All businesses that plan to use a fictitious name, which is any name other than the business owner's name, need a fictitious business name permit (also called a dba or doing business as).
If a business is a sole proprietorship,the permit can be obtained at the city or county level.
The way this works is that if your name is Justin Ryan and you apply for a business license, your business will be registered as Justin Ryan.
lf you want to use another name,like Snake River Computer Consulting, then you`ll need a fictitious name permit.
You’ll typically need a fictitious name permit to obtain a checking account in your business’s name.
It’s also important to have a fictitious name permit if you execute any contracts, sign any agreements, or pay bills or accept payments under your business’s name.
Selecting a name for a business and obtaining a fictitious business name permit if needed is an important task, not only to comply mth the law but because a business’s name is a critical pa_rt of its branding strategy.
It’s also one of the first things that people associate with a business. Appendix 7.1 contains a set of guidelines and suggestions for picking a business’s name.
As illustrated in the appendix, it is important that a business choose a name that facilitates rather than hinders how it wants to differentiate itself in the marketplace.