A DBA (Doing Business As) lets you operate under a name different from your legal business name. For example, if your LLC is 'Smith Holdings LLC' but you want to do business as 'Bright Dental,' you'd file a DBA for 'Bright Dental.' A DBA is also called a fictitious business name, trade name, or assumed name depending on your state.

Does a DBA protect my business name?

No. A DBA does not provide trademark protection or prevent others from using the same name. It only registers your trade name with local or state government for transparency purposes. For name protection, you need to file a federal trademark with the USPTO ($250–$350).

How much does a DBA cost?

DBA filing costs range from $10–$100 at the county level or $25–$150 at the state level. Some states also require publication in a local newspaper ($30–$200). Total cost is typically $10–$300. Renewals are usually required every 5–10 years.

DBA (Doing Business As): What It Is, How to File & When You Need One (2026)

A DBA (Doing Business As) lets you operate your business under a different name than its legal entity name. It’s also called a fictitious business name, trade name, or assumed name.

Quick answer: File a DBA if you want to operate under a name different from your LLC, corporation, or personal name. File with your county clerk or state (depends on your state). Cost: $10–$100 (plus publication in some states). Processing: 1–4 weeks. A DBA doesn’t create a business entity or provide liability protection — it’s just a name registration.

DBA at a Glance

Detail	Info
Also called	Fictitious business name, trade name, assumed name, “d/b/a”
Purpose	Operate under a different name than your legal entity
Filed with	County clerk or state (varies by state)
Cost	$10–$150
Publication required?	Some states (California, New York, others)
Publication cost	$30–$200
Renewal	Every 5–10 years (state-dependent)
Provides liability protection?	No
Provides trademark protection?	No

When You Need a DBA

Situation	DBA Needed?
Sole proprietor using a business name	Yes — any name other than your legal name
LLC operating under a different name	Yes — name different from the LLC name
Corporation using a brand name	Yes — name different from the corporate name
LLC using its own legal name	No — “Smith Holdings LLC” doesn’t need a DBA to operate as “Smith Holdings LLC”
Starting a new brand under existing LLC	Yes — each brand name needs its own DBA
Freelancer using own name	No — John Smith doesn’t need a DBA for “John Smith”
Partnership using partners’ names only	No — but any other name requires a DBA

Common DBA Scenarios

Legal Entity Name	Wants to Operate As	DBA Needed?
John Smith (sole proprietor)	“Smith Web Design”	Yes
ABC Holdings LLC	“Sunrise Bakery”	Yes
Jane Doe Photography LLC	“Jane Doe Photography”	No (matches)
Tech Solutions Inc.	“QuickFix IT”	Yes
Smith & Johnson Partnership	“Downtown Legal Services”	Yes
Sarah’s Boutique LLC	“Sarah’s Boutique”	No (matches without LLC) — check state rules

DBA vs. Other Registrations

Registration	What It Does	Legal Entity?	Liability Protection?	Name Protection?
DBA	Registers a trade name	No	No	No (local only)
LLC	Creates a legal entity	Yes	Yes	State-level name reservation
Corporation	Creates a legal entity	Yes	Yes	State-level name reservation
Trademark	Protects a brand name	No	No	Yes (nationwide)
Business license	Authorizes you to operate	No	No	No

How to File a DBA

Step 1: Search for Name Availability

Where to Search	What to Check
County clerk’s office/website	Existing DBAs in your county
State business database	Existing LLCs, corps with similar names
USPTO trademark database	Existing trademarks (tess2.uspto.gov)
Domain name registrars	Whether yourname.com is available

Step 2: File the DBA

Filing Location	States
County clerk	California, Texas, Florida, New York, many others
State level	Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Maryland, several others
Both	Some states require both

Information typically required:

Field	Details
DBA name	The name you want to use
Legal entity name	Your LLC, corp, or personal name
Entity type	LLC, corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership
Business address	Physical address
Owner/member names	Names and addresses of owners
Business description	Brief description of what you do
Signature	Owner or authorized person

Step 3: Publish (If Required)

Some states require you to publish your DBA in a local newspaper:

State	Publication Required?	Details
California	Yes	Publish in general circulation newspaper for 4 consecutive weeks
New York	Yes	Publish in county newspaper
Arizona	Yes	Publish for 3 consecutive weeks
Florida	No
Texas	No (but recommended)
Illinois	No
Georgia	No
Pennsylvania	Yes	Advertise once in 2 newspapers

Step 4: Open a Bank Account Under Your DBA

What You’ll Need	Details
DBA certificate/filing receipt	Proof of DBA registration
EIN	From the IRS
LLC/Corp formation documents	If applicable
Government ID	Driver’s license or passport

DBA Costs by State

State	Filing Fee	Publication Cost	Total
California	$26–$75 (county)	$30–$200	$56–$275
Texas	$15–$50 (county)	Not required	$15–$50
Florida	$50 (county)	Not required	$50
New York	$25–$100 (county)	$50–$200	$75–$300
Illinois	$25 (county)	Not required	$25
Pennsylvania	$70 (state)	$100–$200	$170–$270
Ohio	$25–$50 (county)	Not required	$25–$50
Georgia	$0–$50 (county)	Not required	$0–$50
Arizona	$10 (state)	$30–$100	$40–$110
Colorado	$20 (state)	Not required	$20
Virginia	$10 (state)	Not required	$10
Michigan	$10 (county)	Not required	$10

DBA Renewal

State	Renewal Period	Renewal Fee
California	Every 5 years	$26–$75
New York	No expiration (county-dependent)	Varies
Texas	Every 10 years (assumed name)	$15–$50
Florida	Every 5 years	$50
Illinois	Every 5 years	$25
Most states	Every 5–10 years	$10–$75

Multiple DBAs

You can file multiple DBAs under one entity:

Scenario	Example
One LLC, multiple brands	“Smith Holdings LLC” → DBA “Sunrise Bakery” + DBA “Sunset Catering”
One person, multiple businesses	John Smith → DBA “Smith Lawn Care” + DBA “Smith Snow Removal”
Franchise with local name	“ABC Food Corp” → DBA “Downtown Burgers”

Each DBA requires a separate filing and fee.

What a DBA Does NOT Do

What It Doesn’t Do	What You Need Instead
Create a separate legal entity	Form an LLC or corporation
Provide liability protection	Form an LLC or corporation
Protect your business name nationally	File a federal trademark
Give you exclusive use of the name	File a trademark
Register you for taxes	Get an EIN and state tax registration
Replace a business license	Apply for a business license separately

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Consequence
Thinking a DBA protects your name	Anyone can use the same name (no trademark protection)
Not filing a DBA when required	Banks won’t let you accept checks in the business name
Filing DBA instead of forming an LLC	No liability protection — personal assets at risk
Forgetting to renew	DBA expires, can’t legally use the name
Not updating after moving	DBA on file has wrong address
Missing publication requirement	DBA not valid until published (in states requiring it)

Bottom Line

A DBA is a simple, low-cost filing ($10–$300) that lets you operate under a name different from your legal entity. It does not create a business entity, provide liability protection, or protect your name from someone else using it. If you need liability protection, form an LLC first, then file a DBA if you want to use a different public-facing name. For brand name protection, file a federal trademark.