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 Missouri Secretary of State.

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 Missouri Secretary of State then you have to Register a DBA Name with the Missouri Secretary of State.

In Missouri a DBA Name is called a Fictitious Name.

In Missouri a DBA Name is called a Fictitious Name. Other names for a Missouri Fictitious Name include:

• Missouri Alternate Name
• Missouri Assumed Business Name
• Missouri Assumed Name
• Missouri Business Name
• Missouri Trade Name

Yes. You can Register a Fictitious Name with the Missouri Secretary of State.

Yes. You can register a Missouri Fictitious Name with the MO Secretary of State for a Missouri Corporation or a Missouri LLC.

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

Yes. You can register a Missouri Fictitious Name even if you have not formed a Missouri 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 Missouri Secretary of State for an existing Missouri business.

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


When you Register a Corporation or LLC with the Missouri 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 Missouri company by the Missouri Secretary of State.

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

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

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