- [Narrator] A DBA or Doing Business As is essentially
a nickname for your company.
In Tennessee, 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 propriators 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 Tennessee.
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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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee naming requirements.
For more details, check out our video
How to Name Your Business in Tennessee
or our naming guides linked below.
Next you'll want to make sure the name is available
in Tennessee.
The first and most important search is
with Tennessee's Secretary 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 Tennessee on howtostartanllc.com linked below.
Searching is free.
To learn more visit Tennessee naming guides linked
in the description below.
After confirming your name is available in Tennessee,
we recommend doing a domain search
to see if your name is available as a 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 an available name,
you'll want to register your DBA.
If your business is a sole proprietorship
or partnership, then you are required
to file for a county business license
with the appropriate county clerk offices
if you want to use a name other than your legal name.
DBA filing guidelines and fees can vary by county.
Contact your county clerk for the specific steps to file.
You can find your county's contact information linked below.
If your business is incorporated,
you are required to file your DBA
with the Tenessee Secretary of State.
You can file online or mail in an application form.
Depending on your business type,
you will need to complete a different application.
We have these applications linked below.
The application will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business,
such as the company's legal name
and it's state of organization or incorporation.
Filing fees vary, so check out our pages linked below
for more detailed information,
and with that, you'll have a DBA in Tennessee.
Keep in mind that your Tennessee DBA needs
to be renewed every five years.
Renewal can be done by mail.
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 assists with publications.
DBAs or Doing Business As are also known
as trade names, assumed names,
or fictitious names of a business.
Informal business structures,
like sole proprietorships 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.
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 in starting your small business.
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