A DBA ( D oing B usiness A s) is an official filing you make with either the local or statewide government offices for registering the name under which you will be conducting business. In Texas, we generally refer to DBA registration as filing an Assumed Name Certificate.
Any type of entity structure can file an Assumed Name, whether you are operating as a sole proprietor, a partnership, a corporation, or an LLC. In fact, a lot of times banks may require proof of your Assumed Name Certificate before you can open your business bank account for a sole proprietorship or partnership.
There are a number of times when you need to file an Assumed Name Certificate. First, if you are starting a business as a sole proprietor (or partnership) and don’t want to operate it under your personal name. Additionally, as stated, you may be required to file it in order to open a business bank account. Also, if you have started a company (a corporation, LLC, LP, LLP) but want to transact company business using a different name or moniker.
Filing the Assumed Name Certificate is rather simple. You can always go down to the County offices to get copies of the form, complete it, and then file it with the clerks (don’t forget your checkbook in order to pay the appropriate fee), but most large County offices are now using online forms that allow for electronic filing. Further, if you want to register your assumed name for the whole State of Texas, you can do so through the Texas Secretary of State. A few best practices before filing:
As always, we encourage you to reach out to an attorney if you have any questions.
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