DBA means "Doing Business As".  If you are an Individual Sole Proprietor and want to do business under a name which is different from your legal name then you have to Register a DBA Name with the Michigan Secretary of State.

If you are a Corporation or LLC and want to do business under a name which is different from the name which is registered with the Michigan Secretary of State then you have to Register a DBA Name with the Michigan Secretary of State.

In Michigan a DBA Name is called a Assumed Name.

In Michigan a DBA Name is called a Assumed Name. Other names for a Michigan Assumed Name include:

• Michigan Alternate Name
• Michigan Assumed Business Name
• Michigan Business Name
• Michigan Fictitious Name
• Michigan Trade Name

Yes. You can Register a Assumed Name with the Michigan Secretary of State.

Yes. You can register a Michigan Assumed Name with the MI Secretary of State for a Michigan Corporation or a Michigan LLC.

Before a Michigan Corporation or LLC can register a DBA Name, the MI Corporation or MI LLC must be in good standing with the Michigan Secretary of State.

Yes. You can register a Michigan Assumed Name even if you have not formed a Michigan Corporation or LLC. In fact that's what most skilled craftsman and professionals do when they want to use a business name other their own name.

You Register a DBA Name with the Michigan Secretary of State for an existing Michigan business.

You Reserve a Company Name with the Michigan Secretary of State for use with a Michigan business that will be formed and legally registered with the MI Secretary of State sometime in the future.


When you Register a Corporation or LLC with the Michigan Secretary of State there are certain tax and administrative obligations which must be met to keep the company in Good Standing.  Failing to keep up with those obligations can result in the administrative dissolution of your Michigan company by the Michigan Secretary of State.

The Michigan state fees for Registering a DBA Name are less than the fees for Registering a Corporation in Michigan or Forming a LLC in Michigan and there are no tax or reporting obligation for a Registered Michigan DBA Name.

No. The Michigan Secretary of State will not issue a good standing certificate (Certificate of Existence) for a registered Michigan Assumed Name. Michigan good standing certificates are issued only for companies which have registered with the Michigan Secretary of State as a Corporation, LLC or LP.

You can renew the Michigan Assumed Name before the expiration date if you want to retain ownership of the Michigan Assumed Name.