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

In Alabama a DBA Name is called a Trade Name.

We can Register a Trade Name with the Alabama Secretary of State for you as quickly as possible.

In Alabama a DBA Name is called a Trade Name. Other names for an Alabama Trade Name include:

• Alabama Alternate Name
• Alabama Assumed Business Name
• Alabama Assumed Name
• Alabama Business Name
• Alabama Fictitious Name

Yes. You can Register a Trade Name with the Alabama Secretary of State.

Alabama is the only state which requires that a Business filing for a DBA Name must already be using that name BEFORE applying to Register the Alabama DBA Name with the Alabama Secretary of State.

In Alabama a DBA Name is legally called a Trade Name.

In Alabama rights of ownership of a specific Trade Name are achieved through the common laws of adoption and usage and not through Registration of a Trade name.

Yes. You can register an Alabama Trade Name with the AL Secretary of State for an Alabama Corporation or an Alabama LLC.

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

Yes. You can register an Alabama Trade Name even if you have not formed an Alabama 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.

Registering a DBA Name with the Alabama Secretary of State and Reserving a Company Name with the Alabama Secretary of State are NOT the same.

You Register a DBA Name with the Alabama Secretary of State for an existing Alabama business.  You Reserve a Company Name with the Alabama Secretary of State for use with an Alabama business that will be formed and legally registered with the AL Secretary of State sometime in the future.

Registering a DBA Name with the Alabama Secretary of State is NOT the same as legally Registering a Corporation or LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State.

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

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

Register a Corporation in AL

Register a LLC in AL

Reserve a Company Name in AL

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

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

An Alabama Trade Name Registration is valid for five years from the date on which the Alabama Trade Name was registered with the Alabama Secretary of State. You can renew the Registration of an Alabama Trade Name before the Registration expires.

If your Corporation or LLC was formed in a state other than the state of Alabama and your company name is being used by another Alabama Corporation or LLC then you are required to register a Trade Name with the Alabama Secretary of State which is different from the company name in your home state.

If you are ready to Register an Alabama DBA Name now, simply fill in the DBA Name Registration Order Form below and press the Place Order button. If you have any questions you can call us at 855-771-2477 or email us.