- [Narrator] A DBA, or doing business as,
is essentially a nickname for your company.
In Rhode Island, a DBA is also called 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 offered the ability to operate under a name
that isn't the business owner 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 Rhode Island.
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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 Rhode Island 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
Rhode Island naming requirements.
For more details, check out our video,
How to Name your Business in Rhode Island
or our naming guides linked to below.
Next, you'll want to make sure the name
is available in Rhode Island.
The first and most important search
is Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island on how to start on llc.com linked below.
Searching is free.
To learn more, visit Rhode Island naming guides
linked in the description below.
After confirming your name is available in Rhode Island,
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 operating under a name
other than its legal name,
you are required to file your DBA
with the Rhode Island Department of State.
You can file online
or print a copy of the fictitious business name statement,
which is linked below.
The application will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business
such as the legal name of the business,
entity ID number, date and location of incorporation,
and a description of the business.
Filing fees vary
so check on our pages linked below
for more detailed information.
Depending on where your company does business,
you may be required to register
a fictitious or trade name with the city.
Check with your local City Clerk's Office
about its particular requirements.
You can find your city's contact information linked below,
and with that, you'll have a DBA in Rhode Island.
Keep in mind that your Rhode Island DBA
needs to be renewed every five years.
You can either renew online
or complete the business name renewal form.
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 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're 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.
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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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