Alabama DBA Filing: Trade Name Registration & Cost (2026)
In Alabama a DBA is called a trade name. Registration is optional and filed with the Alabama Secretary of State for a $30 fee (about $31.20 online) under Ala. Code § 8-12-6. Alabama requires that you already be using the name and attach specimens, and a trade name registration lasts five years and is renewable.
Quick Answer
- Alabama term
- Trade name (the state name for a DBA / “doing business as”)
- Required?
- No - registration is optional
- Agency
- Alabama Secretary of State (Trademarks / Trade Names)
- Governing law
- Ala. Code §§ 8-12-6 to 8-12-19
- Fee
- $30 by mail; about $31.20 online
- Term
- Five years, renewable; name must already be in use
What a DBA Is in Alabama (Trade Name)
A DBA - “doing business as” - is any name a person or business uses that is not its own legal name. Alabama's statutes do not use the phrase “DBA”; they call the same thing a trade name. A sole proprietor named Maria Lopez who runs “Sunrise Bakery” is using a trade name, and so is an LLC legally named “Lopez Ventures LLC” that operates a storefront branded “Sunrise Bakery.” In Alabama, registering that trade name with the Secretary of State is optional: it creates a public record of your claim to the name, but it is not a precondition to using the name lawfully. For the national overview, see what is a DBA.
A trade name is not a separate legal entity, does not create liability protection, and does not by itself give you exclusive nationwide rights to the name. If you want a separate legal entity with a liability shield, you form an LLC; if you want exclusive rights to a brand, you pursue a trademark.
Is a DBA Required in Alabama?
No. Unlike a state such as Florida, which requires registering a fictitious name before using it, Alabama treats trade name registration as voluntary. A sole proprietor, general partnership, LLC, or corporation may operate under a trade name without ever registering it. What registration buys you is public notice and documentary evidence that you were using the name - useful if a dispute ever arises - plus a record that some banks and counties like to see. But there is no penalty in the trade name statute for simply using an unregistered trade name. Contrast Alabama with South Carolina, which has no state DBA registry at all: Alabama at least offers an optional filing.
Agency and Law: Secretary of State, Ala. Code § 8-12-6
Alabama trade name registration is governed by Ala. Code §§ 8-12-6 through 8-12-19 and is administered by the Alabama Secretary of State, through the same division that handles trademarks and service marks. You register a trade name on the Secretary of State's Application to Register or Renew a Trademark, Service Mark, or Trade Name. The application asks for the name, the owner, the class of goods or services, and the date you first used the name in Alabama, and it must be accompanied by the required fee and specimens. Because the trade name and trademark systems share an office and a form, it is easy to confuse the two - but they do different jobs, as explained below.
Alabama's “Already in Use” and Specimen Requirements
Alabama has a requirement that sets it apart from many states: you must already be using the trade name in Alabama when you apply. You cannot reserve a trade name you have not started using. To prove use, the application requires you to attach three specimens that show the name as actually used in commerce - for example, labels, signage, packaging, advertising, or business cards bearing the name. You also state the date of first use. Because the Secretary of State reviews these applications, processing can take several weeks, so file well before you need the registration confirmed. If you have not launched yet, wait until you are using the name, or protect the brand instead with a trademark application.
How to Register an Alabama Trade Name
The process is short but has Alabama-specific steps:
- Confirm the name is clear. Search the Alabama business entity and trademark records and the USPTO to make sure the name is not already claimed for similar goods or services.
- Start using the name. Because Alabama requires actual use, begin using the trade name in commerce and keep dated examples.
- Gather three specimens. Collect three examples showing the name in use to attach to the application.
- Complete the application. Fill out the Application to Register or Renew a Trademark, Service Mark, or Trade Name, listing the owner and date of first use.
- File and pay. Submit to the Secretary of State with the $30 fee ($31.20 online) and the specimens.
- Update your records. Use the trade name on your bank account, invoices, and local business license, and get an EIN if you have not already.
Alabama Trade Name Fees (2026)
The state fee is a flat charge to register or renew a trade name. All amounts below are set by the Alabama Secretary of State and are effective for 2026; confirm the current figures on the Secretary of State's trademarks and trade names page.
| Item | Fee (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trade name registration (by mail) | $30 | Per name / class |
| Trade name registration (online) | ~$31.20 | Includes online processing charge |
| Renewal (every 5 years) | Confirm on fee page | Renewal application |
| Federal EIN (IRS) | $0 (free) | As needed |
| State or federal trademark | Separate | For exclusive brand rights |
For how a DBA fits your total startup budget, see Alabama LLC cost and how much does an LLC cost.
Duration, Renewal, and Assignment
An Alabama trade name registration is effective for five years and can be renewed for additional five-year terms by filing a renewal application with the Secretary of State before it lapses. If the business is sold, the trade name registration can generally be assigned to the new owner along with the goodwill of the business. Keep the registration current if you continue to trade under the name and want to preserve the public record of your claim. If you close the business entirely and you also formed an entity, complete the dissolution steps for the LLC or corporation separately - winding up the entity is a different process from letting a trade name lapse. If you simply stop using a trade name, you can also let the registration expire rather than renew it, but you should keep records of the dates you used it in case a later dispute over the name arises.
Trade Name vs Trademark vs LLC
These three tools are often confused, but they do different jobs:
| Tool | What it does | Alabama status |
|---|---|---|
| Trade name (DBA) | Public record of a name you use | Optional; $30 with the Secretary of State; no exclusive rights |
| Trademark / service mark | Exclusive rights to a brand | Register with the Secretary of State (state) or USPTO (national) |
| LLC | Liability-shielded legal entity | File a Certificate of Formation for $200 |
Many businesses use more than one: an LLC that operates several brands may register a trade name for each and a federal trademark for the ones it wants to protect. A trade name gives no exclusive rights, so if stopping competitors matters, you need a trademark. To decide what you need, compare structures at sole proprietorship vs LLC and S-corp vs LLC.
Taxes, EIN, and Licenses
A trade name never changes how your business is taxed. A sole proprietor operating under an Alabama trade name still reports business income on a personal return, and an LLC is taxed based on its federal classification regardless of the name on the sign. Sole proprietors should get a free EIN to avoid putting a personal Social Security number on business paperwork. If you sell taxable goods, register with the Alabama Department of Revenue and obtain the county business privilege license through the Probate Office where you operate; see business licenses in Alabama. For how business income flows through, see business tax and how to file business taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DBA called in Alabama?
A trade name. It is registered, optionally, with the Alabama Secretary of State under Ala. Code § 8-12-6. See what is a DBA.
Is a DBA required in Alabama?
No. Trade name registration is optional; you may use a trade name without registering it. Registration provides public notice and evidence of your claim.
How much does an Alabama trade name registration cost?
$30 by mail, or about $31.20 online because of the online processing charge. Confirm the current fee on the Secretary of State's trademarks page.
Do I have to use the name before registering it?
Yes. Alabama requires the trade name already be in use and that you attach three specimens showing the name in commerce.
How long does an Alabama trade name registration last?
Five years, renewable for additional five-year terms. A trade name does not give exclusive rights the way a trademark does.
Related
- What is a DBA? (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in Alabama
- Alabama Certificate of Formation
- Alabama registered agent
- How much does an Alabama LLC cost?
- Business licenses in Alabama
- How to register a trademark
- How to get an EIN
- South Carolina DBA filing (sibling)
- How to dissolve an LLC in Alabama
- Legal glossary
Sources
- Alabama Secretary of State - Trademarks, service marks, and trade names (registration; $30 fee; five-year term).
- Alabama Secretary of State - Application to Register a Trademark, Service Mark, or Trade Name (Form LAT-1, PDF) (specimens; already-in-use requirement).
- Alabama Secretary of State - Application to Register or Renew (Form LAT-4, PDF) (renewal).
- Alabama Secretary of State - Business entities (LLCs) (an LLC's legal name vs. its trade name).
- Justia - Ala. Code Title 8, Chapter 12 (Trademarks, Trade Names, and Service Marks).
- Justia - Ala. Code § 8-12-6, Registration of trademarks, etc..
- Justia - Ala. Code § 8-12-8, Duration and renewal of registration.
- Alabama Department of Revenue - Business License (county business privilege license).
- IRS - Business name / doing business as.
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office - Trademark basics (a DBA is not a trademark).
- Cornell Legal Information Institute - Trademark (Wex).
- Cornell Legal Information Institute - Sole proprietorship (Wex).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and deadlines change; verify current requirements with the Alabama Secretary of State before acting.