| State |
Fictitious
Name Filing Requirements |
| Alabama |
Alabama
does not require
registration or filing of
fictitious names for sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Alabama Secretary of
State. |
| Alaska |
Visit
Registering
a Business Name in Alaska |
| Arizona |
Trade Name
Registration
- The registration of
trade names is not
legally required in
Arizona but is an
accepted business
practice. Business names,
also known as DBAs, can
be filed with the Office
of the Secretary of
State. |
| Arkansas |
A
Doing Business As (DBA)
Certificate is required
for any sole
proprietorship or general
partnership operating
under a fictitious name
or names other than the
owners. There is a
nominal fee that varies
from county to county.
The DBA Certificate
records the full name and
address of the business
owner and the fictitious
name and is kept on file
at the county clerk's
office. To do a business
name search for a sole
proprietorship or
partnership, contact the
county clerk's office in
the county where the
business is located. To
do a business name search
for a corporation,
contact the Arkansas
Secretary of State's
office, 1-888-233-0325. |
| California |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships must
file a Fictitious Name
Statement with the county
government
where the business will
be conducted.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
California Secretary of
State. |
| Colorado |
Visit
Register a
Trade Name Online |
| Connecticut |
Corporations,
LLCs, LLPs, and limited
partnerships register an
assumed name as part of
their required business
filings with the Connecticut
Secretary of State.
If your business is a
sole proprietorship, you
do not need to register
your business with the
state. |
| Delaware |
For
sole proprietorships and
general partnerships,
Fictitious Name
Certificates are
registered in the
Superior Court
Prothonotary's office in
the county in which you
are doing business:
New Castle
County Fictitious Name
Certificate
Kent County - call for
form (302) 739-3184
Sussex County - call for
form (302) 856-5742
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Delaware Secretary of
State. |
| District
of Columbia |
The
District of Columbia
allows you to register
and use a business name
(trade name) different
from your true name, if
you are an individual, or
from your corporation,
partnership, or company
name. You do not need to
register the name used
for your corporation,
partnership, or LLC as
your trade name; it is
considered as your true
name. |
| Florida |
Required
for all businesses. Visit
the Florida Division of
Corporations, Online
Fictitious Name
Registration |
| Georgia |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships must
register fictitious trade
names with the Clerk of
Superior Court
in the county where
business will be
conducted. Corporations,
LLCs, LLPs, and limited
partnerships register an
assumed name as part of
their required business
filings with the Georgia
Secretary of State,
Corporations Division. |
| Guam |
Rules for
the Use of Fictitious
Names in Guam
Certificate
of Transacting Business
Under a Fictitious Name |
| Hawaii |
Trade Name
Registration
- Guidelines, forms and
fees. |
| Idaho |
Idaho
Secretary of State - Assumed
Business Name
Registration Forms |
| Illinois |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), the Illinois
Assumed Name Act requires
sole proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with their local
county clerk's office.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Illinois Secretary of
State. |
| Indiana |
In
Indiana fictitious names
are registered with the
County Recorder's office
in the county where your
principal place of
business is located. |
| Iowa |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with their local
County Recorder's office.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Iowa Secretary of State. |
| Kansas |
Kansas
does not require
registration or filing of
DBAs or fictitious names
for sole proprietorships
and general partnerships.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Kansas Secretary of
State. |
| Kentucky |
Corporations,
a non-profits, LLCs and
partnerships (limited, or
limited liability) must
register with the Kentucky
Secretary of State.
Sole proprietorships
should file an assumed
name certificate with the
county clerk's office
where the business is
located. |
| Louisiana |
If
your business is a
corporation, a
non-profit, a limited
liability company or a
partnership (limited, or
limited liability) you
must register with the Louisiana
Secretary of State.
Sole proprietorships
should file a trade name
certificate
with the Secretary of
State. |
| Maine |
The
Maine
Division of Corporations
files nonprofit and
business corporations,
limited partnerships,
limited liability
companies, limited
liability partnerships
and marks. There is no
provision under Maine law
for filing trade names of
sole proprietorships or
general partnerships at
the state level. If you
are operating your
business as a sole
proprietor, under a trade
name, or as a general
partnership you are
required by Maine law to
file with the municipal
clerk where your business
is located. |
| Maryland |
A
fictitious name filing,
also known as Doing
Business As or DBA,
allows you to create name
for your business that is
different than your
personal name, the names
of your partners or the
officially registered
name of your LLC or
corporation.
Trade Name
Application
[PDF Document]
Business
Registration and Trade
Name FAQ
Answers to
frequently asked
questions about
registering your business
in Maryland. |
| Massachusetts |
Massachusetts
requires anyone who is
conducting business under
an alias (i.e., any name
other than their own),
including corporations,
to file a business
certificate ("doing
business as") in the
community where their
business is principally
headquartered |
| Michigan |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with their local
county clerk's office.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Michigan Secretary of
State. |
| Minnesota |
Minnesota
Secretary of State - Assumed
Name Registration |
| Mississippi |
Mississippi
statute requires that any
that every business
enterprise operating
under an assumed name
must register that name
in the city or town in
which it is located. If
you incorporate, become a
limited partnership or
limited liability
company, the name of the
business would be
registered with the
Mississippi Secretary of
State. |
| Missouri |
Missouri
Secretary of State - Online
Registration of
Fictitious Name |
| Montana |
Montana
Secretary of State
Application
for Reservation of Name
Application
for Registration of
Assumed Business Name
|
| Nebraska |
Nebraska
Secretary of State
- Application
for Registration of Trade
Name |
| Nevada |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with their
county government.
Corporations, LLCs, LLPs,
and limited partnerships
register an assumed name
as part of their required
business filings with the
Nevada Secretary of
State. |
| New
Hampshire |
New
Hampshire Secretary of
State - Trade Name
Registration Forms |
| New
Jersey |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with the county
clerk office
where business will be
conducted. Corporations,
LLCs, LLPs, and limited
partnerships register an
assumed name as part of
their required business
filings with the New
Jersey Department of
State. |
| New
Mexico |
The
State of New Mexico does
not require that a
business register its use
of a trade name |
| New
York |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with the county
clerk office(s) where
business will be
conducted. Corporations,
LLCs, LLPs, and limited
partnerships register an
assumed name as part of
their required business
filings with the New York
Department of State. |
| North
Carolina |
Certificate
of Assumed Name
Includes
links to online forms
that are to be filed at
your County's Register of
Deeds Office in which
your business is
conducted. |
| North
Dakota |
North
Dakota Secretary of State
- Trade Name
Registration |
| Ohio |
Ohio
Secretary of State - Trade Name
Registration |
| Oklahoma |
Oklahoma
Secretary of State - Trade Name
Registration |
| Oregon |
Oregon
Secretary of State - Assumed
Name Registration |
| Pennsylvania |
Pennsylvania
Dept of State
Application
for Registration of
Fictitious Name
Guidelines
for Fictitious Names |
| Puerto
Rico |
Businesses
in Puerto Rico can both
register their trademark
and a trade name (i.e.
fictitious name) through
the Department of State's
Registry of Marks and
Commercial Names: Registro
de marcas y nombres
comerciales
(Registry of marks and
commercial names). |
| Rhode
Island |
When
a business name is
different from the
owner(s) full legal
name(s), sole
proprietorships and
general partnerships to
register with the city or
town government where
business will be
conducted. Corporations,
LLCs, LLPs, and limited
partnerships register an
assumed name as part of
their required business
filings with the Rhode
Island Secretary of
State. |
| South
Carolina |
Adopting a
Fictitious Name in South
Carolina
- Answers to frequently
asked questions from the
South Carolina Secretary
of State. |
| South
Dakota |
South
Dakota Secretary of State
- Fictitious
|
