How to Obtain a Legal Business Name

One option for Robert is to form a company or LLC. To do this, he must submit certain registration documents to the competent authority of the State. This forces the company to choose its official name. To register a database administrator, you must first determine the requirements based on your specific location. Requirements vary by business structure, state, municipality, and county, so check with your local government office and website. Now that you know how to come up with a unique name, you need to know what to do with it. This differs depending on the business unit chosen. You can apply for a Doing Business As (DBA) if you decide to start your own business under a name other than your own. Also known as a “business name,” “fictitious company name,” or “assumed name,” DBA gives you more freedom over what you call your business.

For example, if your name is Hannah McCarthy and you choose to work as “Hannah McCarthy,” you usually don`t need to register a database administrator. However, if you plan to work as Hannah`s Professional Services, you will need to register a DBA. Determining the best way(s) to protect your business name includes considering how you structure your business, the types of goods or services you offer, and the geographic scope of your business. If Robert wishes to continue to operate as a sole proprietorship, he may be able to register the name “Sunrise Properties” as an assumed name. Robert could then use the name “Sunrise Properties”. Whether or not you register a trademark, it`s good to know if your name is already taken. A trademark is a word, phrase, design or symbol that identifies and distinguishes the origin of your products from the products of other companies. For example, if you were a beverage company and wanted to name your business “Joe`s Drink” and one of your products “Joe`s Brew,” registering those names as a trademark in your state can help prevent other beverage companies or similar products in the same state from using the same names. You can complete the trademark process for your company name in four steps that determine whether you need a trademark, search for existing trademarks, prepare an application to file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and file the application with the USPTO. For more information on how this process works, see Forbes Advisor`s article on your company`s brand name.

Christine is a lawyer, freelance writer and author. She has been writing legal, marketing and communications content for various law firms for over 15 years. She has also written extensively on parenting and current affairs for the Scary Mommy website. She received her J.D. and B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and lives with her family in the Chicago area. The need to register your business depends on your industry and location. In most cases, corporations, including limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and corporations, must register with the appropriate state agency, often the Secretary of State. In the meantime, sole proprietorships generally do not need to obtain a business registration. A sole proprietorship is the simplest type of business. A sole proprietorship is an informal business structure that does not offer protection of personal property and does not need to be filed with the state.

The procedures for reserving a business name vary from state to state. Registering a business name is part of the LLC filing process: Once your LLC has been filed in the state, your name is registered. Although the name can be reserved in advance, this is usually not necessary to register an LLC. However, there are advantages to filing a name reservation, such as if you find a unique name for your business but don`t want to start your LLC or business right away. Robert wants to use the name “Sunrise Properties” and finds that this name is available. He could file articles of association under the name “Sunrise Properties, Inc.” Or it could file a settlement under the name “Sunrise Properties, LLC.” This would prevent other companies from using the name “Sunrise Properties” as it stands. In California, the cost of registering a business name depends on the form you submit and where you submit it. And registration fees can always change.

Filing a DBA (Doing Business As) allows your existing or new business to do business under a name other than your company`s legal name. This can be useful for establishing a brand name or changing the name of a business without having to file an amendment to an original application. Select your state from the drop-down menu at the top to see the country-specific things you need to do to register your business name. When determining the best way to register a company name, several factors are taken into account, such as the structure of the company, the geographical area in which the company will operate, and the level of protection required. Domain names are registered by Internet Corporation for registrars approved by domain names and numbers. Because the registration process is centralized, domain names are different from trademarks and trade names, as the rightful owner of the domain name can usually prevent someone else from using it without taking legal action. However, anyone can buy the same domain name with a different top-level domain. For example, if you own the domain name myrtlesturtles.com, other people or businesses can usually buy myrtlesturtles.org or myrtlesturtles.net. To register the company name, the name must be available in the country of incorporation. You can check with the state authority if the name is available. Most states have a business name search tool available from their Secretary of State Business Division. State filing fees for business registration vary, but it usually costs a few hundred dollars to register your business.

If you do business in more than one state, you will also have to pay a filing fee to obtain a foreign qualification in other states. Sole proprietors in California are not required to register at the state level. However, you must file a fictitious company name declaration at the county level. Nolo offers hundreds of user-friendly DIY products in plain English. If you do business in more than one state, you must obtain a foreign qualification in other states where you do business. To obtain a foreign qualification, most states require a company to file a certificate of authority with that state and a clearance certificate from the state of incorporation. Here are some examples of company name registration: The legal name of the company is how the company is recognized by the government for official purposes, including by the IRS for tax purposes and by the state where the company is registered. The DBA or trade name, on the other hand, is how the company is recognized by customers, suppliers, suppliers and the public. Partnerships are similar to sole proprietorships. The difference is that a partnership consists of two or more people. A partnership is an informal business structure that does not provide protection for personal property. While you probably don`t need to register your business with local or county authorities, depending on the nature of your business, you may need to obtain permits or licenses to do business.

You may also need to register your business name or business name as (DBA) if your company uses a different name than the legal name of the company. Partnerships, LLCs, and corporations must register their businesses at the state level. What if the business owner wants to operate under a name other than their own? He must also file an additional shell company name declaration at the district level. This is a Doing Business As (DBA) statement.

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