Registering a DBA in Ohio

Any company or individual that wishes to do business in Ohio under a name other than its registered company name must register a "trade name" or a "fictitious name" (which is the same thing as DBA or "doing business as"). All trade names and fictitious names are registered with the Ohio Secretary of State.

In Ohio there is in fact difference between "trade name" and "fictitious name": a trade name must be “distinguishable upon the records” from other previously registered business names. This means that so long as your proposed name is available, if you file a trade name, no other entity could use that name.

On the other hand, fictitious names are not required to be distinguishable upon the records from any other previously registered name. That also means that a fictitious name provides no protection because other registered names are not required to be distinguishable from a fictitious name.

We can help you and prepare and file all the necessary trade/fictitious name registration paperwork with North Dakota Secretary of State - all you need to do is complete our simple application below.