How Do I Register A Dba In Michigan?

How to Become a DBA in Michigan

Filing aMichigan DBA(doing concern every bit), also known as anassumed name , is a simple procedure and information technology'south completed at thecounty level or with theMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs(LARA) depending on your business structure.

A DBA won't protect your personal assets. Forming an LLC is the best choice for nigh pocket-size businesses. Learn more in our DBA vs LLC guide.

Acquire How to Get a DBA in Michigan yourself. Choose your business structure to get started:

Sole Proprietorship or Partnership
(A sole proprietorship is a business owned past a single individual that isn't registered.)
LLC or Corporation

Or, utilise a professional person DBA service:

Swyft Filings ($99 + country fee)

Filing a DBA in Michigan for Sole Proprietors and General Partnerships

Sole proprietors and partnerships are required to file with the appropriate County Clerk'south function(south).

A sole proprietorship is a business owned by a single individual that isn't formally organized. If you run a business and file taxes under your own name, y'all are a sole proprietor.

A Michigan DBA doesn't offering any protection for your personal assets in the upshot that your business is sued. For more than information on setting up a express liability company, visit our How to Form an LLC page and select your country.

SKIP Alee

If you need to create a DBA for an LLC or Corporation, you can click here to skip ahead.

Step 1: First With a Michigan DBA Name Search

If y'all oasis't already, head over to the Michigan LARA website to brand certain your name isn't taken past— or as well like to— some other registered Michigan business.

TIP: Our business proper name generator tool is a great resource for entrepreneurs who are still working to create the perfect business proper name or website address. You can also employ our free logo generator tool to make a logo yourself! No design experience necessary!

Brand sure your proper name complies with Michigan naming rules:

Your proper name cannot include words that could misfile your business with a authorities agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
Restricted words (due east.g. Bank, Attorney, University) may require additional paperwork and a licensed private, such as a doctor or lawyer, to exist part of your business. You can see a listing of restricted words here. Acquire more nigh Michigan naming guidelines here.

Next, a quick search on the U.S. Trademark Electronic Search Organisation will tell you whether someone else has already trademarked your name.

Now would be the perfect fourth dimension to brand certain there'due south a web domain available for your DBA equally well.

Discover a Domain At present

Powered past GoDaddy.com

Later on registering a domain name for your DBA, consider using a business phone service to better customer satisfaction and farther institute credibility. Our tiptop pick is Nextiva because of its affordable pricing and useful features. First calling with Nextiva.

Step 2: Register Your Michigan DBA with the County Clerk

If your concern is a sole proprietorship or partnership, and so you are required to file a certificate of conducting business concern under an causeless proper name with the advisable county clerk'south part(due south).

Knowing which county to file in is simple: you must file in any county where your business conducts or transacts concern.

We will give you footstep-by-pace directions to get an Oakland County DBA. You can find information most registering an assumed name in Oakland County here. If yous need to file in a different county, you lot'll demand to contact the canton clerk for instructions.

You can find your county's' contact information here.

How to File an Oakland Canton DBA

At this bespeak, y'all should have already nailed downward your DBA name and completed the name searches in Pace 1 above.

Oakland Canton suggests searching state and county records before you kickoff the DBA filing process. Yous can search the Oakland County records hither and the Michigan country records here.

Forms

Document of Persons Conducting Business organisation Under Assumed Proper noun (must be notarized)

Submit Your Certificate

By Mail or In Person

Oakland County Clerk'south Office

Attn: Vital Records
1200 Northward. Telegraph Dept. 413
Pontiac, MI 48341-0413

Payment

$10 filing fee
$2 for an out-of-land form if any owner lists an accost outside of Michigan
The County Clerk accepts check or money order fabricated out to the Oakland Canton Clerk. Cash, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are likewise accepted in-person.
Out-of-state or starter checks are not accepted.

Manage Your Oakland County DBA

DBA Questions

Call (248) 858-0568 for full general questions about business organization certificates, assumed names, and DBAs.

Renew Your DBA

Your business name must exist renewed every five years using the same form.

Withdraw Your DBA

To discontinue your DBA in Oakland County, you must fill out this form and pay a $10 filing fee.

Filing a DBA in Michigan for LLCs, Corporations, and LLPs

LLCs, Corporations, and LLPs must file their DBA with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Diplomacy (LARA). The following business types are considered incorporated:

For-profit Corporations, Nonprofit Corporations
Professional Corporations, Professional person Associations
Limited Partnerships, Express Liability Partnerships
Limited Liability Companies
Whatever Foreign Filing Entities

If y'all are registering a DBA for a sole proprietorship or partnership, become back to the DBA guide for unincorporated businesses.

Step ane: Start With a Michigan DBA Name Search

If you lot haven't already, head over to the Michigan LARA website to make certain your name isn't taken by— or too similar to— another registered Michigan business.

TIP: Our business name generator tool is a bully resources for entrepreneurs who are still working to create the perfect business concern name or website accost.

Make sure your name complies with Michigan naming rules:

Your proper noun cannot include words that could confuse your business organization with a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
Restricted words (e.one thousand. Banking concern, Attorney, Academy) may require additional paperwork and a licensed individual, such as a doc or lawyer, to be function of your business. You can run across a list of restricted words here. Learn more nearly Michigan naming guidelines here.

Side by side, a quick search on the U.S. Trademark Electronic Search Organisation will tell you lot whether someone else has already trademarked your name.

At present would be the perfect fourth dimension to make certain there'southward a web domain available for your DBA as well.

If you lot need actress guidance with naming your business, we can help.

Observe a Domain At present

Powered by GoDaddy.com

Step 2: Register Your Michigan DBA with the State

If your business organization is an LLC, Corporation, or LLP, you are required to file your DBA with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Diplomacy (LARA).

First, print a copy of the certificate of causeless name form. When y'all are filling out your awarding for your DBA, Michigan State requires certain data almost your business, such equally:

Line 1: Your current legal company name
Line two: Visitor identification number

Yous tin too file online.

A DBA does not offer any protection for your personal assets in the consequence that your business is sued. For more than information on setting up a limited liability company, visit our How to Form an LLC page and select your land.

Submit Your Certificate of Assumed Proper noun Grade

Walk-In

2501 Woodlake Circle
Okemos, MI

Post

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau
Corporations Partitioning
P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909

Payment and Fees

Fees

$10 filing fee for corporations and limited partnerships
$25 filing fee for LLCs
$50 for 24-hr processing, $100 for same solar day, $500 for ii-hr, $1,000 for i-hour

Payment

Online with Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.
Mail by check or coin guild.
In person past all of the above.

Manage Your Michigan DBA

DBA Questions

Phone call the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs: (517) 241-6470

Renew Your DBA with the Land

Your certificate of assumed name expires on Dec. 31 of the fifth total calendar yr post-obit registration.

Withdraw Your DBA

You can find the Document of Termination of Assumed Proper name form here.

Need Aid Filing Your DBA?

Have A Professional person Service File Your DBA For Yous

A professional service will handle filing your DBA on your behalf, assuasive you lot to focus on the other needs of your new business organisation.

We recommend using Swyft Filings ($99 + country fee) for a personalized DBA service.

DBA Michigan FAQ

Can I file a DBA online in Michigan?

You tin can file your causeless name grade online here.

How Tin can I Withdraw my Michigan DBA?

Contact your county clerk for county-specific instructions for withdrawing your DBA for your unincorporated business.

For incorporated businesses, you will demand to file for discontinuance of your assumed name with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Y'all tin can discover the Certificate of Termination of Causeless Name course here.

How tin I insure my Michigan DBA?

DBAs don't require insurance considering DBAs aren't a business entity. However, the business entity that the DBA is under will need protection from losses that can happen naturally in the course of business concern, such as property damage or lawsuits.

We recommend Commercial Insurance because they provide coverage for a large variety of businesses. Get a free quote from Commercial Insurance or call 855-602-1925 to acquire more than.

How Often Should I Renew My Michigan DBA?

Your certificate of causeless proper noun expires on Dec. 31 of the fifth full agenda year post-obit registration.

When is a DBA required in Michigan?

A DBA is required whenever a business is operating under a name other than its legal proper name.

How Practise I transfer my DBA in Michigan?

Most transfers can be completed by filing an amendment to alter the owner'south name.

How many DBAs tin can I have?

You can have as many DBAs as y'all can afford to create and are able to go on track of. However, more isn't necessarily ameliorate. Each one will come with additional incremental expense and paperwork, so you will want to make certain yous accept a practiced reason for each i yous have.

Can a DBA get an EIN or Tax ID?

DBAs aren't required to have a split up EIN because DBAs aren't a business entity. The business entity that the DBA is nether would have an EIN if an EIN is required.

To larn more nigh EINs and when you would need 1 for your business, read What is An EIN from our friends at TRUiC.

Can a DBA become an LLC?

Your DBA is just a name. A DBA is often confused with a sole proprietorship. If you mean "tin my sole proprietorship become an LLC?" then the answer is "Yes. Absolutely."

To learn how to form an LLC, visit our Form an LLC state guides.

Tin can a DBA accept "Inc." in the name?

A DBA tin only have "Inc." in the name if the business entity the DBA is attached to is a corporation.

How do I fix a DBA for a rental property?

It'due south always all-time to consult an chaser. Normally, the best choice is to form an LLC to protect your personal avails in the result of an consequence with the rental property. Holding the rental property in your name and with a DBA will not afford you any protection.

Is my DBA protected from being used in other places?

There are some state-level laws that prevent DBAs that are too like to existing ones from being used, but this varies from state to land. It is possible to trademark a DBA, which would offering stronger protection across country lines.

Michigan Business Resources