- [Narrator] A DBA or Doing Business As,
is essentially a nickname for your company.
In Virginia, a DBA is also called an assumed name
or a fictitious 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 Virginia.
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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 Virginia 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 Virginia naming requirements.
For more details, check out our video,
how to name your business in Virginia
or our naming guides linked below.
Next, you want to make sure
the name is available in Virginia.
The first and most important search
is with Virginia's online state business entity database.
If the name is not available,
you'll have to adjust your name or use a different one.
We've provided instructions
to search your business name in Virginia
on howtostartanllc.com linked below.
Searching is free.
To learn more, visit Virginia naming guides
linked in the description below.
After confirming your name is available in 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.
In Virginia, you register your DBA
with the State Corporation Commission.
You can file online with the clerk's information system
or you can complete the PDF form
and submit it by mail or in person.
There are two different PDF forms to choose from
depending on your business structure.
The Certificate of Assumed or Fictitious Name Business
Conducted by an Entity
used for corporations, LLCs, LPs and general partnerships
will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business such as,
the name of the entity conducting business under the DBA,
the assumed or fictitious name being registered,
the entity type,
the jurisdiction under which the entity was formed,
and the entity's SCC ID number or address.
The Certificate of Assumed Name or Fictitious Name Business
Conducted by an Individual used for sole proprietorships
will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business such as,
the name of the individual
that will conduct business under the DBA,
the assumed or fictitious name being registered
and the address of the individual registering.
Filing fees vary, so check out our pages linked below
for more detailed information.
And with that, you'll have a DBA in Virginia.
Options 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 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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