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 Iowa 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 Iowa Secretary of State then you have to Register a DBA Name with the Iowa Secretary of State. We can Register a DBA Name with the Iowa Secretary of State for you as quickly as possible.

Other names for an Iowa DBA Name include:

• Iowa Alternate Name
• Iowa Assumed Business Name
• Iowa Assumed Name
• Iowa Business Name
• Iowa Fictitious Name
• Iowa Trade Name

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

Yes. You can register an Iowa DBA Name with the IA Secretary of State for an Iowa Corporation or an Iowa LLC.

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

Yes. You can register an Iowa DBA Name even if you have not formed an Iowa 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 Iowa Secretary of State and Reserving a Company Name with the Iowa Secretary of State are NOT the same.

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

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

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

The Iowa 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 Iowa DBA Name.

Register a Corporation in IA

Register a LLC in IA

Reserve a Company Name in IA

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

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

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

If you are ready to Register an Iowa 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.