How To Register Business Name On Arizona

If y'all're an entrepreneur in Arizona, you may not wish to use your business'southward full legal name for all of your company's activities. If so, a "doing business as" (DBA) proper noun could be a helpful branding tool, allowing you lot to conduct your pocket-sized business organization under a different championship.

A DBA is used when the name nether which they operate their business differs from its legal, registered name. Arizona has its own legal requirements, restrictions, and processes when registering and maintaining a DBA proper name, which they call a "trade name."

Although nosotros don't currently support DBA registration in Arizona, read on to learn about why you lot might want to employ a trade name too as how to register, maintain, and renew i to give your business the best hazard at success.

What is an Arizona "doing business as" (DBA) name?

A DBA name allows a business organization entity to operate under a name that's different from its legal title. Y'all'll register this name through Arizona'southward Secretary of State.

To be clear, this doesn't create a new legal entity. You won't be taxed separately under this proper name, nor does it come with any liability protection. It's just another name for your company, one that y'all'll use for marketing purposes.

DBA names are referred to by diverse names in different states: "fictitious names," "causeless names," and "trade names" beingness some of the most common. In Arizona, DBA names are formally called "merchandise names," although they're essentially the aforementioned thing. When y'all register your business's pseudonym, it volition be as a trade proper noun.

There are two principal categories of businesses that tend to seek trade names:

Sole proprietorships and partnerships:These structures use merchandise names to establish a business identity separate from the names of their owners.
Corporations and LLCs: These business organization entities use DBA names when they want to operate under a different proper name or to condense their formal names. During formation, they're required to include designators, such as "Corporation," "Company," "Limited," or "Incorporated," or an abbreviation of these words, in their names. A trade proper noun allows them to drop these signifiers and simplify their names.

Although a trade name doesn't establish a divide legal entity, there are nonetheless plenty of benefits that come with it. You might choose to operate under a DBA name for various reasons. It all comes down to your business's needs. These benefits include:

Project a professional person appearance:Whether yous're a sole proprietor or involved in a partnership, adopting a trade name allows you to operate under a name other than your personal name. Past doing so, your business will appear more professional to clients and vendors.
Simplify your name:As noted, business organisation entities, such as corporations and LLCs, are legally required to include signifiers in their formal names when they first course their business in Arizona. A DBA proper noun allows yous to drib those signifiers and trim your name, which can resonate more with customers.
Introduce a new product or service: If you're about to launch a new product or service that's related to your company but would do good from its own brand identity, you lot may want to consider adopting a merchandise proper name. This will allow you to market all of your offerings separately while however nether the same ownership.
Lay merits to your name:Registering a trade name doesn't grant you exclusive rights to the employ of this name. But one time it'southward on record, this might deter other companies from using information technology. This could prevent a marketing headache for y'all down the road.

If you think a trade proper name makes sense for your Arizona business concern, continue reading this comprehensive guide. This guide provides a detailed overview of how to annals a trade name in Arizona.

How practice I register an Arizona DBA name?

To register your Arizona DBA proper noun, y'all must file your merchandise proper noun through the Secretary of State. The country requires that you complete the Trade Name Registration Application via the Online Merchandise Name/Trademark Program. Applications by mail are no longer accustomed.

Here are the steps to take when registering your Arizona trade proper name:

Choose a name that best reflects the nature of your company and decide whether it's distinguishable from the names of other entities registered in the state. Be sure to exercise your enquiry to ensure your proper name is truly distinct, every bit this could hold upward your application.
Go to the section of the Secretary of Country website that includes all the forms associated with the Online Merchandise Name/Trademark Plan. This is where you'll find the Trade Name Registration Awarding.
When applying online, you'll exist prompted to enter your desired trade proper name to check for availability.
Afterwards this footstep, the online form requires some data, including your trade proper name and the date of awarding, entity type and name, a cursory description of your business, and contact information.
Include your filing fee. Information technology costs $ten to file your awarding. For expedited service, include an additional $25. You may pay past check or money gild, which should be fabricated payable to the Secretary of State. Yous may utilise a credit card or debit card.
Finish the application and await for approving before ordering business cards or other materials with your DBA name printed on them. In Arizona, trade names are carefully reviewed before blessing is given. If your filing is rejected, you'll receive a detailed explanation of why. Use these details to tweak and resubmit your application.

How do I choose an Arizona DBA name?

When choosing a trade name in Arizona, you'll want a proper noun that makes an bear upon. Your name is the most important branding tool you have. Pick a distinctive name that is a good representation of what your visitor has to offer. You lot'll want customers to encounter your proper name and know right away what you're most.

Too, keep state regulations in listen when creating your trade name. Commencement, you want to cheque to brand sure the name y'all want is available. Before registering it, yous can search Arizona's state database of businesses to determine the availability of your preferred proper noun.

In Arizona, your trade name should be distinguishable from whatever other entity on tape. In its Trade Proper noun and Trademark Handbook, the state includes a list of requirements for determining whether your preferred proper name is distinctive from other businesses.

Arizona besides does not let trade names to include corporate designators, such as "Inc.," "LLC," or "Ltd." Remove those ahead of registering your merchandise name, or you'll take chances rejection.

Remember that you'll also want to gear up a domain name that aligns with your DBA name. Before finalizing your merchandise name, check to ensure a corresponding domain name is available. If y'all're interested in setting up a website that aligns with your DBA name goals, ZenBusiness'southward Domain Proper name Registration services can handle this process for you.

How do I manage ongoing DBA name compliance in Arizona?

Once you register your Arizona trade name, it's valid for v years. Subsequently five years, yous'll need to file a Trade Proper name Renewal form, which has a $x filing fee. This renewal should be done within half dozen months of your trade name's expiration date.

To make any changes to your trade proper name, including the accost, telephone number, or legal name of the electric current owner, yous must file a Merchandise Proper name Subpoena form. This has a $3 filing fee.

To transfer ownership of your trade name to another entity, you need to fill up out a Trade Name Assignment form. The filing fee for this transfer is $10. Y'all also must have this form notarized before submitting it to the Secretarial assistant of State by mail or in person.

If y'all decide to terminate your trade name, you lot tin can exercise so by filing a Trade Proper noun Cancellation course. While there is no fee for filing this form, it does require notarization.

While we don't currently back up DBA registration in Arizona, we can help you lot create 1 in states we exercise back up, including: Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Isle, Due south Dakota, Texas and Utah. We can make creating a DBA proper name for your concern unproblematic.

The content on this page is for advisory purposes only, and does not found legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you lot have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional person.

Arizona DBA FAQs

How much does it cost to register an Arizona DBA name?
When applying for a DBA or trade proper noun in Arizona, you'll need to file a Trade Name Registration Awarding with the Secretary of State with the proper fee. You tin can find a electric current fee schedule on their website, which includes an selection for expediting registration.
What is the processing fourth dimension to register an Arizona DBA?
Since your trade proper name application requires rigorous review by the state to make up one's mind that your name is distinguishable from other entities and available, the processing fourth dimension takes between ii and three weeks. When filing your application, you tin pay an boosted $25 to expedite this process, though.
Do I need a DBA name for my Arizona business concern?

At that place is no requirement that Arizona businesses adopt a DBA or merchandise name. However, information technology is an acceptable business concern practise if you decide your visitor could benefit from a trade name.

As a sole proprietor or partnership, a DBA proper noun will create a brand separate from your personal proper name and institute an identity for your business. For corporations and LLCs, a trade proper name allows you to condense your legal name and drop the formal business designators, such as "LLC" or "Inc." This helps to streamline your marketing efforts.
If I register a DBA name in Arizona, can another business use the aforementioned name?
While registering a merchandise proper noun doesn't grant you exclusive rights to the proper noun in Arizona, having it on record will likely cause other entities to pass on using it. No reasonable business volition want to deal with the marketing conundrum of adopting a name already in use. The best way to ensure yous take exclusive rights to a business name in Arizona is past adopting it as your formal name during formation.
Tin a concern in Arizona have multiple DBA names?
There is no limit to the number of trade names your business organisation adopts. It all depends on your company's needs and what makes sense for your operations. You might want to have multiple DBA names to institute several brands nether the same ownership structure.
Is a DBA name the same thing as a fictitious business organization name in Arizona?
A DBA name might also be referred to as a "fictitious name." In Arizona, though, a DBA name is formally referred to as a "merchandise proper noun."
Do I demand a DBA proper name in Arizona if I utilise my own name for a sole proprietorship?

In Arizona, a sole proprietor tin utilise their given proper name to comport business organization or operate under an causeless proper noun. There is no requirement to prefer a trade name.

A sole proprietor might benefit from a trade proper noun, though. This will dissever their personal identity from their business identity and create a more professional aura effectually their business.
Volition using a DBA name affect how my business concern is taxed in Arizona?
No, a DBA name doesn't touch how your business organisation is taxed in Arizona. When yous register a trade name, you lot aren't establishing a separate legal entity from the business concern created during your germination. Even if you accept several merchandise names, they'll all exist taxed under your original business.

ZenBusiness's business organisation formation experts are here to help you establish and grow your dream business organization. Run into how our many services can assistance you cut through the red record so that you lot can focus on the more enjoyable parts of running your company.