Indiana DBA Filing: Assumed Business Name & Fee (2026)

Q: What is a DBA called in Indiana?

In Indiana a DBA is called an assumed business name. An LLC or corporation registers it by filing a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz. A sole proprietor or general partnership files a similar certificate with the county recorder.

Q: Where do I file a DBA in Indiana?

Incorporated businesses such as LLCs and corporations file the Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz. Unincorporated businesses such as sole proprietorships and general partnerships file with the county recorder in the county where they do business.

Q: How much does an Indiana DBA cost?

For an LLC or corporation, the Certificate of Assumed Business Name filed with the Secretary of State through INBiz carries a modest state filing fee; confirm the current amount on the INBiz fee calculator. County recorder fees for sole proprietors vary by county.

Q: Does an Indiana assumed business name expire?

An assumed business name filed by an entity with the Secretary of State generally remains in effect until the entity withdraws it or dissolves, rather than expiring on a fixed schedule. County assumed name filings follow the county recorder's rules.

Q: Does an Indiana DBA give me trademark rights?

No. An assumed business name only lets you legally operate under a name. It does not grant exclusive rights or prevent others from using the name. For brand protection you register a trademark separately.

Q: Do I need a DBA if I use my LLC's legal name?

No. You need an assumed business name only if you operate under a name different from your LLC's exact legal name on file with the Secretary of State. Using your legal name requires no DBA.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

In Indiana a DBA is called an assumed business name. An LLC or corporation registers one by filing a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz; a sole proprietor or general partnership files instead with the county recorder where it does business. An entity's assumed business name generally does not expire on a fixed schedule - it stays in effect until you withdraw it - and it simply lets you operate under a name other than your legal name.

Quick Answer

Indiana term: Assumed business name (the DBA equivalent)
Entity filing: Certificate of Assumed Business Name - Secretary of State, via INBiz
Sole proprietor: File with the county recorder; fee varies by county
Duration: Entity filing stays in effect until withdrawn (no fixed expiration)
Governing law: IC 23-0.5-3 (entities); IC 23-15-1 (county filings)
Rights granted: None exclusive - a DBA is not a trademark

What an Indiana DBA (Assumed Business Name) Is

A "DBA" - short for "doing business as" - lets a business operate under a name that is not its own legal name. Indiana law calls this an assumed business name. You need one whenever your public-facing name differs from your legal name: a sole proprietor named Maria Lopez operating "Hoosier Bakery," or an LLC legally named "Lopez Holdings LLC" running a storefront branded "Hoosier Bakery." Filing the assumed business name certificate makes that use lawful and puts the public on notice of who is behind the name. For the national concept, see what is a DBA.

Where You File Depends on Your Entity

Indiana splits assumed-name filings by entity type. Incorporated businesses - LLCs, corporations, and LPs - file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State through the INBiz portal, under IC 23-0.5-3. Unincorporated businesses - sole proprietorships and general partnerships - file a certificate with the county recorder in each county where they do business, under IC 23-15-1. This split determines the office, the form, and the fee you deal with.

Who you are	Where to file	What you file
LLC, corporation, LP	Indiana Secretary of State (INBiz)	Certificate of Assumed Business Name - state filing fee
Sole proprietor	County recorder (each county of business)	County assumed name certificate - fee varies
General partnership	County recorder (each county of business)	County assumed name certificate - fee varies

Because county recorder fees are set locally and the state fee can change, this page does not quote a single fixed amount; confirm the entity fee on the INBiz fee calculator and the county fee with the recorder's office.

Filing a Certificate of Assumed Business Name (Entities)

If you run an LLC or corporation, file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz and pay the state filing fee. The certificate asks for your assumed name, your legal entity name, the entity's Indiana business ID, and the type of entity. You can add multiple assumed names for one entity. Before you file, confirm the assumed name is not misleadingly similar to another by running an Indiana business entity search - though, unlike an entity name, an assumed name is generally not required to be distinguishable from other assumed names. Once accepted, the assumed name appears on your entity's record in the state database.

Filing a County Assumed Name as a Sole Proprietor

If you operate as a sole proprietor or a general partnership, you file the assumed name certificate with the county recorder in every Indiana county where you have business premises or regularly conduct business. The county form typically requires your assumed name, your legal name and address, and a signature that is often notarized before recording. Fees and procedures vary by county - some accept in-person or mailed filings, and a growing number offer online submission. Keep a recorded copy: banks usually require it to open an account under the assumed name.

How Long It Lasts and Withdrawing

Unlike Texas, whose assumed name certificate expires after up to 10 years, an Indiana entity's assumed business name filed with the Secretary of State generally remains in effect until you withdraw it or the entity dissolves - there is no fixed renewal cycle. If you stop using an assumed name, you file to withdraw or cancel it so the public record stays accurate. County assumed name filings follow the county recorder's own rules on duration and renewal, so confirm those locally. Keeping the record current matters if you later close the business through dissolution in Indiana.

What a DBA Does and Does Not Do

An assumed business name is a disclosure filing, not a grant of rights. It lets you legally transact and open a bank account under the name, and it tells the public who owns the business. It does not create a separate legal entity, does not shield your personal assets, and does not give you exclusive rights to the name. If you want to stop competitors from using your brand, you need a trademark, which is a separate federal or state registration. And if you want the liability protection a DBA cannot provide, you form an LLC - see how to form an LLC in Indiana and the Articles of Organization that create it.

DBAs, EINs, and Taxes

Filing an assumed business name does not change how you are taxed. A sole proprietor with a DBA still reports business income on a Schedule C and pays self-employment tax; an LLC with a DBA is taxed exactly as the LLC would be without one. A DBA does not require its own EIN - the underlying person or entity uses its existing taxpayer ID, though a sole proprietor may choose to get an EIN to avoid using a Social Security number on forms. If you sell taxable goods or services, you still need a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate from the Indiana Department of Revenue; Indiana's state sales tax rate is 7%. See business licenses in Indiana.

When You Actually Need an Indiana DBA

You need an assumed business name only when your public-facing name differs from your legal name, but that situation is more common than founders expect. A sole proprietor almost always needs one, because a sole proprietorship has no separate legal name of its own - operating as anything other than your own full personal name triggers the requirement. An LLC or corporation needs one whenever it runs a brand, product line, or storefront under a name other than the exact entity name on file. Common triggers include launching a second brand under one LLC, opening a location with a distinct trade name, or shortening a long legal name for marketing. By contrast, if "Lopez Holdings LLC" simply does business as "Lopez Holdings LLC," no assumed name filing is required. Banks are often the practical forcing function: most will not open a deposit account or accept checks made out to a trade name unless you show a filed assumed business name certificate matching that name. Filing early avoids a scramble when you try to open the account or sign your first contract.

DBA Versus Forming an LLC

A DBA and an LLC solve different problems. An assumed business name is a naming tool: it lets an existing person or entity use a trade name. Forming an LLC is a liability tool: it creates a separate legal entity that, when maintained properly, shields your personal assets from most business debts and lawsuits. A sole proprietor with a DBA still has unlimited personal liability - the DBA changes the name on the sign, not the exposure. Many owners therefore file Articles of Organization to create an LLC and then, only if they want to operate under a different brand, add an assumed business name on top. If you are weighing the two, our sole proprietorship vs LLC comparison lays out the trade-offs in cost, paperwork, and protection so you can decide before you file anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a DBA called in Indiana?

An assumed business name. Entities file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz; sole proprietors and general partnerships file with the county recorder.

Where do I file a DBA in Indiana?

LLCs and corporations file with the Secretary of State through INBiz. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships file with the county recorder in each county where they do business.

How much does an Indiana DBA cost?

The entity Certificate of Assumed Business Name carries a modest state filing fee through INBiz; confirm the current amount on the INBiz fee calculator. County recorder fees for sole proprietors vary by county.

Does an Indiana assumed business name expire?

An entity's assumed business name generally remains in effect until withdrawn or the entity dissolves, rather than expiring on a fixed schedule. County filings follow the recorder's rules.

Does an Indiana DBA give me trademark rights?

No. An assumed business name only lets you operate under a name; it grants no exclusive rights. For brand protection you register a trademark separately.

Do I need a DBA if I use my LLC's legal name?

No. You need one only if you operate under a name different from your LLC's exact legal name on file with the Secretary of State.

Sources

INBiz (Indiana's official business portal) - Business Filings (assumed business name registration for entities).
INBiz - Fee Calculator (current assumed business name filing fee).
Indiana Secretary of State - Business Forms (Certificate of Assumed Business Name).
Indiana Secretary of State - Business Services Division (filing authority).
Indiana Code - IC 23-0.5-3 (names, including assumed business names for filing entities).
Indiana Code - IC 23-15-1 (assumed business name certificates filed with the county recorder).
Indiana Code - Title 23, Article 18 (Indiana Business Flexibility Act - LLCs).
Indiana Department of Revenue - Sales Tax (Registered Retail Merchant Certificate; 7% rate).
IRS - Doing Business As (DBA) name (tax treatment unchanged).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
IRS - Sole Proprietorships (Schedule C reporting).
Cornell Legal Information Institute - Doing business as (DBA).
Cornell Legal Information Institute - Trademark.

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. Fees and county procedures change; verify current requirements with the Indiana Secretary of State, INBiz, and your county recorder before acting.