Commercial & Business Entity Filing Guide
50-State DBA & Assumed Name Filing Guide (2026)
Operating a sole proprietorship, partnership, or LLC under a trade name? Understand whether your state requires filing an Assumed Name with the local County Clerk or directly with the Secretary of State.
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Nationwide Assumed Name (DBA) Filing Requirements
Filing fees, registration authorities, and newspaper publication requirements by state.
| State | Filing Authority | Filing Fee | Publication & Legal Notices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | County Probate Court | $28.00 | Trade names are filed with the Alabama Secretary of State, while business licenses are obtained through the County Probate Judge. |
| Alaska (AK) | Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing | $25.00 | Alaska handles all business name filings and business licenses at the state level. |
| Arizona (AZ) | Arizona Secretary of State | $10.00 | Trade names in Arizona are registered with the Secretary of State rather than at the county level. |
| Arkansas (AR) | County Clerk | $25.00 | Sole proprietorships and partnerships file 'Doing Business Under an Assumed Name' with the local County Clerk. |
| California (CA) | County Clerk | $40.00 | Fictitious Business Name (FBN) statement required within 40 days of starting business; must be published in an adjudicated newspaper for 4 consecutive weeks. |
| Colorado (CO) | Colorado Secretary of State | $20.00 | Trade names are filed directly through the Colorado Secretary of State online filing system. |
| Connecticut (CT) | Town Clerk Office | $10.00 | Trade Name Certificates must be filed with the Town Clerk of the town where business is conducted. |
| Delaware (DE) | Prothonotary Office | $25.00 | Trade names are registered with the Prothonotary in each county where the business operates. |
| District of Columbia (DC) | DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) | $55.00 | Trade name registered with DLCP. |
| Florida (FL) | Florida Department of State (Sunbiz.org) | $50.00 | Fictitious names in Florida must be registered with the State Division of Corporations at Sunbiz.org after advertising once in a local newspaper. |
| Georgia (GA) | Clerk of Superior Court | $162.00 | Trade name registration filed with the Clerk of Superior Court and published in the county legal organ for two weeks. |
| Hawaii (HI) | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) | $50.00 | Trade names registered directly with the state Business Registration Division (BREG). |
| Idaho (ID) | Idaho Secretary of State | $25.00 | Assumed Business Name filings must be submitted to the Idaho Secretary of State. |
| Illinois (IL) | County Clerk | $15.00 | Assumed Business Name Certificate filed with County Clerk and published in local newspaper for 3 consecutive weeks. |
| Indiana (IN) | County Recorder | $21.00 | Assumed business names for unincorporated sole proprietorships filed with County Recorder. |
| Iowa (IA) | County Recorder | $10.00 | Trade name filed with the County Recorder in every county where business is carried on. |
| Kansas (KS) | Kansas Secretary of State | $0.00 | Kansas does not require or register county DBA names; corporations register directly with the Secretary of State. |
| Kentucky (KY) | Kentucky Secretary of State & County Clerk | $50.00 | Assumed name certificate must be filed with Secretary of State and a copy recorded with County Clerk. |
| Louisiana (LA) | Louisiana Secretary of State & Parish Clerk | $75.00 | Trade name filed with Secretary of State and recorded with local Parish Clerk of Court. |
| Maine (ME) | Municipal Town Clerk | $10.00 | Sole proprietors file DBA certificates with the City/Town Clerk. |
| Maryland (MD) | Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) | $25.00 | Trade names are filed at the state level via SDAT. |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Town/City Clerk | $50.00 | Business certificate filed with the City or Town Clerk where business is located. |
| Michigan (MI) | County Clerk | $10.00 | Certificate of Assumed Name filed with the County Clerk. Valid for 5 years. |
| Minnesota (MN) | Minnesota Secretary of State | $50.00 | Certificate of Assumed Name filed with the Secretary of State and published in a legal newspaper for 2 consecutive issues. |
| Mississippi (MS) | Mississippi Secretary of State | $25.00 | Fictitious business names are registered online via the Mississippi Secretary of State portal. |
| Missouri (MO) | Missouri Secretary of State | $7.00 | Fictitious name registration handled via the Secretary of State online portal. |
| Montana (MT) | Montana Secretary of State | $20.00 | Assumed Business Name filed with the Secretary of State. |
| Nebraska (NE) | Nebraska Secretary of State | $100.00 | Trade name application filed with Secretary of State and published once in a legal newspaper. |
| Nevada (NV) | County Clerk | $25.00 | Fictitious Firm Name (FFN) certificate must be filed with the County Clerk in each county of business. |
| New Hampshire (NH) | New Hampshire Secretary of State | $50.00 | Trade name filed with the Secretary of State Corporation Division. |
| New Jersey (NJ) | County Clerk | $50.00 | Trade Name Certificate filed with the County Clerk in the county where business is operated. |
| New Mexico (NM) | New Mexico Secretary of State | $25.00 | Business registration handled directly via New Mexico Secretary of State. |
| New York (NY) | County Clerk | $35.00 | Business Certificate (DBA) filed in the County Clerk's Office. In NYC, corporations and LLCs also have statutory publication requirements. |
| North Carolina (NC) | Register of Deeds | $26.00 | Assumed Business Name certificate filed with local Register of Deeds; transmitted automatically to statewide database (EDPBR). |
| North Dakota (ND) | North Dakota Secretary of State | $25.00 | Trade name filed with the Secretary of State. |
| Ohio (OH) | Ohio Secretary of State | $39.00 | Trade name or fictitious name filed directly with the Ohio Secretary of State. |
| Oklahoma (OK) | Oklahoma Secretary of State | $25.00 | Trade name filed with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. |
| Oregon (OR) | Oregon Secretary of State | $50.00 | Assumed Business Name registered online with the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division. |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | Pennsylvania Department of State & County | $70.00 | Fictitious name registration filed with PA Dept of State; advertising required in two newspapers. |
| Rhode Island (RI) | Town/City Clerk | $10.00 | Trade name filed with the local Town or City Clerk where business is located. |
| South Carolina (SC) | South Carolina Secretary of State | $0.00 | South Carolina does not require state-level DBA registration for sole proprietorships; business licenses handled at city/county level. |
| South Dakota (SD) | South Dakota Secretary of State | $10.00 | Fictitious business name filed with the Secretary of State. |
| Tennessee (TN) | Tennessee Secretary of State & County Clerk | $20.00 | Assumed name filed through Secretary of State and recorded with County Clerk. |
| Texas (TX) | County Clerk | $26.00 | Assumed Name Certificate (DBA) filed in the County Clerk's office for sole proprietorships and general partnerships. Valid 10 years. |
| Utah (UT) | Utah Department of Commerce (Division of Corporations) | $22.00 | DBA filed with the State Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. |
| Vermont (VT) | Vermont Secretary of State | $50.00 | Assumed business name registered online with the Secretary of State. |
| Virginia (VA) | Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) | $10.00 | Fictitious name certificates filed statewide with the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission. |
| Washington (WA) | Washington State Department of Revenue | $24.00 | Trade name registration filed directly through the Washington State Department of Revenue Business Licensing Service. |
| West Virginia (WV) | County Clerk & West Virginia Secretary of State | $25.00 | Trade name filed with the County Clerk and registered with Secretary of State. |
| Wisconsin (WI) | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) | $30.00 | Trade name filed through the DFI Corporate & Consumer Services division. |
| Wyoming (WY) | Wyoming Secretary of State | $10.00 | Trade name registered with the Wyoming Secretary of State. |
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