- [Narrator] A DBA, or Doing Business As,
is essentially a nickname for your company.
In West Virginia, a DBA is also called a trade 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 offered 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 West Virginia.
(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 West Virginia on your own one.
One, complete name searches.
When determining what you want your DBA name to be,
you'll want to make sure you follow
West Virginia naming requirements.
For more details, check out our video,
"How to Name Your Business in West Virginia",
or our naming guides linked below.
Next, you'll want to make sure the name is available
in West Virginia.
Note that when you register your trade name,
you're essentially letting other business owners know
that the name is in use.
Your trade name isn't protected from being used
by other businesses.
The first and most important search
is West Virginia 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 West Virginia on howtostartanllc.com, linked below.
Searching is free, to learn more
visit West Virginia naming guides
linked in the description below.
After confirming your name is available in West Virginia,
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.
For all business structures in West Virginia,
you register your DBA with the secretary of state.
You can file online
at West Virginia's One Stop Business Portal,
or you can complete the trade name registration form
and submit it by mail or in person.
There are two different DBA forms,
and you will need to pick the right one
for your company's business structure.
There is a form for sole proprietorships
and general partnerships,
and a form for corporations, LLCs, LPs, and LLPs.
Both are linked below.
The application will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business,
such as the owner's names and addresses.
Filing fees vary, so check out our pages linked below
for more detailed information.
And with that, you'll have a DBA in West Virginia.
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.
And formal 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.
(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 in starting your small business.