Fictitious business name, assumed name and trade name
The SBA says DBA, trade name, fictitious name and assumed name are different labels for the same kind of registration. Which label you meet, and which office takes the filing, depends on the state.
Four labels, one kind of filing
The SBA says you might need to register your DBA with the state, county or city where the business is located. It names the trade name, fictitious name and assumed name as the same thing. It adds that most states require registration if you use one. Some counties and cities require it as well, so the filing office depends on the place.
The word on the form belongs to the state. Each state's official pages name its own label and filing office.
| State | Its word for the filing | Where it is filed |
|---|---|---|
| California | Fictitious business name | The county clerk, in the county of the principal place of business |
| Texas | Assumed name | The Secretary of State, for an LLC |
| Florida | Fictitious name | The Division of Corporations |
| Pennsylvania | Fictitious name | The Department of State |
| Arizona | Trade name | The Secretary of State |
| Washington | Trade name | The Department of Revenue |
Who has to file
California's Los Angeles County says the filing is for people doing business for profit under a name that does not include the surname of the person who owns it. In San Diego County, an LLC or corporation has a fictitious business name when it uses any name but its exact filed name. A nonprofit does not have to file.
Florida's section 865.09 defines a fictitious name as any name a person uses for business in the state besides the person's legal name. Washington's Department of Revenue defines a trade name as any business name that does not include the full legal name of all owners.
Texas says an LLC using a name other than its legal name files an assumed name certificate with the Secretary of State.
How long it lasts and what it costs
Terms differ a great deal. The Los Angeles County clerk says a California statement expires five years from the filing date. Texas Form 503 instructions allow a certificate to run up to ten years from the filing date. Florida section 865.09 runs a registration through December 31 of the fifth calendar year after it is made. Arizona Revised Statutes section 44-1460.02 sets five years. Washington's Department of Revenue keeps a trade name registered until its holder asks to cancel it.
Fees also vary. The Los Angeles County fee page lists $26 for one name and one registrant. San Diego County lists $54 for the first name and registrant. The Texas Secretary of State puts an assumed name certificate at $25. The Pennsylvania Department of State fee page lists $70. Washington's Department of Revenue charges $5 for each trade name. Arizona Revised Statutes section 41-126 sets a ceiling of no more than ten dollars.
Searching for a fictitious name
California has no statewide registry. San Diego County says these filings are made only in the county where the business is located. A search therefore starts with that county's clerk. One county's process is covered in San Diego County fictitious business names. Texas has a single filing office for LLCs, the Secretary of State.
The business name search on this site reads a state's entity register, which is a different list from county DBA files.
A DBA is not a trademark
The USPTO describes trade name registration as permission to do business in a particular state or jurisdiction. It treats that as different from a trademark. It also says use of a business name does not necessarily qualify as trademark use.
Registering gives no exclusive claim either. Pennsylvania says filing under its Fictitious Names Act creates no exclusive or other right in the name. San Diego County says the same about registering, and Texas says filing gives public notice, not a right to the name. For ownership of a name, read about what a trademark on a business name costs.
Steps to file
- Pick the office. California uses a county clerk and Texas and Arizona use the Secretary of State. Florida uses the Division of Corporations, Pennsylvania the Department of State and Washington the Department of Revenue.
- In Florida, advertise the intended name at least once in a newspaper in the county of your principal place of business. Certify the advertisement when you register.
- In Washington, file a Business License Application online with My DOR and pay the trade name fee plus the processing fee.
Fictitious business name, assumed name and trade name: more questions
Can a Texas assumed name certificate be amended?
No. The Texas Secretary of State says there is no procedure to amend or correct one. If a material fact on the certificate changes, a new certificate should be filed.
Does a California county clerk approve a fictitious business name?
No. San Diego County says the County Clerk's office serves only as the central depository of these names, neither approving nor disapproving a particular name.
Do Texas LLCs still file assumed names with the county?
No. The Texas Secretary of State says county-level filing was eliminated in 2019 for entities such as LLCs, which file only with the Secretary of State.
Next: business names for a sole proprietorship, San Diego County fictitious business names and what a trademark on a business name costs.
15 official sources
- U.S. Small Business Administration, guide to choosing a business name, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- USPTO, Trademark basics: What every small business should know, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- USPTO, Basic Facts About Trademarks, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, General Info, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Renewals, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Fees, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Name, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, Form 503 Instructions for Assumed Name Certificate, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Florida Statutes section 865.09, Fictitious name registration, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Application for Registration of Fictitious Name (DSCB:54-311), retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Pennsylvania Department of State, Fees and payments, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Arizona Revised Statutes section 44-1460.02, Term of registration, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Arizona Revised Statutes section 41-126, Fees, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Washington Department of Revenue, Register trade names, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Washington Department of Revenue, Business Bulletin: Trade Name Registration, retrieved November 12, 2026.