DBA means "Doing Business As".  If you are an Individual Sole Proprietor and want to do business under a name which is different from your legal name then you have to Register a DBA Name with the authorities in the Connecticut cities or towns where you want to conduct business under the DBA Name.

If you are a Corporation or LLC and want to do business under a name which is different from the name which is registered with the Connecticut Secretary of State then you have to Register a DBA Name with the authorities in the Connecticut cities or towns where you want to conduct business under the DBA Name.

Other names for a Connecticut DBA Name include:

• Connecticut Alternate Name
• Connecticut Assumed Business Name
• Connecticut Assumed Name
• Connecticut Business Name
• Connecticut Fictitious Name
• Connecticut Trade Name

No.  You CANNOT Register a DBA Name with the Connecticut Secretary of State.  In Connecticut you are required to register a DBA Name with the Connecticut cities or town in which you want to conduct business under your DBA Name.

Yes. You can register a Connecticut DBA Name with the CT Secretary of State for a Connecticut Corporation or a Connecticut LLC.

Before a Connecticut Corporation or LLC can register a DBA Name, the CT Corporation or CT LLC must be in good standing with the Connecticut Secretary of State.

Yes. You can register a Connecticut DBA Name even if you have not formed a Connecticut Corporation or LLC. In fact that's what most skilled craftsman and professionals do when they want to use a business name other their own name.

You Register a DBA Name with the Connecticut Secretary of State for an existing Connecticut business.

You Reserve a Company Name with the Connecticut Secretary of State for use with a Connecticut business that will be formed and legally registered with the CT Secretary of State sometime in the future.


When you Register a Corporation or LLC with the Connecticut Secretary of State there are certain tax and administrative obligations which must be met to keep the company in Good Standing.  Failing to keep up with those obligations can result in the administrative dissolution of your Connecticut company by the Connecticut Secretary of State.

The Connecticut state fees for Registering a DBA Name are less than the fees for Registering a Corporation in Connecticut or Forming a LLC in Connecticut and there are no tax or reporting obligation for a Registered Connecticut DBA Name.

No. The Connecticut Secretary of State will not issue a good standing certificate (Certificate of Existence) for a registered Connecticut DBA Name. Connecticut good standing certificates are issued only for companies which have registered with the Connecticut Secretary of State as a Corporation, LLC or LP.

You can renew the Connecticut DBA Name before the expiration date if you want to retain ownership of the Connecticut DBA Name.