Assumed Business Name – update
Session Law 2017-23 House Bill 228
North Carolina law dictates that most types of businesses file with the Register of Deeds in the county where they will operate a document that files or puts on record a business name of an individual, partnership, or corporation other than its own name is referred to as Doing Business As, DBA, or Assumed Name.
NC General Statute § 66-68 requires that “before any person or partnership engages in business in any county in this State under an assumed name or under any designation, name or style other than the real name of the owner or owners thereof, before any limited partnership engaged in business in any county in this State other than under the name set out in the Certificate filed with the Office of the Secretary of State or before a corporation engages in business in any county other than under its corporate name, such person, partnership, limited partnership, or corporation must file in the office of the register of deeds of such county a certificate…”.
The Register of Deeds handles filings for sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations (doing business under an assumed name), and limited liability companies (LLCs) doing business under an assumed name.
Before filing the “doing business as” (D.B.A.) or assumed name certificate, you should perform a name search to determine if the proposed business name has already been filed. The Register of Deeds Office cannot perform the name search for you but is happy to assist you with the name search.
Assumed Business Name Certificate
Amendment-Assumed Business Name Certificate
Click this link to eFile your Assumed Business Name Certificate online: eFile my business name certificate
IN-CORPORATIONS
If you wish to incorporate your business, please visit the Secretary of State’s web site at: https://www.sosnc.gov/ for more information or call (919) 807-2225.
For more information about starting a business contact Business Link North Carolina at 1-800-228-8443 or go to www.BLNC.gov.