Filing a Texas DBA (doing business as), known as an assumed name, is a simple process that's done at the county or state level depending on the type of business structure you have.
Learn How to Get a DBA in Texas yourself. The process for getting a DBA depends on how your business is structured.
- Sole Proprietorship or Partnership
(Use this approach if your business is not a formal business structure.) - LLC or Corporation(Use this approach if your business has a formal business structure - LLC or Corporation)
You can hire a professional service such as LegalZoom to file your DBA for you. Their packages start at $99 (plus state fees).
How to File a DBA in Texas for Sole Proprietors and General Partnerships
Sole proprietors and partnerships are required to file their DBA with the County Clerk where their business is located. Estates and real estate investment companies are also required to file with the county.
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, you are a sole proprietor. Two or more people starting a business together without a formal business structure is known as a general partnership. In both cases, the name of the business is legally the name(s) of the owners of the business. A DBA is useful to change it to a more marketable name and open a bank account with that name.
A DBA doesn't offer any protection for your personal assets in the event that your business is sued. For this reason we strongly recommend that a DBA should only be used by a formal business structure such as an LLC or corporation for the purpose of changing or adding a new brand to their business.
If you are an informal business structure (sole proprietorship or partnership) we strongly recommend you form an LLC. An LLC is the best choice for most small businesses. The name of the LLC can also act as your brand name, hence, you will not need a DBA. Learn more in our DBA vs LLC guide.
SKIP AHEAD
If you need to learn how to get a DBA in Texas for an LLC or Corporation, you can click here to skip ahead.
Step 1: Start With a Texas DBA Name Search
If you haven't already, head on over to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website to make sure your name isn't taken by -- or too similar to -- another registered Texas business.
TIP: Our business name generator tool is a great resource for entrepreneurs who are still working to create the perfect business name or website address. You can also use our free logo generator tool to make a logo yourself! No design experience necessary!
Next, a quick search in the U.S. Trademark Electronic Search System will tell you whether someone else has already trademarked your name.
Now would be the perfect time to make sure there’s a web domain available for your DBA as well.
After registering a domain name for your DBA, consider using a business phone service to improve customer satisfaction and further establish credibility. Our top pick is Nextiva because of its affordable pricing and useful features. Start calling with Nextiva.
Step 2: Register Your DBA with the County Clerk
If your business is a sole proprietorship or partnership, then you are only required to file at the County level. You will need to know which county or counties you need to file an assumed name in.
Knowing which county office to file a Texas assumed name in is simple:
- If your business has an office or legal premises of any kind, then you will file in the County or Counties where your business office(s) are located.
- If your business doesn’t have an office or legal premises of any kind, then you must file in any County where you might conduct business or services in.
We will give you step-by-step directions to get a Harris County DBA. If you need to file in a different county than Harris, the first thing to do would be to get in touch with the county clerk for instructions.
You can find your counties' contact information here.
How to File for a Harris County Assumed Name
At this point, you should have already nailed down your DBA name and completed the name searches in Step 1 above.
Harris County also wants you to search in their assumed name database before you start the filing process. Once this is completed, it’s time to move on to the paperwork.
Harris County DBA Forms:
1. Form 02-07: for 1-3 Owners
2. Form 02-07A: for 4-13 Owners
3. Form 02-07B: for 14 or More Owners
Walk In
You can complete your form with the deputy county clerk at any of Harris County’s 10 locations.
Normal business hours are Monday thru Friday 8am to 4:30pm.
By Mail
Diane Trautman
Harris County Clerk
P.O. Box 1525
Houston, TX 77251-1525
Payment and Fees
The costs to file for your assumed name certificate are:
- $15.00 fee for first owner, $.50 each additional owner if your form is already notarized.
- $15.00 fee for first owner, $.50 each additional owner + $1 witnessing fee for each owner if your form has not been notarized.
- You can find every available payment option here.
Manage Your Harris County DBA
Change Your DBA
To make changes to your assumed name certificate, you must complete the full registration process again.
Withdraw Your DBA
You can find Harris Count Assumed Name Certificate withdraw forms here.
Renew Your DBA
Your assumed name certificate (DBA) must be renewed every 10 years.
How to File a DBA in Texas for LLCs, Corporations, and LLPs
Incorporated businesses must file their DBA with the Texas secretary of state. The following business types are considered incorporated:
- For-profit Corporations
- Non-Profit Corporations
- Professional Corporations
- Professional Associations
- Limited Partnerships
- Limited Liability Partnerships
- Limited Liability Companies
- Any Foreign Filing Entities
If you are registering a sole proprietorship or partnership, go back to that section of the guide.
Step 1: Start With a Texas DBA Name Search
If you haven't already, head on over to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website to make sure your name isn't taken by— or too similar to— the legal name of another registered Texas business.
TIP: Our business name generator tool is a great resource for entrepreneurs who are still working to create the perfect business name or website address.
Next, a quick search on the U.S. Trademark Electronic Search System will tell you whether someone else has already trademarked your name.
Now would be the perfect time to make sure there’s a web domain available for your DBA as well.
Step 2: Register Your DBA with the State
The next step for registering a DBA for an incorporated business is to file with the Texas Secretary of State.
The first thing you will want to do is get your hands on Form 503— the Assumed Name Certificate. This legal form is available for download on the Texas Secretary of State website.
After you get your copy of the assumed name certificate, you can start by reading the instructions on pages 1-3. The legal application will ask for your new DBA name and information about your business, such as:
- Business structure and file number
- Where the business was formed
- Principal office address
- How long you will use the assumed name- 10 years from the date of filing is the maximum in Texas
- Counties where the assumed name will be used
Next, you will need to submit a duplicate copy of your Assumed Name Certificate to the secretary of state. You should not send the original and the form does not need to be notarized.
By Mail
P.O. Box 13697
Austin, Texas 78711-3697
By Fax
(512) 463-5709
When submitting your Assumed Name Certificate to the secretary of state office by fax, you must include Form 807 with credit card information.
Walk in or Non-USPS Carrier
James Earl Rudder Office Building
1019 Brazos
Austin, Texas 78701
Payment and Fees
- Fee: $25 for each assumed name certificate.
- Payment Types: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express (2.7% convenience fee applies), Checks, Money orders, and LegalEase accounts. Checks and Money Orders should be made payable to the Texas Secretary of State.
Manage Your DBA
Change Your DBA
To make changes to your assumed name certificate, you must complete the full legal registration process again.
Withdraw Your DBA
Texas refers to this as Abandonment of an Assumed name. You can submit this legal form to the secretary of state to complete the process. The fee to file this form is $10.
Renew Your DBA
Your assumed name certificate (DBA) must be renewed with the secretary of state's office every 10 years.
Need Help Filing Your Texas Assumed Name?
Have a Professional Service File Your Texas DBA For You
A professional service will handle filing your DBA on your behalf, allowing you to focus on the other needs of your new business.
We recommend using LegalZoom ($99 + state fee) for a personalized DBA service.
FAQ DBA Texas
Can I file a DBA online in Texas?
You cannot file a DBA online with the secretary of state in Texas at this time.
How do I change my DBA in Texas?
If there is a material change in the DBA information, a new assumed name certificate should be filed with the secretary of state. The new certificate should be filed within 60 days of the changes.
Contact your county clerk's office for county-specific instructions for changing your DBA.
How can I insure my Texas DBA?
DBAs don’t require insurance because 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, such as property damage or lawsuits.
We recommend Tivly because they provide coverage for a large variety of businesses. Get a free quote from Tivly or call 855-965-3168 to learn more.
How Can I Withdraw my DBA?
Contact your county clerk's office for county-specific instructions for withdrawing your DBA.
Texas refers to withdrawing your DBA as Abandonment of an Assumed name. You can submit this legal form to complete the process.
How Often Should I Renew My Texas DBA?
All assumed name certificates, whether at the state or county level, are legal for 10 years from the date of filing.
When is a DBA required in Texas?
A DBA is required whenever a business is operating under a name other than its legal name. In the case of a sole proprietorship or partnership, you must file a DBA if you are operating your business under a name that isn't the legal name of you or your business partner(s).
How many DBAs can I have?
You can have as many DBAs as you can afford to create and are able to keep track of. However, more isn’t necessarily better. Each one will come with additional incremental expense and paperwork, so you will want to make sure you have a good reason for each one you have.
Can a DBA get an EIN or Tax ID?
DBAs aren’t required to have a separate EIN because DBAs aren’t a business entity. The business entity that the DBA is under would have an EIN if an EIN is required.
To learn more about EINs and when you would need one for your business, read our What is an EIN guide.
Can a DBA become an LLC?
Your DBA is just a name. A DBA is often confused with a sole proprietorship. If you mean “can 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.
Can a DBA have "Inc." in the name?
A DBA can only have "Inc." in the name if the business entity the DBA is attached to is a corporation.
How to set up a DBA for a rental property.
It’s always best to consult an attorney. Usually, the best option is to form an LLC to protect your personal assets in the event of a legal issue with the rental property. Holding the rental property in your name and with a DBA will not afford you any protection.
When would it be good to do a DBA versus a legal name change?
Getting a DBA is often a better choice than changing your business’ legal name. If you are simply interested in rebranding your company or focusing on another line of business, filing for a DBA is a much simpler process than filing for a legal name change.
Is my DBA protected from being used in other places?
There are some state-level laws that prevent DBAs that are too similar to existing ones from being used, but this varies from state to state. It is possible to trademark a DBA, which would offer stronger protection across state lines.