How To Get a DBA in Nevada in Three Steps
To register for a DBA (Doing Business As) in Nevada, you must file a Nevada Fictitious Firm Name (FFN) Statement Form in the county where your business operates and pay a filing fee.
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When you register a DBA (“doing business as”), you can use a business name that’s different from your personal name, the name of your LLC, or any other legal entity that you might have registered with the state.
Here is a step-by-step guide to help entrepreneurs get a Nevada DBA.
Do I Need a DBA in Nevada?
Yes, under Nev. Rev. Stat §602.010, if you are doing business under an assumed or fictitious name, you must register with the County Clerk in each county you operate your business.
A DBA may prove unnecessary for a business owner who plans to operate under a registered company name, like an LLC. However, a sole proprietor may want a DBA for their business instead of exposing their personal name and identity to the public.
A DBA is helpful even in some instances where Nevada does not require it—for example, opening a business bank account under your DBA name. A bank might require a DBA for a business checking account belonging to a sole proprietor. Moreover, a business owner can use a DBA to rebrand a registered business and develop new products or services—without having to allocate the time and funds necessary to create a new startup.
New business owners should file the certificate before beginning to use the DBA. Nevada penalizes business owners who fail to register an assumed name when required by law. Under the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 602—Doing Business Under Assumed or Fictitious Name—anyone doing business in Nevada without complying with DBA requirements or improperly terminating a DBA is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Three Steps to Get a DBA in Nevada
Conduct a Name Search
Registering a Nevada DBA does not stop anyone else from using the alias. Yet applicants generally search the following public records to ensure they choose a unique name:
- The Nevada Secretary of State’s website enables visitors to look through registered business names.
- Also, search the clerk’s website in the county where you intend to carry out your main business activities.
- Search online, including social media, to see if the name is available. You can also search for a website domain name registration through ICANN.
- Search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) trademark database.
Although you can use a DBA that another Nevada-based business is already using, you must still exercise care to avoid trademark infringement.
Choose a Valid Name
Check to make sure your proposed Nevada DBA does not contain:
- Business terminology (Incorporated, Limited Liability Company, Business Trust, Chartered, Professional Association, Professional Organization, Professional Corporation, etc., or abbreviations for such terms) that do not reflect the entity’s actual business structure.
- Terminology suggestive of a government agency or federally recognized tribe or nation.
- The name of a real person (unless the name includes words to prevent confusion).
Review additional DBA naming requirements in the Nevada statute. As you choose your unique brand name, you can reserve it as a website domain name. Also, consider trademarking the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
File Registration of Your DBA
- Download the applicable registration form for your business.
- Complete the Fictitious Name Form. The certificate must state the DBA, the name of the person(s) operating the business, and their street and mailing addresses.
- Sign and submit the form at the County Clerk’s office for the county or counties where your LLC or other business entity operates. The Nevada Secretary of State’s website includes a directory of County Clerks. Some Nevada counties require the notarization of a DBA registration form. Others do not.
- Submit Nevada’s Fictitious Firm Name (FFN) Statement Form, including your filing fee, as stated on the county website. For example, the fee chart at the Clark County, NV clerk’s office (home of the public records of Las Vegas) shows a $25 DBA filing fee for a Certificate of Assumed or Fictitious Name (FFN); a $6 fee for a certified copy; plus 50 cents per additional (uncertified) copy. Nevada courts recognize certified copies as evidence.
- Review additional DBA signing, notarizing, and the filing process details in the Nevada statute.
Because Nevada regulates all DBAs, the counties have similar steps. Yet checking county-specific practices is important. For example, a county may pass an ordinance allowing certificate filings without a notary public or invalidating a DBA certificate after five years (by which time it must be renewed if the owner intends to continue using the brand name).
After You Register Your DBA
Keep the following checklist in mind:
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Call your insurance carrier to ensure that your policy covers both your Nevada business and the associated DBA.
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Renew your DBA every five years if your county directs this.
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If your business has a change of partner or trustee, you must file a new DBA certificate with your County Clerk within one month.
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To change a DBA name, submit a new registration with the filing fee. To change your DBA address at no charge, submit a Certificate of Business: Fictitious Firm Name Address Change.
You can terminate your Nevada DBA by completing and submitting the Certificate of Business: Fictitious Firm Name Termination to your County Clerk, stating the date of the termination, and including the county processing fee. Under state law, a certificate of termination must be signed (in the case of a general partnership, by at least one partner, or in the case of a trust, by at least one trustee).
FAQs About Nevada DBAs
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends. Unless the county enables online filing, you must complete the form online, print it out, and send it or bring it to the County Clerk’s office.
For example, Clark County, NV instructs:
“We do not offer online filing of these documents at this time. You must submit an original form with signatures which we will keep for our records.”
You can have as many DBAs as you can register and keep track of.
No. You may achieve certain protections for your personal assets by forming a legal business entity. Consider using our business formation services for this purpose.
No, as a DBA has no effect on the status of your Nevada business for tax purposes.
Summary
In Nevada a trade name or DBA lets you operate under a business name that’s different from your personal or legal entity name, but it does not create a new entity or protect personal assets. To register a trade name in Nevada, you must file a Fictitious Firm Name (FFN) with the County Clerk where you operate your business. The registration fee is $25. Business owners must file an FFN statement within one month of starting the business to avoid penalties.
Need Legal Help?
Need an attorney’s advice? See our attorney directory. Or you can let our trusted partner, LegalZoom handle your name search, DBA application filing, and publication for $99 plus filing fees.
Disclaimer: The information presented here does not constitute legal advice or representation. It is general and educational in nature, may not reflect all recent legal developments, and may not apply to your unique facts and circumstances. Consider consulting with a qualified business attorney if you have legal questions.
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