DBA and Assumed Names — What a DBA Is and How Filing Works

What a DBA is

DBA is short for “doing business as.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) says you might need to register your DBA — also known as a trade name, fictitious name, or assumed name — with the state, county, or city your business is located in.

A DBA lets you conduct business under a different identity from your own personal name or your formal business entity name.

The SBA gives this example: a small business owner could use Springfield Electronic Accessories for their entity name but use TechBuddy for their DBA.

What a DBA does not do

The SBA says registering your DBA name does not provide legal protection by itself.

The SBA also lists it this way: Doing business as (DBA) does not give legal protection, but it might be legally required.

Multiple businesses can go by the same DBA in one state, so you are less restricted in what you can choose.

The SBA says trademark infringement laws will still apply.

Why a business registers a DBA

The SBA says most states require you to register your DBA if you use one. Some business structures require you to use a DBA.

The SBA says that even if you are not required to register a DBA, you might want to anyway.

As an added bonus, the SBA says getting a DBA and a federal tax ID number (EIN) allows you to open a business bank account.

How filing works in general

Filing is not the same everywhere.

The SBA says to determine your DBA requirements based on your specific location. Requirements vary by business structure as well as by state, county, and municipality, so check with local government offices and websites.

In Oklahoma: the Trade Name Report

In Oklahoma, the Secretary of State lists this filing under “Trade Names (DBA's)” on its Business Forms page.

The Oklahoma filing is called a Trade Name Report. The report form says it is for a business entity to do business in Oklahoma under a name other than its legal name, pursuant to the provisions of Title 18, Section 1140.

The form says the trade name or d/b/a name must be different than the legal name stated on the form.

Who files in Oklahoma, as the form defines it

The Trade Name Report form defines “business entity” this way:

• a corporation
• a business trust
• a common law trust
• a limited liability company
• or any unincorporated business, including any form of partnership

The form also says an unincorporated business may include an individual doing business under a trade name. In that case, the legal name would be the individual's legal name.

The form asks the filer to check one type: corporation, business trust, common law trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business, or partnership.

What the Oklahoma form asks for

• The trade name under which the business is carried on in Oklahoma
• The address or addresses where business is being carried on under the trade name
• A brief description of the kind of business being transacted under the trade name
• The legal name of the business entity doing business under the trade name
• The type of business entity filing the report
• The state or jurisdiction where the business entity was formed

Where and how to file in Oklahoma, and the fee shown

The Secretary of State's Business Forms page says to choose to file online, or, if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, print the PDF form, complete the form, attach payment, and mail or deliver it to the Secretary of State office.

The Trade Name Report form is addressed to the Oklahoma Secretary of State, 421 NW 13th St, Suite #210, Oklahoma City, OK 73103.

The Business Forms page lists the fee for a Domestic (Oklahoma) Trade Name as $25. The Trade Name Report form itself also shows: Filing Fee: $25.00.

The same Business Forms page lists a Foreign (Out of State) Trade Name at $25, and lists Amended Trade Name, Transfer of Trade Name, and Withdrawal of Trade Name filings at $25 each.

Fees and forms change. Check the current fee and form on the Oklahoma Secretary of State's business services and business forms pages before you file.

How long an Oklahoma trade name lasts

The official Business Forms page and the Trade Name Report form checked for this page do not state how long a trade name lasts or whether it must be renewed.

For that detail, check the Oklahoma Secretary of State's business services pages for current information. Do not rely on a third-party site for the current term or renewal rule.