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A DBA ("doing business as") lets a person or company trade under a name that is not their legal name. States use different words for it: assumed name, trade name, fictitious business name or fictitious name. Where the record sits depends on the state, so a good DBA search starts by finding the right office.
State level vs county level
There are three common setups:
- State only. The Secretary of State or another state office keeps all assumed names in one register. Often it is the same register as LLCs and corporations, so a normal entity search finds them.
- County only. Each county clerk or recorder keeps its own book of fictitious names. There is no statewide list, so you search county by county.
- Both. The level depends on who files. A common split is that companies file with the state and sole traders or partnerships file with the county. Some states ask companies to file in both places.
Each state guide says which setup that state uses and links to the official search.
How to search at state level
- Open the state's business search from its guide, for example Texas or Florida.
- Search the name without the ending. Many tools have a filter or a record type for assumed or trade names.
- Open the record. It usually shows the assumed name, the person or company that filed it, the filing date and the expiry or renewal date if the state sets one.
- If the owner is a company, open its own record to check its status.
How to search at county level
- Find the county where the business has its main office or does most of its trade. If it works in several counties, it may have filed in each.
- Go to that county's official site and look for the county clerk, recorder or registrar. Search terms such as "assumed name search" or "fictitious business name search" on the county site help.
- Some counties have an online index. Others only search in person or by written request, and some charge for copies.
- Record the file number and the date, so you can ask for a certified copy later.
What a DBA record tells you
The most useful part is the link between the trade name and the legal owner. If a shop trades as "Harbor Coffee", the DBA record may show that "Blue Harbor Holdings LLC" or a named person is behind it. With that legal name you can run a full LLC lookup or, for owners, use the business owner lookup guide.
A DBA record does not prove the business is still trading. Filings can lapse, and in states without an expiry date old entries can stay on the index.
Before you file your own DBA
Check the same places you would search. A clash with a registered company name may block your filing in some states, and the LLC name rules guide explains how names are compared. A DBA is not a trademark. An attorney can confirm what protection you need.
To register a name rather than search one, read how to file a DBA and DBA vs LLC. State DBA guides start with Texas, New Jersey, California and Florida.