1. Decide on a business name. You must decide on a business name before you can submit an application for a trade name certificate. Make sure the name you select is distinct and not being used by another company.
2. Perform a name search: After deciding on your company name, check to see if it is already in use. The Business Name Search tool provided by the New Jersey Department of the Treasury can be used for this.
3. Submit a trade name certificate to the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services after confirming that your business name is available. There is a $50 filing fee, and both online and postal filing are acceptable.
4. Publicize your trade name: You must publish your trade name in a local newspaper in the county where your company is located after you have filed your trade name certificate. Within 20 days after filing your certificate, you must complete this.
In Connecticut, trade names are perpetual. As long as you use your trade name, it will be legal once you’ve registered it with the Connecticut Secretary of State.
A trade certificate, often called a trade name certificate or a DBA certificate, is an official document that permits a company to conduct business under a name other than its legal name. For branding or marketing objectives, this is frequently done.
The Secretary of State in Connecticut charges $30 to register a business name. A $10 extra filing fee for a trade name certificate is required.
The same DBA name cannot be used by two different businesses. To make sure the name you intend to use is not already in use by another business, you must perform a name search before filing a trade name certificate. A replacement name must be chosen if the one you want is taken.
In Connecticut, a solo proprietor must submit their trade name for state registration. A “Trade Name Certificate” for this procedure needs to be submitted to the Connecticut Secretary of State’s office.
The fact that a DBA (Doing Business As) does not offer legal protection from personal liability is one of its drawbacks. This implies that the owner’s personal assets may be at danger if the company accrues debts or runs into legal problems. Furthermore, registering a DBA does not grant exclusive rights to the name; as a result, another company might use the same name.