If you run an Indiana LLC and want to operate under a different name, you must file a DBA (doing business as) registration with the state. You are permitted to use a name other than the LLC’s legal name with a DBA. To prevent any legal problems, it is crucial to adhere to Indiana’s legal procedures for registering a DBA.
1. Pick a name: The very first thing to do is to make sure the name you select is not being used by another company in Indiana. The company database maintained by the Indiana Secretary of State can be used to determine whether a name is available.
2. Submit a Certificate of Assumed Business Name: After deciding on a name, you must submit a Certificate of Assumed Business Name to the Secretary of State of Indiana. On the website of the Indiana Secretary of State, the form can be downloaded. You must include the legal name of your LLC, the DBA name you choose, and your contact information.
3. Disseminate an announcement: Following the submission of the Certificate of Assumed Business Name, you must disseminate an announcement in a newspaper in the county where your LLC is situated. For three weeks in a row, the notice must be published once each week. When you file your Certificate of Assumed Business Name, you must show evidence of publication.
4. Obtain a Certificate of Existence: The Indiana Secretary of State must issue you a Certificate of Existence before you can register a DBA in Indiana. This document demonstrates the legal standing of your LLC with the state. On the website of the Indiana Secretary of State, you can order a Certificate of Existence. What is a “Single-Proprietorship”?
One person owns and runs the entire business in a sole proprietorship, a particular kind of company. The simplest and most typical sort of business structure is this one. A sole proprietorship is its owner’s business and has no independent legal existence. All debts and responsibilities of the business are personally owed by the owner.
The fact that a DBA offers no liability protection is one of its key drawbacks. You are solely responsible for all business debts and liabilities if you conduct business under a DBA. This implies that your personal assets are at risk if your company is sued.
A DBA is not a particular kind of corporate structure, no. It is merely the name you use for business purposes. Any kind of business, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations, may use a DBA.
You can use the online business entity database maintained by the Indiana Secretary of State to see if the name you want to use for your company is already in use in Indiana. You can then check to see if the name is already registered to another company. To be sure that the name is not already being used by another company, you may also run a trademark search.