Who Needs a DBA?
If you’re a sole proprietorship or partnership, you’ll likely need a DBA. That’s because you’re unincorporated, so you didn’t file entity formation papers or choose a business name. Your legal name will be your business name unless you file a DBA.
S and C corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships typically don’t need a DBA if they’re happy with their legal business name. On the contrary, franchise owners may want to file a DBA to indicate they’re operating a business under the franchise’s umbrella.
No matter what type of business you're forming, make sure you check with your state on the proper process, or sign up for our DBA package and let us handle the rest.
Why File a DBA with Incfile?
Our DBA package offers four key benefits that business owners should pay attention to.
Search by State (e.g. Alabama)
Select your state above.
And see results over here
Alabama
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
No
Fee
$30
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Office of the Secretary State
Forms available online?
Alaska
Referred to as
DBA
Required?
No
Fee
$25
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of Commerce, Corporations Section
Forms available online?
Arizona
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
No
Fee
$10
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Arkansas
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$15 to $25 depending on entity type
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, as well as the County Clerk unless in Pulaski County
Forms available online?
California
Referred to as
Fictitious business name (FBN)
Required?
Yes
Fee
Varies by county
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
Yes, in a local newspaper within 30 days of filing, once per week for four consecutive weeks
Must file with
Registrar-Recorder or County Clerk
Forms available online?
Varies by county; for more information check your county's website
Colorado
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$20
Length of approval
1 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Connecticut
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$10
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Town clerk
Forms available online?
Varies by town; for more information contact your town clerk or check your town's website
Delaware
Referred to as
Trade, business, and fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
County Prothonotary's Office
Forms available online?
Florida
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$50
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
Yes, in a local newspaper at least once
Must file with
Department of State
Forms available online?
Georgia
Referred to as
DBA
Required?
Yes, if doing business under a name which does not disclose individual ownership
Fee
Varies by county
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
Yes, in a local newspaper at least once per week for two consecutive weeks
Must file with
Your county's Clerk of the Superior Court
Forms available online?
Varies by county; Contact your Clerk of the Superior Court or visit your county's website for more information
Hawaii
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
No
Fee
$50
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Forms available online?
Idaho
Referred to as
Assumed business name (ABN)
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Illinois
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$30 to $150 depending on the year of filing; see state guidelines for details
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
Yes, in a local newspaper within 15 days of DBA approval, once per week for three consecutive weeks
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Indiana
Referred to as
Assumed business name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$26 for nonprofit corporations; $30 for for-profit corporations
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Iowa
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$5
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Kansas
Referred to as
DBAs or fictitious names
Required?
No
Fee
---
Length of approval
---
Public notice required?
---
Must file with
---
Forms available online?
---
Kentucky
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$20
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State for LLCs and corporations; county clerk for sole proprietorships
Forms available online?
Louisiana
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$75
Length of approval
10 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, Commercial Division
Forms available online?
Maine
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$125
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Maryland
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
State Department of Assessments & Taxations
Forms available online?
Massachusetts
Referred to as
DBA
Required?
Yes, for individuals who are going to do business under a name different than their own
Fee
Varies by town
Length of approval
4 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Town or city clerk's office
Forms available online?
Varies by location; contact your town clerk or city clerk for more information
Michigan
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$10 for a corporation or limited partnership, or $25 for an LLC
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
Forms available online?
Minnesota
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$30 if submitted by mail, or $50 if submitted online or in-person
Length of approval
1 year
Public notice required?
Yes, in a local qualified Legal Newspaper for two consecutive issues
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Mississippi
Referred to as
Fictitious business name
Required?
No
Fee
$25
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Missouri
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$7
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Forms available online?
Montana
Referred to as
Assumed business name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$20
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Nebraska
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
No
Fee
$100 online or $110 in-office
Length of approval
10 years
Public notice required?
Yes, once in a local newspaper, with proof of publication filed within 45 days of trade name approval
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Nevada
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
Varies by county
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
County clerk
Forms available online?
Varies by county; contact your county clerk for more information
New Hampshire
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$50
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, Corporation Division
Forms available online?
New Jersey
Referred to as
Alternate name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$50
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
Forms available online?
New Mexico
Referred to as
DBA
Required?
No
Fee
---
Length of approval
---
Public notice required?
---
Must file with
---
Forms available online?
---
New York
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of State, Division of Corporations
Forms available online?
North Carolina
Referred to as
Assumed business name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$26
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Your county's Register of Deeds
Forms available online?
North Dakota
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Ohio
Referred to as
Fictitious name (does not include exclusive rights) or trade name (does include exclusive rights); for more information see Ohio Revised Code Section 1329.01
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Oklahoma
Referred to as
Trade name (for business entities) or fictitious name (for individuals)
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Oregon
Referred to as
Assumed business name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$50
Length of approval
2 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, Corporation Division
Forms available online?
Pennsylvania
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$70
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
If the registration includes an individual then notice must be published in two local papers, one of which must be a legal publication
Must file with
Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
Forms available online?
Rhode Island
Referred to as
Fictitious business name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$50
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of State, Business Services Division
Forms available online?
South Carolina
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes, but only for limited partnerships
Fee
$10
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
South Dakota
Referred to as
DBA
Required?
Yes, unless certain conditions apply; for more information see South Dakota Codified Laws 37-11-1
Fee
$10
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Tennessee
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes, except for sole proprietorships and general partnerships operating under the name of the owner(s)
Fee
$20
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Texas
Referred to as
Assumed name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
10 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?
Utah
Referred to as
DBA
Required?
Yes
Fee
$22
Length of approval
3 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of Commerce, Division of Corporations and Commercial Code
Forms available online?
Vermont
Referred to as
Assumed business name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$50
Length of approval
5 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Forms available online?
Virginia
Referred to as
Fictitious name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$10
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
State Corporation Commission
Forms available online?
Washington
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes, except for sole proprietorships or partnerships operating under the full legal name of the owner(s)
Fee
$5 trade name fee, plus a $19 general filing fee
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service
Forms available online?
Washington DC
Referred to as
---
Required?
---
Fee
---
Length of approval
---
Public notice required?
---
Must file with
---
Forms available online?
---
West Virginia
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
Yes
Fee
$25
Length of approval
Indefinite
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State, Business and Licensing Division
Forms available online?
Wisconsin
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
No
Fee
$15
Length of approval
10 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Department of Financial Institutions
Forms available online?
Wyoming
Referred to as
Trade name
Required?
No
Fee
$100
Length of approval
10 years
Public notice required?
No
Must file with
Secretary of State
Forms available online?