Filing a DBA Certificate -7 Things You Should Know

Written on August 3, 2007 by Amanda M. Gladden

What is a DBA Certificate?

If you are doing business using any other name besides your own legal name (sometimes referred to as using a fictitious name), you can file for a D/B/A or Doing Business As certificate in the office of the county clerk where your business is located. This effectively registers your company name in that county.

For example if Jane Smith, a sole proprietor, wants to operate as Jane’s Consulting, she would file DBA forms in her county clerk’s office, to get a DBA certificate making it known that she will be doing business as Jane’s Consulting. This is also true if a corporation or other legal entity, wants to do business under a different name —Widget Corporation, Inc doing business as The Widget People, would file a DBA indicating the use of the “The Widget People”.

Here are a seven things to keep in mind when considering filing for a DBA certificate:

1- A DBA certificate gives you the ability to open a bank account in the name of your business.

2-Filing a DBA certificate is not the same as incorporating your business or filing for a trademark. It is merely a registration in the county where the business is located.

3- Filing a DBA does not prevent another person from filing a in another county using the same name. In other words, it does not protect your business name.

4- Any name can be used, however, words that imply that the business is a different entity than it actually is are prohibited. So, Jane cannot file a DBA asking that she be recognized as Jane’s Consulting, Inc., as this implies that Jane’s Consulting is a corporation when in fact it is a sole proprietorship.

5- You must provide a physical address

6-Filing fees and requirements that the filing be published in a local newspaper varies from county to county.

7- A DBA does not last forever, 5 years in many counties in the United States. Check with your county clerk’s office for specifics for your area.

Visit the Woman Start Your Business Now Business Start-up Checklist for other steps you can take to get your business off and running.

What are the specific rules and requirements in your county or country ?

Share This

Posted in Start-up Checklist series, start up advice

Found this post useful? Why not subscribe to the site's feed for more information you can use? RSS Feed!

- - - -