Filing a DBA usually costs between $5 and $150 in state fees, depending on where you register. A few states charge nothing because they have no state DBA registration, while county filings and required newspaper notices can push the total higher.
A DBA, or fictitious business name, is a business name that is different from your personal name, the names of your business partners, or the officially registered name of your LLC or corporation. For example, if your name is Jane Smith and you want to start a bakery called “Jane’s Sweet Treats,” you would file a DBA. This lets you market and sell under the Jane’s Sweet Treats name rather than your personal name.
The requirements and fees for filing a DBA differ by state. This guide covers the costs for all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., so you can plan your budget.
What is a DBA and how does it work?
A DBA or “doing business as” name allows you to legally operate your business under a name other than your personal name or your LLC or corporation’s registered legal name. It links the business name to you or to your existing business entity. It doesn’t create a new entity, and it doesn’t change your taxes.
Filing a DBA brings a few benefits.
- You can open business bank accounts and accept payments under your business name. Many banks ask for proof of a registered DBA before they’ll open an account in a business name.
- You can market under a business brand and build recognition that isn’t tied to your personal name.
- Vendors, partners and clients see a registered business name on contracts and invoices.
- You stay compliant: most states require you to register a DBA if you use a business name that’s different from your legal name or your LLC’s name.
The steps to get a DBA are similar in most states.
- Choose your business name, making sure it’s distinct and memorable.
- Check name availability with a business entity search and the USPTO trademark database.
- File your DBA form with the right office: the Secretary of State, a county or town clerk, or another state agency.
- Publish a notice in a local newspaper if your state requires it.
- Wait for approval, then start using the name.
- Renew the DBA when your state requires it, often every 5 years.
DBA registration cost by state
Here are the state DBA filing fees and renewal terms for all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Fees are the official state fees; online card fees and county fees can add to them. Click a state for its full DBA guide.
| State | State filing fee | Renewal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $30 mail ($31.20 online) | Every 5 years | Registration is optional |
| Alaska | $25 | Every 5 years | You also need a business license for each name |
| Arizona | $10 | Every 5 years | Filed with the Secretary of State |
| Arkansas | $22.50 online / $25 mail (LLC) | No expiry | Sole proprietors file with the county clerk |
| California | Varies by county (Los Angeles: $26) | Every 5 years | Newspaper publication for 4 weeks |
| Colorado | $20 | Renewal $5 | Online filing only |
| Connecticut | Usually $20 (varies by town) | Every 5 years | Filed with the town clerk |
| Delaware | $25 | No expiry | Statewide filing with the Division of Revenue |
| District of Columbia | $55 | Every 2 years | Filed with DLCP |
| Florida | $50 | Every 5 years | Advertise once in a county newspaper first |
| Georgia | Varies by county (Gwinnett: $172) | No expiry | Newspaper publication twice |
| Hawaii | $50 (+$1 archives fee) | Every 5 years | Filed with DCCA |
| Idaho | $25 online / $45 paper | No expiry | Filed with the Secretary of State |
| Illinois | Up to $150 for LLCs (prorated) | 5-year cycle | Sole proprietors file with the county clerk and publish |
| Indiana | $20 online / $30 paper (LLC) | Check with the state | Sole proprietors file with each county recorder |
| Iowa | $5 (LLC) | Check with the state | Sole proprietors file with the county recorder |
| Kansas | None at state level | N/A | Check city and county rules |
| Kentucky | $20 (Secretary of State) | Every 5 years | LLCs also file a county copy |
| Louisiana | $95 optional state trade name | Every 10 years | Assumed name certificate with the parish clerk |
| Maine | $125 (LLC) | No renewal | Sole proprietors file with the town clerk |
| Maryland | $25 | Every 5 years | Register before you use the name |
| Massachusetts | Varies by town ($40 to $65) | Every 4 years | Filed with each city or town clerk |
| Michigan | $25 (LLC) | About 5 years | Sole proprietors file with the county clerk |
| Minnesota | $50 online / $30 mail | Free annual renewal | Newspaper publication twice |
| Mississippi | $25 | Every 5 years | Registration is optional |
| Missouri | $7 | Every 5 years | Register within 5 days of first use |
| Montana | $20 | Every 5 years | Online filing |
| Nebraska | $100 online / $110 paper | Every 10 years | Publish once and file proof within 45 days |
| Nevada | $25 (Clark, Washoe) | Every 5 years (Clark, Washoe) | Filed with the county clerk |
| New Hampshire | $50 (+$2 online) | Every 5 years | Filed with the Secretary of State |
| New Jersey | $50 (LLC) | Every 5 years | Sole proprietors file with the county clerk |
| New Mexico | None | N/A | No state or county DBA registration |
| New York | $25 (LLC, no county fee) | Check with the state | Sole proprietors file with the county clerk |
| North Carolina | $26 | No expiry | Filed with the county register of deeds |
| North Dakota | $25 | Every 5 years | Filed with the Secretary of State |
| Ohio | $39 | Every 5 years (renewal $25) | Filed with the Secretary of State |
| Oklahoma | $25 | Check with the state | Trade name report with the Secretary of State |
| Oregon | $50 | Every 2 years | Filed with the Secretary of State |
| Pennsylvania | $70 | Check with the state | Individuals must advertise in two newspapers |
| Rhode Island | $50 (+$2.50 online) | No renewal | Sole proprietors file with the city or town |
| South Carolina | None at state level | N/A | Often recorded on a local business license |
| South Dakota | $10 | Every 5 years | Filed with the Secretary of State or county register of deeds |
| Tennessee | $20 | Every 5 years | LLCs file with the Secretary of State |
| Texas | $25 (LLC) | Up to 10 years | Sole proprietors file with the county clerk |
| Utah | $22 | Every 3 years (renewal $18) | Filed with the Division of Corporations |
| Vermont | $70 | Every 5 years (renewal $65) | Register within 10 days of first use |
| Virginia | $10 | Check with the state | Filed with the State Corporation Commission |
| Washington | $5 per name | Check with the state | Plus the business license application fee |
| West Virginia | $25 (LLC) | Check with the state | Free for sole proprietors |
| Wisconsin | $15 | Every 10 years | Registration is optional |
| Wyoming | $100 | Every 10 years (renewal $50) | Registration is optional; notarized form |
As the table shows, most state filing fees fall between $20 and $50. The lowest is $5 (Iowa LLCs and Washington), and the highest state fees are Illinois (up to $150), Maine ($125) and Nebraska and Wyoming ($100). Georgia’s county filings, which include the newspaper notice, cost about $170.
Factors that can affect your total DBA costs
The state filing fee is the main cost, but a few other things can change the total.
- County fees: if you have to register with a county, or with several counties where you do business, each one charges its own fee.
- Newspaper publication: states that require a public notice leave the price to the newspaper, and rates vary widely by paper and county.
- Online fees: some states add a card or online processing fee to the filing fee.
- Renewals: states that require renewal every 2 or 5 years cost more over time than states where a DBA never expires.
- More than one name: each DBA usually needs its own filing and fee.
- Professional help: an accountant, attorney or filing service charges its own fee on top of the state fee.
How to keep DBA costs down
Check whether your state requires a DBA at all before you file. Search the name first so you don’t pay for a filing that’s rejected, and file online where it’s cheaper. If you plan to run several brands, it’s usually cheaper to add DBAs to one LLC than to form a new LLC for each brand (see running multiple businesses under one LLC).
If you need liability protection as well as a brand name, compare a DBA with forming an LLC. The DBA vs. LLC comparison shows what each one costs and covers.
FAQ
State filing fees range from about $5 to $150, and most states charge $20 to $50. County filings, newspaper notices and renewal fees can add to the total in some states.
Kansas, New Mexico and South Carolina have no state DBA registration. Alabama, Mississippi, Wisconsin and Wyoming make state registration optional, though local rules and banks may still ask for one.
In many states, yes. Renewal terms run from every 2 years to every 10 years, and some states, such as Delaware and Idaho, have registrations that never expire.
Usually. A DBA costs about $5 to $150 in state fees, while forming an LLC costs $35 to $500. A DBA gives you a business name but no liability protection.