- [Narrator] A DBA or Doing Business As
is essentially a nickname for your company.
In New York, a DBA is also called an Assumed Name.
DBAs are a great way to rebrand your company name,
to add new brands to your company,
or to change your company name completely.
For sole proprietors and partnerships,
DBAs offer the ability to operate under a name
that isn't the business owner's surname.
For more information on the specifics
of what a DBA is and how it can be used,
check out our other video linked below.
In this video, we will go over the steps
you need to take in order to form a DBA in New York.
(gentle music)
There are two ways to form a DBA.
You can do it yourself
or you can hire a service to do it for you.
Let's take a look at both options
and help you decide how to go about forming your own DBA.
One, do it yourself.
If you want to save money, you can form a DBA on your own.
Let's take a look at the steps to forming a DBA
in New York on your own.
One, complete name searches.
When determining what you want your DBA name to be,
you'll want to make sure you follow
New York naming requirements.
For more details, check out our video,
how to Name Your Business in New York
or our naming guides linked below.
Next you want to make sure
the name is available in New York.
The first and most important search
is with New York's Department of State website.
If the name is not available,
you'll have to adjust your name or use a different one.
We provide instructions to search your business name
in New York on howtostartanllc.com linked below.
Searching is free.
To learn more, visit New York naming guides
linked in the description below.
After confirming your name is available in New York,
we recommend doing a domain search
to see if your name is available as URL.
Even if you don't plan on making a website today,
we recommend buying your domain
in order to prevent others from acquiring it.
Two, register your DBA.
After you've chosen a available name,
you'll want to register your DBA.
If your business is a sole proprietorship or partnership,
then you're required to file a business certificate
with appropriate county clerk's office
in order to operate under a DBA.
Knowing which county to fill in is simple.
You must file on any county where your business conducts
or transacts business.
You can find your county's contact information link below.
If your business is incorporated,
you are required to set up your DBA
with the New York Department of State.
First, print a copy of the Certificate of Assumed Name form
and submit it by mail or in person.
The application will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business,
such as your business entity type,
such as corporation, LLC, and general partnership,
the number and street
of your principal New York business location
or out-of-state address for foreign entities,
all of the counties where you do business
or intend to do business,
and the number and street
of all of your New York business locations
where you transact business.
Filing fees vary, so check out our pages linked below
for more detailed information.
And with that, you'll have a DBA in New York.
Option two.
The second way to form a DBA,
is to hire a professional service
to create your DBA for you.
Hiring a professional service to file your forms
and do name searches will cost you
an additional 50 to $150.
However, there are several benefits
to working with a pro.
A hired professional files your DBA for you,
keeps you up to date with renewals,
and assist with applications.
DBAs or Doing Business As are also known as Trade Names,
Assumed Names, or Fictitious Names of a business.
Informal business structures
like sole proprietorship and partnerships
can use DBAs as their business name
instead of their surnames.
Formal business structures like LLCs and corporations
can use DBAs as a means to rebrand their name,
add new brands,
or change the name they are using as their business name.
DBAs are not a business structure
and are not separate legal entities.
They also do not provide asset protection
or liability protection to informal business structures.
For state-specific guides on how to form a DBA,
check out the pages linked below,
and for a more detailed guide, visit StartupSavant.com.
(gentle music)
Give the video a like if you found it useful.
and subscribe if you'd like to see more.
And if you have questions or encounter any roadblocks,
leave a comment below.
Good luck on starting your small business.