DBA – What is it? Do I need one?

DBA stands for “doing business as.” It’s also referred to as your business’s assumed, trade or fictitious name.

Filing for a DBA allows you to conduct business under a name other than your own. So, if Laura Smith wants to start a tech repair business, her business will operate under her own name, unless Laura chooses to register her DBA name as “Laura’s Tech Repair Shop.”

If you re a sole proprietorship or general partnership, you’ll need to file a DBA if you want your company to operate under a name thats not your or your business partners full, legal name. Corp, LLCs – these business types have already registered their entities and business names with the state. However, any business formed under one of these entities still has the option to register a DBA name. That would allow them to do business under a name other than the name on their incorporation/organization documents. The most common case of a corporation or LLC registering a DBA name is when the business wants an alternate name for a specific line of their business. For example, John’s Cosmetics Inc. might want to have a separate name for its upcoming skin care line, “John’s Skincare Solutions.”