{"id":5497,"date":"2016-04-15T14:11:51","date_gmt":"2016-04-15T19:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/starting-a-business\/register-your-business-name-state-resources.html"},"modified":"2026-05-26T10:53:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:53:00","slug":"register-your-business-name-state-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/starting-a-business\/register-your-business-name-state-resources.html","title":{"rendered":"Register Your Business Name: State Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Register Your Business Name: State Resources<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Catherine Hodder, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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Editorial Note: We earn a commission from affiliate partner links on FindLaw. Commissions do not affect the editorial integrity of our legal content.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n

\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Registering a business name with a state or local government agency establishes the legal identity of a business. Checking business name availability with the Secretary of State database makes sure you can use an available name.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re starting a\u00a0small business<\/span>, one of your first considerations is\u00a0choosing<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0registering<\/a>\u00a0your business\u2019s name. In the alternative, if you already have your business registered and wish to operate under a\u00a0fictitious business name<\/span><\/a>, you can register a different name as “doing business as<\/span>” (DBA<\/span>). The Small Business<\/span> Administration (sba.gov<\/a>) has resources to help new <\/span>business<\/span> owners<\/span> get off on the right foot. We have also provided a table of state-specific resources below.<\/p>\n

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Choosing Your Business Name<\/span><\/h2>\n

The name you choose for your business provides some immediate business information for your potential customers.<\/p>\n