Does My Business Need To File For a DBA?

Would you like to do business under a name which is different from your current business name? Small businesses can do this when they file for a doing business as name, or DBA.

What’s a DBA? This is a public registration of a name under which you plan to do business. If you plan to conduct business under a name which is different from your existing corporate name, you need to file for a DBA to identify the business entity. Here’s what having a DBA can do to benefit your business.

Create a Separate Business Identity

By creating a DBA, you may establish a separate business identity for customers and vendors. This allows your business to present itself in a professional light. While DBAs identify the business and claim its name, they do not grant exclusivity for the use of a business name.

If you file for a DBA, no other business on the state level may use this name. Let’s say you file for a DBA in California. No other business in California is using it, so you can file and register for the assumed name. This discourages any other California business from using this DBA. It allows you to protect your brand. Most states have laws which forbid businesses from registering names which are deceptively similar to another DBA in this state.

A DBA also goes by a few different names. Some of these include fictitious names, trade names, assumed names, or doing business as names. Check in with your local Secretary of State prior to filing to see which name a DBA goes by in the state you plan to conduct business.

Open a Business Bank Account

Opening a business bank account requires a few documents. One of the most common ones is an employer identification number (EIN). This is a tax ID. The IRS issues it to identify a small business. It is a requirement to open a business bank account.

Another requirement to open a business bank account is a certified copy of your DBA. Business owners may not use their personal bank accounts to issue or receive checks under their business name. However, you will be able to open a business bank account under the name of your business by filing for a DBA. This gives your business a separate bank account. It allows it to collect checks and payments under the name of the business.

Start Publicly Advertising Your Business

Once you register for a doing business as name, you can start publicly marketing and advertising your small business under this DBA.

Some states may require you to publish you’ll be doing business under another name in a local newspaper. Check in with your local Secretary of State to see if this requirement applies to your DBA. As you begin actively advertising and marketing the business, this increases the visibility of your business and allows you to expand your customer base.

File for a DBA with MyCorporation. Contact MyCorporation at mycorporation.com or give us a call at 877-692-6772.

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With extensive experience in the field of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah provides insightful commentary on the benefits of incorporation and trademark registration.

Education: Deborah received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pepperdine University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in corporate and intellectual property law.

Experience: After becoming a partner at LA-based law firm, Michel & Robinson, she became an in-house attorney for MyCorporation, formerly a division in Intuit. She took the company private in 2009 and after 10 years of entrepreneurship sold the company to Deluxe Corporation. Deborah is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with some of the top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites including Forbes, Business Insider, SCORE, and Fox Business, among others.

Fun facts/Other pursuits: Originally from Southern California, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Christopher, and practicing Pilates. Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Deborah, and MyCorporation, have previously been honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s List of the Valley’s Largest Women-Owned Businesses in 2012. MyCorporation received the Stevie Award for Best Women-Owned Business in 2011.