Different filing processes can be daunting and as a business owner sometimes things feel complicated. But it doesn’t have to feel like this. With the right instructions and tools at hand, you can find that filing a DBA in Ohio is straightforward. Read on to know how.
Important! Please keep in mind that DBA is not a business structure, so it won’t protect you from liabilities, lawsuits, or any other unforeseen situations. DBA stands for Doing Business As. – often precedes the name under which a business operates, which is not the legal name of the business.
Therefore, before starting, make sure you understand the difference between informal business structures such as sole proprietorship and formal ones like corporations and LLCs.
To register or renew the trademark, trade name, or service mark for your company in Ohio you need to file the application to the Secretary of State. Here is what you need to do:
Ohio Business Entity Search
Your company’s trade name should be unique and have not been acquired by any other entity in Ohio. Moreover, this name must also meet the business name requirements of Ohio.
First, you have to search the Ohio Secretary of State’s Business Search website for the DBA, Business, & Fictitious names. Check the portal thoroughly to know whether the name that you wish to have for your business has already been taken by someone or not. Make sure, this name isn’t already in use.
Note: You can also find a complete guide on business name search here.
Once you are done searching, the next step is to review the naming requirements of the state of Ohio. In general, your DBA should not include:
- Words such as LLC, Incorporated, Corp, or any business entity suffix, unless the business is actually an LLC, corporation, etc.
- Any profanity, word, or phrase that is generally considered a insult to an ethnic group, gender, religion, or heredity.
- Any of the words such as bank, banking, banker, trust, or words of similar meaning in any other language without prior approval from the Superintendent of Financial Institutions:
- Words that indicate that the business is connected with a any government agency of Ohio, another state, or the United States.
Register Your Ohio DBA ($39)
File an Ohio DBA online or by downloading the Assumed Name Registration Form and sending it to:
DBA Filing Mail Address:
Secretary of State
P.O. Box 670
Columbus, OH 43216
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The following information must include in the Ohio trade name form:
- Your business name and adress
- Owners/partners of the business and addresses
- Entity type (eg; LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation)
- Trade name’s description
- Whether you are filing for a trade name or a fictitious business name
Renew, Change or Withdraw Your Ohio DBA
Renew Your Fictitious Name With the State ($25)
After every five years, the Certificate of Ohio Assumed Business Name expires. So for the renewal of DBA in Ohio process file online or complete the Certificate of Renewal of Trade or Fictitious Name form and send it to:
DBA Renewal Mail Address:
Secretary of State
P.O. Box 670
Columbus, OH 43216
Change Your Fictitious Name ($25)
If you wish to make changes in your Ohio assumed business name, you can do it online or by filling the respective DBA amendment certificate application and sending it to the address given in the above section.
Withdraw Your Fictitious Name ($25)
You can cancel your Ohio assumed business name online or by filling the Cancellation or withdrawal Certificate of the DBA application and sending it to the address mentioned in the renewal section.
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