Name registration
What is a DBA or fictitious business name registration?
A DBA (doing business as) registration, also called a fictitious business name or trade name, is a public filing, made with the state or the county depending on the jurisdiction, that records the real owner behind a business name that differs from the owner's legal name; it creates no separate legal entity and grants no exclusive rights to the name.
What is a DBA or fictitious business name registration?
A DBA (doing business as) registration, also called a fictitious business name or trade name, is a public filing, made with the state or the county depending on the jurisdiction, that records the real owner behind a business name that differs from the owner's legal name; it creates no separate legal entity and grants no exclusive rights to the name.
Who must file
A sole proprietor trading under anything other than their personal name files a DBA, and an LLC or corporation files one for any operating name that differs from its registered entity name. One entity can hold several DBAs for different lines of business. Operating under an unregistered assumed name can bar the business from enforcing contracts in some states until it registers, and banks will not open an account in the trade name without the filing.
Where it is filed varies by state
Some states register assumed names centrally with the secretary of state; others, California most prominently, file at the county level, and a business may need filings in multiple counties. Several jurisdictions add a publication requirement: the filing must run in a local newspaper for a set period, with proof filed afterward. Renewal cycles are commonly five years or annual depending on the jurisdiction.
What a DBA does not do
A DBA creates no liability shield: a sole proprietor with a DBA is still personally liable. It grants no exclusive right to the name: registration rarely blocks others from using something similar, which is trademark territory. And it is not a license: a DBA holder still needs the business licenses, seller's permits, and industry credentials the underlying activity requires.
DBA versus forming an entity
Founders often weigh a DBA against forming an LLC. The DBA is cheaper and faster but changes nothing legally; the LLC creates a separate entity with a liability shield and its own compliance calendar. Many businesses use both: an LLC as the legal entity, with DBAs for brand names it operates under. Our answer page on DBA vs business license and our business formation service cover both sides of that decision.
Where Cornerstone fits
Assumed name filings are part of our corporate filings work: we file DBAs alongside entity formations, foreign qualifications, and the registered agent coverage multi-state companies need, and we track the renewal and publication requirements that differ jurisdiction to jurisdiction through our business licensing and entity services.
Frequently asked questions
Does a DBA protect my business name?
No. It records who uses the name; it does not reserve or protect it. Name exclusivity comes from entity registration within a state and from trademark law for brand protection across markets.
Do I need a DBA if I formed an LLC?
Only if the LLC operates under a name different from its registered name. An LLC doing business under its exact legal name needs no DBA; an LLC running two brands typically files a DBA for each.
How much does a DBA cost?
Filing fees are modest in most jurisdictions, commonly tens of dollars, plus newspaper publication costs where required. The renewals are easy to forget, which is why we calendar them with the rest of a company's filings.
Business licensing
File the licenses your business actually needs
Cornerstone maps the license stack for your business model, files the state-level registrations and applications, and keeps every renewal current.