Texas DBA Filing: Assumed Name Certificate & Fee (2026)
In Texas a DBA is called an assumed name, and you register it with an Assumed Name Certificate. An LLC or corporation files Form 503 with the Texas Secretary of State for a $25 fee; a sole proprietor or general partnership files instead with the county clerk where it does business. The certificate is effective for up to 10 years and simply lets you operate under a name other than your legal name.
Quick Answer
- Texas term
- Assumed name (the DBA equivalent)
- Entity form
- Form 503, Assumed Name Certificate - $25, Secretary of State
- Sole proprietor
- File with the county clerk; fee varies by county
- Duration
- Up to 10 years from filing, then re-file
- Governing law
- Texas Business & Commerce Code, Chapter 71
- Rights granted
- None exclusive - a DBA is not a trademark
What a Texas DBA (Assumed Name) Is
A "DBA" - short for "doing business as" - lets a business operate under a name that is not its own legal name. Texas law calls this an assumed name, governed by Chapter 71 of the Business & Commerce Code. You need one whenever the public-facing name differs from your legal name: a sole proprietor named Maria Lopez operating "Lone Star Bakery," or an LLC legally named "Lopez Holdings LLC" running a storefront branded "Lone Star Bakery." The assumed 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
Texas changed its rules in 2019. Since then, incorporated businesses - LLCs, corporations, LPs, and other filing entities - file the assumed name certificate only with the Texas Secretary of State. They no longer also file with the county. Unincorporated businesses - sole proprietorships and general partnerships - file with the county clerk in each county where they maintain premises or conduct business. This split matters because it determines the form, the fee, and the office you deal with.
| Who you are | Where to file | Form / fee (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| LLC, corporation, LP | Texas Secretary of State | Form 503 - $25 |
| Sole proprietor | County clerk (each county of business) | County assumed name form - fee varies |
| General partnership | County clerk (each county of business) | County assumed name form - fee varies |
County fees vary and are set locally, so confirm the amount with the specific county clerk; many are in the $15–$25 range plus a small charge per owner. Because county amounts differ, this page does not quote a single county fee.
Filing Form 503 with the Secretary of State
If you run an LLC or corporation, file Form 503, Assumed Name Certificate, with the Texas Secretary of State and pay the $25 fee. The form asks for your assumed name, your legal entity name, the entity's filing number and jurisdiction, the registered office and registered agent, the type of entity, and the period (up to 10 years) during which you will use the name. You can submit Form 503 online through SOSDirect, by mail, or by fax. Before you file, confirm the assumed name is not already in use by running a Texas business entity search - although, unlike an entity name, an assumed name need not be distinguishable from other assumed names.
Filing a County DBA as a Sole Proprietor
If you operate as a sole proprietor or a general partnership, you file the assumed name certificate with the county clerk in every Texas county where you have business premises or regularly conduct business. The county form typically requires your assumed name, your legal name and home or business address, and a signature that is notarized or acknowledged before the clerk. Some counties let you file in person or by mail; a growing number offer online filing. Keep a file-stamped copy - banks usually require it to open an account under the assumed name.
How Long It Lasts and Renewing
A Texas assumed name certificate is effective for a period you choose, up to a maximum of 10 years from the date of filing. To keep using the name past that term, you file a new certificate before the old one expires. If you stop using an assumed name, you may file a Statement of Abandonment to end the registration early. Renewal and abandonment follow the same office split: the Secretary of State for entities, the county clerk for sole proprietors and general partnerships.
What a DBA Does and Does Not Do
An assumed name certificate 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. Two businesses can hold the same assumed name in Texas. 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 Texas.
DBAs, EINs, and Taxes
Filing an assumed 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 Texas sales and use tax permit from the Comptroller, which is free.
When You Actually Need a Texas DBA
You need an assumed name certificate 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 file-stamped assumed 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, and it is worth being clear about which you need. An assumed name certificate 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 a Certificate of Formation to create an LLC and then, only if they want to operate under a different brand, add an assumed name certificate 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 Texas?
It is called an assumed name, registered with an Assumed Name Certificate. For LLCs and corporations that is Form 503, filed with the Texas Secretary of State.
How much does a Texas DBA cost?
Form 503 with the Secretary of State costs $25. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file with the county clerk, where fees vary by county.
Where do I file a DBA in Texas?
Incorporated businesses file only with the Texas Secretary of State. Unincorporated businesses file with the county clerk in each county where they do business.
How long does a Texas assumed name certificate last?
Up to 10 years from filing. To keep using the name, file a new certificate before the term expires.
Does a Texas DBA give me trademark rights?
No. An assumed name certificate 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.
Related
- What is a DBA? (hub)
- Texas business entity search
- Texas Certificate of Formation (Form 205)
- How to form an LLC in Texas
- Sole proprietorship vs LLC
- Trademark registration
- How to get an EIN
- Schedule C for sole proprietors
- Texas LLC tax filing
- What is an LLC?
- Legal glossary
Sources
- Texas Secretary of State - Assumed Name (DBA) FAQs (Form 503; 2019 county change; 10-year term).
- Texas Secretary of State - Business Organizations Code Forms (Form 503 Assumed Name Certificate; Statement of Abandonment).
- Texas Secretary of State - Filing Fee Schedule ($25 assumed name certificate).
- Texas Secretary of State - SOSDirect online filing system.
- Texas Business & Commerce Code - Chapter 71, Assumed Business or Professional Name.
- Texas Business & Commerce Code - Section 71.002, definitions of assumed name.
- Texas Business & Commerce Code - Section 71.051, county filing for unincorporated persons.
- Texas Secretary of State - Name Filings FAQs (assumed names not required to be distinguishable).
- Texas Comptroller - Sales and Use Tax Permit (free permit for taxable sales).
- 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 Texas Secretary of State and your county clerk before acting.