How to File a DBA in New York

To file a DBA in New York, you need to submit a Certificate of Assumed Name to the New York Department of State — or, if you're a sole proprietor or general partnership, to your county clerk. The process takes a few steps, but it's straightforward once you know which form applies to your business type and where to send it.

A DBA — short for "doing business as" — lets you run your business under a name that's different from your legal registered name. In New York, it's called an assumed name. If you're operating under any name other than the one on your formation documents, you need one.

The practical uses go beyond just branding. An accountant named John Smith who wants to trade as "A1 Accounting" needs a DBA to use that name legally. A business with multiple service lines — say, an LLC that handles both property management and interior design — can file separate DBAs for each line without forming new entities. It keeps the legal structure clean while giving each part of the business its own identity.

One thing worth knowing: a DBA doesn't create a new legal entity and doesn't give you liability protection on its own. If you're not yet formed as an LLC or corporation, a DBA is a name registration, not a substitute for formation.

Where you file your DBA in New York depends entirely on your business structure. LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, and other formed entities file with the New York Department of State. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file with the county clerk in the county where they do business.

LLCs, corporations, and other formed entities

If your business is an LLC, corporation, LP, or LLP, you file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations. Mail or deliver the completed form and payment to One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231. The county fees are paid to the Department of State along with the certificate — not separately to each county clerk.

Sole proprietors and general partnerships

If you're a sole proprietor or general partnership, New York General Business Law Section 130 requires you to file a business certificate — your DBA — with the county clerk in the county where you conduct business. Each county clerk's office has its own form and fee schedule, so check directly with your county before filing.

Before you file, search the New York Department of State's Division of Corporations database to check whether your desired assumed name is already in use. The online Public Inquiry system lets you search by business name, assumed name, DOS ID, or assumed name ID. A search that shows no matches is a strong indicator the name is available, but it's not a guarantee.

If you want a formal confirmation, New York allows you to request an official name availability search from the Division of Corporations for $5 per name under Section 96 of the New York State Executive Law. That's worth doing if you're building a brand around the name before the filing is approved.

Plus, make sure the name you want doesn't conflict with the Department of State's naming rules — certain words are restricted or require additional approval. Review those rules on the DOS website before you commit to a name.

The New York Department of State provides an official Certificate of Assumed Name form and a separate set of written instructions for completing it. Download both from the DOS website before you start. The form must be typed or printed in black ink, and all text and signatures need to be clear enough for imaging.

Step 1: Enter your exact legal name

Paragraph 1 of the form requires your entity's exact legal name as it appears on the filing receipt issued by the New York Department of State when your business was formed or authorized. Include the full entity designator — for example, "LLC," "Inc.," or "Ltd." — exactly as it appears on DOS records. Any mismatch here can get your filing rejected.

Step 2: State the assumed name you want to use

Enter the assumed name your business will use in New York. This is the DBA name that will appear on the accepted filing. It must comply with New York naming rules, including any restrictions on certain words. Once the filing is accepted, this is the name under which you can legally conduct business.

Step 3: Provide your principal place of business

Paragraph 4 requires a street address for your principal place of business in New York — a full street address with number, city, state, and ZIP code. A post office box alone is not acceptable. If your business has no New York principal place of business, provide the principal address outside New York instead.

Step 4: List the counties where you'll do business

The form requires you to identify every county in New York where you do or intend to do business under the assumed name. This matters for fees: each county you list adds to your total cost. Be accurate — listing counties you don't actually operate in adds unnecessary expense, and leaving out counties where you do operate means you're not covered there.

Step 5: Submit the form and pay the fees

Mail or deliver the completed Certificate of Assumed Name to the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231. Include your full payment — the base state filing fee plus the applicable county fees for every county you listed. All county fees are paid to the Department of State with the certificate, not to individual county clerks.

The cost of a DBA in New York depends on your entity type and the counties where you'll operate. For corporations and LLCs filing with the Department of State, there's a base state filing fee plus a county fee for each county you list. County fees are $25 per county for most counties outside New York City, and $100 per county for each of the 5 New York City counties — New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond.

Those county fees add up fast if you're doing business across multiple NYC boroughs. A business operating in all 5 NYC counties would owe $500 in county fees alone, on top of the base state fee. Sole proprietors and general partnerships filing at the county level pay whatever fee their county clerk charges — those vary by county, so check with your specific county clerk's office.

If your business is an LLC or corporation, you need a separate business bank account regardless of whether you're operating under a DBA. Mixing personal and business finances in the same account can give a court reason to treat your LLC as if it isn't a separate entity — and at that point your personal finances are fair game for business debts.

If you're a sole proprietor operating only under a DBA, you're not legally required to have a separate business account in most cases. But it's still worth doing. A dedicated account keeps your business income and expenses separate, which makes tax time much cleaner and gives you a clear financial record if you ever need to apply for credit or a loan under the DBA name.