails like forming an LLC or corporation will. Acquire why in our DBA vs LLC guide.

DBA Meaning:A DBA is whatsoever name a concern operates under that isn't its legal proper name. Your state might refer to a DBA as a fictitious name, assumed name, or trade proper noun.

Sole proprietors and partnerships tin can operate under a DBA name instead of their surnames. LLCs and corporations can use a DBA name to diversify their make.

In this video, nosotros intermission downward what a DBA is, how and when to utilise a DBA, and how to file a DBA for your business organization.

How to Prepare Upwards a DBA

one) Select Your State

DBA guidelines and laws vary from state to state. In some cases, yous volition demand to register your DBA with the land government and in others, the county or metropolis government.

Several states require you to annals a DBA with more than one level of government. For case, a general partnership may have to file at the land and county level in i state, while another state may require that same general partnership to file with just the canton.

NOTE: You cannot file for a DBA in Kansas, New Mexico, or South Carolina.

The best place to brainstorm your DBA filing procedure is with our simple pace-by-stride country DBA guides:

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • S Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Washington D.C.
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Step 2) Consummate a DBA Name Search

Before you file, you should make sure your proper noun isn't taken by—or too similar to—some other registered business in your land. You will also want to make sure your DBA meets your country's naming guidelines. Our stride-by-pace guides discuss this step in detail for your country.

If you demand extra help choosing a business name, select your state from the drop-downwardly menu on our How to Name a Business guide.

Need Assistance Creating a Make Name and Logo?

If you need help coming up with a DBA proper name, try our concern proper noun generator. So, create a unique logo for your brand with our costless logo generator.

We recommend securing your domain name (URL) for your DBA as soon equally possible. Past reserving your domain proper noun, you ensure it won't be caused by another business owner.

Observe a Domain Now

Once you reserve a domain name for your DBA, consider setting up a business telephone system to assist strengthen your customer service and heave brownie. We recommend Phone.com considering of its affordable pricing and diversity of useful features. Start calling with Phone.com.

Step 3) Annals Your DBA with the State

You volition need to file your DBA with the country or with the county/metropolis clerk'southward office depending on your location and business structure,

Several states require you to register a DBA with more than ane level of regime. For case, a sole proprietorship may have to file at the state and county level in i state, while another state may require that aforementioned sole proprietorship to file with just the canton.

We show yous exactly how to go a DBA in on our state-specific How to File a DBA guides. You can also read our listing of the best DBA filing services.

What is a DBA?

A DBA is any name a business operates under that isn't its legal proper name. In many states, you can operate under a dissimilar proper name as long as you officially register it with the proper urban center, canton, or state agency.

DBAs are used by sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations for branding purposes. There are two primary reasons why you would need a DBA:

  • You take a registered formal concern entity looking to branch out into new products, services or brands, or to rebrand in general.
  • You have an unregistered business organisation such as a sole proprietorship or partnership and would like to operate under a name other than your personal name. This selection should just be used by businesses withvery low profit and risk.

What a DBA is Not

A DBA isn't a legal business entity. It is merely a name that your business tin utilise instead of its legal name. DBAs must be attached to a business entity.

Some examples of concern entities include:

  • Sole Proprietorships (not a legal entity)
  • General Partnerships
  • Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
  • For-Profit and Nonprofit Corporations
  • Express Partnerships (LPs)
  • Express Liability Partnerships (LLPs)

When yous class a business entity such every bit a limited liability company (LLC), corporation (S corp or C corp), limited partnership (LP), or express liability partnership (LLP), your business has limited liability protection. Limited liability protection means that if your business is sued, your personal avails are protected.

Sole proprietorships and general partnerships legally operate nether the owner's personal name and do NOT have express liability protection. You can operate under a DBA as a sole proprietor or general partnership only the business will still non accept limited liability protection.

DBA vs. LLC

Potential business owners sometimes ask what the difference is between an LLC and a DBA. The answer is that an LLC and a DBA are ii very different things.

An LLC is a business entity type similar a corporation or a partnership. Information technology can operate with or without a DBA.

A DBA, on the other paw, is essentially a nickname for a business concern. It must exist fastened to a business structure (like an LLC).

TIP: For more details on the difference between an LLC and a DBA, visit our DBA vs LLC guide.

DBA Taxes

Business organization taxes are determined by a business organisation'south structure. Each business construction has specific filing requirements gear up forth by the IRS.

Because a DBA isn't a business entity, you lot do not have to file a tax render specifically for a DBA. The income or loss from a DBA is factored into your full revenue enhancement liability for the business.

That is, if your DBA doesn't do well and has a loss, those numbers will be calculated within the tax liability for your business.

TIP: For more than information on business organisation taxes, visit our tax guide.

DBA EINs

An EIN (employer identification number) is like a concern's Social Security Number. The IRS uses EINs to keep track of a business's revenue enhancement reporting. Any business with employees must file for an EIN in order to remain compliant with the government.

Because a DBA is not a concern entity, there is no such affair equally an EIN for a DBA. The business structure that the DBA is attached to, if it has employees, volition have an EIN.

TIP: To acquire more about when to utilise an EIN, read our What is an EIN guide.

When to Use a DBA

Branding

Whether your business organisation is a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation, filing a doing business equally proper noun can make it easier to create or build a particular make. If your business offers multiple distinct products or services, registering a DBA can help you highlight and marketplace certain ones in a unique way.

If you're operating a sole proprietorship or partnership, choosing a doing business as name for your business can make information technology easier to marketplace your visitor, helping to concenter more customers.

Privacy

Sole proprietorships and general partnerships are required to utilise their surnames (last names) as their legal name. If your business concern is a sole proprietorship and you don't want your name in directories, online, or on public tape, then information technology'south a good practice to set up a DBA to protect your privacy.

Setting Upwards Multiple Businesses Under I LLC

Entrepreneurs who want to create several dissimilar businesses can do so nether 1 limited liability company (LLC) past creating DBAs for each one.

Banking

Some banks crave sole proprietors and general partnerships to have a DBA in order to open a business account. It also adds brownie when you take payment in the business name that customers expect to meet.

Domain Proper name Availability

Your business proper name might not be available equally a domain name. Some business owner's cull to file a DBA that matches their domain proper noun.

Credibility

Sole proprietors and general partnerships can sometimes gain more credibility with a business name that isn't their ain proper noun.

How To File A DBA FAQ

How many DBAs tin I accept?

You can have as many DBAs as you can afford to create and are able to go along track of. Each one comes with boosted incremental expenses and paperwork, pregnant more is not necessarily better.

Can a DBA get an EIN or Tax ID?

DBAs aren't required to take a split EIN because DBAs aren't a business entity. The business entity that the DBA is under would take an EIN if an EIN is required.

To learn more nigh EINs and when y'all demand one for your business, read our What is an EIN guide.

Tin a DBA become an LLC?

No. An LLC is a business concernentity, while a DBA is just aproper name for a business.

Sole proprietorships are oftentimes confused with DBAs, but they are not the aforementioned: a sole proprietorship is a business entity, therefore it can choose to become an LLC.

To learn how to form an LLC, visit our Class an LLC state guides.

Can a DBA have Inc. in the name?

A DBA can only have Inc. in the name if the business organisation entity the DBA is attached to is a corporation.

How do I set up a DBA for a rental belongings?

Holding a rental belongings in your name and with a DBA volition non afford y'all whatsoever protection. The all-time option is to grade an LLC to protect your personal assets in the event of an issue with the rental property. In any case, it is ever best to consult an attorney.

When would it be good to get a DBA versus a legal proper noun alter?

Getting a DBA is often a better pick than irresolute your business's legal name. If you want to rebrand your company or focus on another line of business organisation, filing for a DBA is a simpler procedure than filing for a legal name modify.

Is my DBA protected from beingness used in other places?

Some state-level laws foreclose DBAs that are too similar to existing ones from being used, but this varies from state to state. It is possible to trademark a DBA, which would offer stronger protection across country lines.

Practice I Need A DBA For My Concern?

In nearly cases, a DBA is only required if you are using a business name other than your legal concern name. There are some states that crave 1 for certain business entity types. For instance, New York requires partnerships to take a DBA.

Check out our land DBA guide for your concern' home country to see the rules and regulations that are relevant to yous.

Additionally, if you are operating a sole proprietorship or partnership, and you are using a proper noun other than your own, you will demand a doing business concern as name to open a business depository financial institution business relationship or to be listed in certain business directories.

Exercise I need a DBA for my LLC?

It is non necessary to have a DBA for your LLC, only there may be benefits to having one. As nosotros mentioned before, a doing business as name can open up a lot of different opportunities for branding and marketing your business or particular products or services that you offering.

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