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 Washington 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 Washington Secretary of State then you have to Register a DBA Name with the Washington Secretary of State.

Other names for a Washington DBA Name include:

• Washington Alternate Name
• Washington Assumed Business Name
• Washington Assumed Name
• Washington Business Name
• Washington Fictitious Name
• Washington Trade Name

Yes. You can Register a DBA Name with the Washington Secretary of State.

Yes. You can register a Washington DBA Name with the WA Secretary of State for a Washington Corporation or a Washington LLC.

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

Yes. You can register a Washington DBA Name even if you have not formed a Washington 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 Washington Secretary of State for an existing Washington business.

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


When you Register a Corporation or LLC with the Washington 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 Washington company by the Washington Secretary of State.

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

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

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