Michigan DBA
How to Get a Michigan Assumed Name
If you want to do business under a name other than your business’s legal name, you’ll need a Michigan DBA, also known as an assumed name. You can use a DBA to establish your brand identity, advertise your business, and maintain your professional image. Michigan sole proprietorships and general partnerships file assumed name certificates in the county where they operate. Business entities like LLCs and corporations file with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. We’ll go over both ways of filing an assumed name in Michigan.
Your Michigan DBA Guide:
What is a Michigan DBA (Assumed Name)?
A DBA (“doing business as” name) is like a pseudonym for your business—it allows you to operate your business using a name that isn’t its legal business name. In Michigan, DBAs are called assumed names, and in other states, they’re referred to as trade or fictitious names. Businesses often use DBAs to rebrand, start a new business line, or appear more professional.
What’s unique about DBA registration in Michigan?
- Registration required: According to state law a business cannot legally operate under an assumed name without registering that name. This applies both to unincorporated businesses like sole proprietorships and formal businesses like LLCs and corporations. Not registering can result in fines and other negative legal consequences.
- State- and county-level registration: In Michigan, how you register your assumed name is based on your business type. Informal business structures such as sole proprietorships and general partnerships register in the county where they operate, whereas business entities like LLCs and corporations register with the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
- Sharing assumed name: Two or more business entities can use the same assumed name if those entities are engaged in a partnership or joint venture (MCLA §450.1217(2)). In this case, each entity must file its own Certificate of Assumed Name.
- Insurance company DBA registration: If you are an insurance company or individual insurance agent, you’ll need to add your DBA to your insurance license through the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS). Individual agents can use the Individual Insurance Licensee Registration or Cancellation of DBA form, while business entities can register online through the DIFS Insurance Licensing Online Services portal.
Michigan DBA Registration
Why Register a DBA in Michigan?
Popular reasons to get a DBA for your business in Michigan include:
You’re a sole proprietor
If you’re a sole proprietor, your legal business name is your own full name. This is because there is no legal separation between you and your business. For many sole proprietors, this situation isn’t ideal. For example, you may want to do business under a more memorable or descriptive name, like “DJ Sasquatch” instead of Devon Roberts. That means you’ll need a DBA, and Michigan state law requires any person conducting business under a name other than their real name to register that name (MCLA §445.1).
To market your business
DBAs are often used for marketing purposes, especially when a business is rebranding or expanding. Using a DBA can make it easier to expand your business because you don’t have to form a whole other business to launch a new product or service. For example, if you own a sandwich shop called Stacked Lunch LLC, you could use a DBA to start operating a food truck called “Stacked Snacks.”
Common ways to use a DBA to market your business include:
- On websites and social media accounts
- On signs, business cards, and other marketing materials
- In commercials and advertisements
- On merchandise
As part of maintaining your business’s professional image, you can also open a business bank account under your DBA. That way, you can make and receive payments under that name.
To do business under your domain name
Some businesses need to register a DBA because they operate under their domain name. For instance, if the domain name StackedLunch.com isn’t available, you might get StackedSammies.com instead. If you start building your brand around StackedSammies.com or simply “Stacked Sammies” instead of Stacked Lunch LLC, you’ll have to register your domain name as a DBA.
Tip: Registering a Michigan assumed name doesn’t guarantee that another business won’t use it in another state. For stronger legal rights to your name, you can apply to trademark your DBA name at the federal level. Here’s how to apply for a trademark.
How to Register a Michigan Assumed Name
Even though incorporated entities file DBA paperwork with the state and informal businesses file with their county clerk, the DBA registration process is similar for all businesses. Here’s what you need to do:
You’ll need to make sure that the DBA you want to use is available. In Michigan, you can’t use a DBA that is already the legal business name or the assumed name of any business entity registered with the state. You may also want to steer clear trademarked names to avoid being sued by the owners of those names.
Additionally, businesses filing DBAs at the county level aren’t allowed to use the same assumed name as another business in the same county (MCLA §445.2).
You should check these sources to see the name you want has been taken:
- LARA Business Entity Search (Legal business names and assumed names for business entities registered at the state level)
- LARA Marks & Insignia Search (Michigan trademarks)
- US Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) (federal trademarks)
While some counties have online databases where you can search assumed name registrations, many do not. For example, of the five most populous counties in Michigan, only Oakland County has an online business name search. In many counties, you will need to call or visit the county clerk’s office to verify the availability of your desired name.
When choosing your DBA, you must also adhere to Michigan business naming rules.
Your assumed name cannot:
- Contain an entity identifier that does not apply to your business—i.e., you can’t include “LLC” in your name unless your business is an LLC
- Contain any restricted words unless you are authorized to use them. This includes words like “bank” unless your business is a bank.
- Be misleading about the nature of the business or confusingly similar to another business’s name.
Registered business entities and informal businesses must file at different levels of government and fill out different forms.
LLCs, LPs, corporations, and nonprofits
If you own an LLC, limited partnership (LP), for-profit corporation, or nonprofit corporation, you’ll register your DBA with the state.
To file, you’ll need to submit a Certificate of Assumed Name with LARA. On the certificate, you’ll need to list:
- A name and address where LARA will mail your certificate (if you don’t include a name and address, the certificate will be sent to your registered agent’s office)
- Your legal business name
- Your ID number from LARA’s Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau
- Your assumed name
- The signature of an authorized person
- If you are part of a partnership or joint venture between 2 or more business entities, the names and ID numbers of all entities adopting the assumed name
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships
As the owner of a sole proprietorship or member of a general partnership (called a co-partnership in Michigan), you’ll file your DBA in the county where your business is located. You can access contact information for all county clerks using the Michigan Association of County Clerks’ County Contacts Directory.
Most counties provide forms for filing, like Wayne County’s Assumed Name Form and Kent County’s Business Registration Form. However, if your county doesn’t provide a form and you need to draft one yourself, you’ll need to include:
- Your legal business name
- Your business address
- The names, addresses, and signatures of all business owners
Your form must be notarized.
Where you submit your form and the amount you’ll pay to file depend on your business type.
LLCs, LPs, corporations, and nonprofits
You can file by mail, in person, or online.
By mail:
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau
Corporations Division
PO Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909
In-person:
2407 N Grand River Ave
Lansing, MI 48906
Online:
LARA Corporations Online Filing System
These are the filing fee is $10 for LPs and corporations but $25 for LLCs.
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships
Filings can be submitted by mail or in person at your county clerk’s office. Filing fees vary by county but are generally less than $20.
How to Renew an Assumed Name in Michigan
Regardless of business type, you must renew your assumed name every 5 years.
LLCs, LPs, and corporations:
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- Renew online through the Corporations Online Filing System.
- Filing costs $10 for LPs and corporations and $25 for LLCs.
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships:
-
- Renew through your county clerk’s office. Many offices provide a renewal form or require you to file the same form used to register.
- Filing a renewal costs the same as filing a registration.
Can I cancel my DBA?
Yes, to cancel your Michigan DBA, you must file paperwork with the agency you registered with and pay a fee.
LLCs, LPs, and corporations:
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- Cancel online through the Corporations Online Filing System or by filing a Certificate of Termination of Assumed Name.
- The filing fee is $10 for LPs and corporations and $25 for LLCs.
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships:
-
- Cancel through your county clerk’s office. Most counties provide a cancellation form, like Oakland County’s Certificate of Discontinuance of Business Under an Assumed Name.
- The filing fee for cancellation is the same as the fee for registration and renewal.
Filing a DBA vs Starting a Business
While getting a DBA might feel a little like starting a business, filing a DBA doesn’t create a new business or change the structure of your existing business. So, if you’re a sole proprietor before you get a DBA, you’re still a sole proprietor after (but now you can go by a different name).
It’s important to note that because a DBA isn’t a business on its own, you must continue to use your legal business name on government and legal documents. For example, you must file taxes under your legal name. You also need to sign contracts with both your legal and DBA name to ensure that the contracts hold up in court.
So? How do you start a business in Michigan?
- Sell something. You don’t need to do much to establish an unregistered business (sole proprietorship or general partnership). Charge a client for an hour of consulting or sell a vintage t-shirt on Ebay, and you’re in business—it’s that easy. Keep in mind, though, that you may need to get a business license for certain types of work.
- Register your business with the state. In Michigan, formal business entities (LLCs, LPs, and corporations) are formed by registering your business with LARA. You’ll need to submit formation documents and pay a filing fee.
DBA vs LLC in Michigan
A DBA is just a name, but an LLC is a legal business entity. Because of the legal separation between the entity and its owners, a Michigan LLC provides business owners with liability protection, meaning that in the event your business owes debts or gets sued, only your business assets are put at risk. Your personal assets (property, vehicles, retirement funds) are considered off-limits.
Getting a DBA doesn’t increase protections for business owners. So, if you’re a sole proprietor, there’s no legal separation between you and your business, regardless of whether or not you have a DBA. For those who want liability protection, forming an LLC is the best way to get it.
Does a Michigan DBA keep my personal information off the public record?
No. DBA registration is designed to allow consumers to figure out who they’re doing business with, so you must include your business name and other information on your DBA certificate. And if you work from a home office, this could include your home address.
To restrict the amount of personal information you provide on government documents, you can hire a Michigan registered agent like Northwest and form an LLC. We can list our information instead of yours on state documents wherever possible, increasing your privacy.
Protect Your Assets with a Michigan LLC
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Michigan DBA FAQs
The filing for LLCs is $25. For LPs and corporations, it’s $10. At the county level, you can expect to pay between $10 and $20.
Yes. State law requires businesses to register any DBA they use.
Nope. Because a DBA isn’t a separate business, you don’t need a separate bank account. With that said, opening a dedicated bank account for business conducted under your DBA can help with bookkeeping.
Nope. Since your DBA isn’t a separate business entity, you’ll continue to use the same EIN (if you have one). Businesses required by the IRS to get an EIN include multi-member LLCs, corporations, and all businesses with employees.
DBA registration lasts 5 years in Michigan. After that, you’ll need to renew by filing renewal paperwork and paying a fee (the same amount you paid to register).
You can register as many DBAs as you want, but you’ll have to file and pay for each name separately.
Yes, you can cancel your DBA by submitting cancellation paperwork to LARA (LLCs and corporations) or your county clerk (sole proprietorships and general partnerships). You’ll also need to pay a fee (the same amount you paid to register).
Not with your DBA alone. You must sign contracts with both your legal name and DBA name. If you sign with only your DBA, the contract might not hold up in court. However, your DBA should be included so that the connection between your business and the DBA is clear.
Your business’s legal business name is the name you use on your business’s government documents—for example, on state and tax filings.
For formal business entities like LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits, a business’s legal name is the name listed on its formation documents, including the company’s entity identifier (“Company Name, LLC,” “Company Name, Inc.,” etc.).
For sole proprietors, a business’s legal name is its owner’s legal name.
For general partnerships, a business’s legal name is either the partners’ last names or a name the partnership has given itself in a written partnership agreement.
