Harris County DBA search and assumed name filing
The Harris County Clerk files and searches assumed names for unincorporated businesses, with a fee of $24.00 for a notarized filing by one owner. Corporations and LLCs file their assumed names with the Texas Secretary of State instead, where the fee is $25.
Which office files a Harris County assumed name
Texas calls a DBA an assumed name, one of several labels for the same kind of filing. The Harris County Clerk says any individual doing business in Harris County must file one. Its office files unincorporated assumed names and withdrawals.
| Filer | Office | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Individual or unincorporated business | Harris County Clerk | $24.00 notarized |
| Corporation, LLC, limited partnership or LLP | Texas Secretary of State | $25 |
Since September 1, 2019, a corporation, LLC, limited partnership or LLP no longer files with the county. The Clerk's page cites section 71.103 of the Business and Commerce Code and says incorporated filers go to the Texas Secretary of State. The Clerk adds that it is only the filing agent, and for forming a corporation or LLC it points to the Secretary of State.
Searching Harris County assumed name records
The Clerk's Assumed Names search form takes a file number, a film code, a date range, a business name or an owner name. It covers filings accepted from 1/3/1978, and images are available from 12/31/1991.
The Clerk advises searching all variations of a business name. Copies are bought online through the county's Document Search Portal after creating an account, and the non-certified copies come without the watermark. LLCs and corporations file with the state, so a business name search reads a state register instead.
Harris County Clerk fees
The Clerk's fee schedule lists $24.00 for a notarized assumed name with one owner. A non-notarized filing costs $25.00 plus a $1.00 witnessing fee per document. Each additional owner adds 50 cents.
A notarized withdrawal is $23.00 for the first owner, again with 50 cents for each additional owner.
Filing at the county clerk
Filing is possible in person at any of the Clerk's 11 locations or by mail. The county lays out these steps:
- Decide on the name.
- Search the county assumed names records, including variations of the name.
- Walk in, where a deputy clerk completes the form with all owners present and holding government issued identification, or bring a completed notarized form.
- Or mail the notarized form with a cashier's check or money order, because personal checks are not accepted.
A county record is valid for up to ten years. The county's FAQ says the term can run from one year to ten years from the registration date. Owners should register again before it ends. To change an address, withdraw the name and refile it, or just refile.
Texas Secretary of State assumed names for LLCs
Form 503 goes to the Texas Secretary of State, whose instructions set the filing fee for an assumed name certificate at $25. Online filing runs through SOSPortal, which the instructions recommend for faster processing. Credit card payments carry a convenience fee of $0.25 plus 2.25% of total fees.
The form asks for the assumed name, the legal name, the entity type and the principal office address. It also asks for the term and the counties where the name will be used. The filer chooses all counties, all but some, or only listed counties. Filers who skip SOSPortal send the form by mail with a check or money order.
Terms, renewals and changes
The state certificate is effective for up to ten years from filing. The Secretary of State quotes section 71.151 of the Business and Commerce Code for that. The form lets the filer pick the term, which can be ten years, fewer years or a set end date. A new certificate filed within six months of expiration renews it.
An entity can use several assumed names, but each needs its own certificate. The state rejects a certificate whose assumed name exactly matches the entity's legal name. Form 504, the Statement of Abandonment of an Assumed Name, ends a certificate early.
The Secretary of State states that filing is a notice filing. It gives no right to the name, and the office has no authority to review the name against other names on file.
There is no amendment for a Texas assumed name certificate. A material change needs a new certificate, filed within 60 days after the event that caused it. Sections 71.201 through 71.203 set civil and criminal penalties for failing to file.
Harris County DBA search and assumed name filing: more questions
Do Harris County veterans pay less for an assumed name?
The County Clerk's fee schedule lists a veterans fee that is $2.00 less, with no charge for additional owners when proof of military veteran status is shown at purchase.
Next: Texas business name rules and fees, how states handle assumed names and business names for sole proprietors.
4 official sources
- Harris County Clerk, Personal Records, Assumed Names, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Harris County Clerk, Web Inquiry, Assumed Names, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, Form 503 Instructions for Assumed Name Certificate, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Texas Secretary of State, Form 503, Assumed Name Certificate, retrieved November 12, 2026.