Do I Need A Fictitious Name If I Register My Business Name Through The State Of Missouri

Many businesses (LLCs, Corporations, or Sole Proprietors/Partnerships) utilize a different fictitious proper noun than their legally registered proper noun. To operate this way requires registering a Doing Business organization Equally or a DBA.

If you are a concern owner in Missouri who would similar to operate under a different name than your legally registered name, you must file a DBA. The swell news is, filing a DBA in Missouri is simple. This guide will assist yous with the process.

It is of import to sympathize Missouri'due south requirements for filing a DBA, as the laws vary from state to state. Some states crave registration at the country level only, while others let you to file with the county or urban center authority. Yet, several states require you lot to register your DBA with more one government level. And certain states have the additional requirement of publishing your DBA in a newspaper or legal publishing.

Our land-specific guides will assistance yous with the necessary steps to file a DBA for your company in your residing state. For Missouri concern owners, but follow the steps beneath to annals your DBA.

What Is A Missouri "Doing Business As" (DBA) Proper noun?

A Missouri DBA (doing business organization as) allows sole proprietorships/partnerships, LLCs, corporations, and any other business organisation structure to operate nether a proper noun other than the concern's legally registered name. If you wish to open a concern bank account in a name other than your legal entity, registering your DBA is a requirement.

Section 417.200 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri requires anyone doing business under a name other than their legal entity to file a fictitious name registration with the Secretary of State's office. Once approved, yous tin can brainstorm using your DBA as your company's proper name.

How Exercise I Choose A DBA Name For My Missouri Business?

There are various reasons why a company may want to operate publicly nether a different name. Maybe the name you originally registered your business under no longer aligns with your corporate mission, or in the case of a sole proprietor, you adopt to apply a fictitious name rather than your personal name. Whatever the reason, your DBA is a critical part of your company's brand identity. Here are a few tips to help you choose a DBA for your business:

Ensure you selection a name that is not owned (a registered trademark) by any other business whose products or services are like to yours.
Check to see if the URL is available; this makes it easier for your customers to discover you online. Having a name that is easy to spell and retrieve volition also assist your customers discover y'all online.
Option a proper name that aligns with and reflects your company's vision, mission, and overall brand identity and messaging.
Choose a scalable proper noun. Yous may wish to expand your products or services in the future; having a name that can calibration with your business, and doesn't limit y'all, will make this growth easier.

Choosing a unique and memorable name is critical to differentiate your business from the competition. While choosing your name, start by checking Missouri's business organization entity database to meet if other local businesses are already using your desired DBA name. A critical step (as mentioned above) is ensuring you don't select a name that will infringe on a registered trademark. Use the United States Patent and Trademark Role's (USPTO) search tool to verify your desired name isn't registered by a company whose products and services are in the aforementioned market place/categories equally yours.

Missouri has several guidelines for fictitious names.

Your DBA must comply with the following:

Don't use a proper noun that is already being used by another business, or a name that is similar to one already in utilize.
Your fictitious proper noun should not include any phrase or word that implies your business represents a government agency.
If your company is a limited liability visitor, a corporation, or a partnership, you are free to include suffixes such as inc., corp LLC, Ltd among others, after your DBA proper noun. If non, do non include a business organization entity suffix after your fictitious name.
Your fictitious name should not incorporate phrases or words that imply your business is a financial institution. Avoid picking names that include words like "Bank," "Trust," and "Savings." That said, it is important to seek legal advice.

How Do I Annals A DBA In Missouri?

Registering a DBA proper name in Missouri is a straightforward process. Here is a step-by-footstep guide to obtaining a DBA name for your Missouri business.

Step 1: Form your concern

Registering and doing business under a fictitious proper noun is not the aforementioned as forming a concern. If you annals a fictitious name without first registering your business as an LLC, corporation, or other legal entity types, Missouri will recognize your business as a sole proprietorship.

Pace two: Pick a name for your DBA

In one case you accept registered your legal entity, you tin can proceed with your DBA registration. Use the tips higher up to select a memorable and unique proper name that aligns with your company'southward vision and mission.

Stride 3: Bear a name search

Equally mentioned higher up, use the post-obit tools to ensure your name complies with Missouri'south DBA guidelines, doesn't infringe on a registered trademark, and isn't in use in Missouri.

Missouri'southward business entity database^[1]
The United States Patent and Trademark Part^[two]
Missouri's Function of the Secretary of State's DBA guidelines

Step 4: File your registration

You can register your DBA online or via e-mail with Missouri'south Office of the Secretarial assistant of State. Visit the Missouri online portal. Make full out the "Registration of Fictitious Name form to file online or download the forms and submit them via email or postal service.

You will be required to provide basic data, including:

DBA name being registered
Business accost
Names and addresses of owners
Pct ownership of each owner
Original signature of owners

Step v: Send your registration

As mentioned before, you lot can fill out the form online or download it and send it via email or mail. Whichever way you lot choose to send the registration, you must include a $7 Missouri filing fee.

The mailing and co-operative office addresses are as follows:

Postal service to:

Corporations Unit

James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Centre

P.O. Box 778

Jefferson Metropolis, MO 65102

Deliver to:

Corporations Unit

600 W Main St.

Missouri Country Data Middle, Room 322

Jefferson City, MO 65101-0778

Branch offices:

U.S. Customs & Postal service Office Edifice

815 Olive Street, Suite 150

St. Louis, MO 63101

314-340-7490 (Voice)

Kansas City State Office Edifice

615 East. 13th St., Fifth Floor, Rm 513

Kansas City, MO 64106

816-889-2925 (Vocalization)

Springfield Country Office Edifice

149 Park Cardinal Sq., Rm 624

Springfield, MO 65806

417-895-6330 (Voice)

After Filing Your Missouri DBA

Once you accept filed your Missouri DBA registration grade, there is a one–4-week processing period. Later you receive the confirmation, you can start using your DBA name equally your assumed proper noun.

If your fictitious name registration marks the beginning of your business journeying, then you still have a few more steps to take earlier yous can start using your name. These steps may vary depending on the type of business y'all are launching, merely could include:

Creating a logo, website, social media pages, and other marketing tools
Open a business banking account
Get business organization insurance

Once you take registered your Missouri DBA, you will need to maintain the registration. This requires filing a renewal every half-dozen months (in that location is a $vii renewal fee).

If you need to amend or correct any information associated with your DBA, including address and other contact data, you lot'll have to file an amendment and pay a $7 amendment fee. To correct errors on a recently filed application, employ the "Registration of Fictitious Name course.

If there is a change in ownership of a business with an existing DBA name, Missouri requires you lot to cancel the existing DBA registration. The new owners must then re-file. To cancel your fictitious business organisation proper name, file a "Cancellation of Registration of Fictitious Name^[3]" grade. This must exist done in compliance with the fictitious proper name act.

Conclusion

Post-obit the guide above will ensure your Missouri DBA registration volition get smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can a DBA get an EIN or Tax ID?

A DBA name is non a business concern entity and therefore is not required to have a separate EIN or Tax ID. Your EIN or Tax ID will remain the same every bit your legal entity's.

How much does it price to register a Missouri DBA name?

Registering a Missouri DBA requires a $7 filing fee. Yous will be required to pay a renewal fee of $7 every vi months. Any corrections or updates to your registration will also cost $7.

Do I need a DBA proper name for my Missouri business concern?

If you plan to operate your business under a proper name different from your legal entity, you lot will demand a DBA. For instance, if you lot desire to operate your business using the proper noun "John's Wood Etching" and your LLC is registered under the name "John Smith, LLC", you volition need to register "John's Woods Etching" as a DBA.

If I register a DBA proper noun in Missouri, tin another business organisation use the aforementioned proper name?

The Fictitious Name Deed^[4] does non offering any proper noun protection. Other businesses tin can use the same proper noun y'all are using elsewhere around the land. If you wish to protect your name, yous will have to annals the trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (a trademark attorney can assist with this process).

How many DBAs can I take in Missouri?

You lot tin have as many DBAs as you desire in Missouri as long equally each proper noun complies with the state requirements. Y'all can also create multiple DBA names to specify and distinguish product lines.