How to File a DBA in Wyoming (Trade Name)
Wyoming does not use the term DBA. It calls the filing a trade name, registered with the Wyoming Secretary of State on the Application for Registration of Trade Name. The filing fee is $100, the application must be notarized, and registration is effective for ten years and renewable.
Quick Answer
- Wyoming term
- Trade name - not DBA, not fictitious name
- Agency
- Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division
- Filing fee
- $100
- Term
- Ten years, renewable
- Signature
- The application must be signed and notarized
- Processing
- Up to 15 business days from receipt in the office
Wyoming Calls It a Trade Name
Most states call it a DBA, an assumed name, or a fictitious business name. Wyoming calls it a trade name, and it is registered with the Wyoming Secretary of State on the Application for Registration of Trade Name. If a guide tells you to file a "Wyoming DBA," that is the form it means.
A trade name is simply a name a business uses publicly that is different from its legal name. A sole proprietor named Dana Ruiz who trades as "Laramie Woodworks" needs one. A Wyoming LLC legally named "Ruiz Holdings LLC" that operates a storefront as "Laramie Woodworks" needs one too.
Registering a trade name does not create a business entity. It is a name filing layered on top of whatever the business already is - a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or an LLC formed in Wyoming. The underlying legal structure, and the liability that comes with it, is unchanged. See what a DBA is.
Who Needs to File
You need a trade name registration whenever you hold your business out to the public under a name that is not its legal name. For a sole proprietor, the legal name is the owner's own name; for an LLC or corporation, it is the name on the Secretary of State's records.
Practical triggers show up quickly. Banks generally will not deposit checks made out to a name that is not on the account without a trade name registration on file. Payment processors, marketplaces, and landlords often ask for one. Customers and vendors expect the name on your invoices to match the name you advertise.
You do not need a trade name if you operate under your exact legal name. A Wyoming LLC that trades under its full registered name, LLC designator included, has nothing to file. Adding descriptive words - "Ruiz Holdings LLC Custom Cabinets" - is what creates the need.
One entity can register more than one trade name, and that is a common pattern in Wyoming. A single LLC can hold a separate trade name for each brand or storefront it operates, filing one application and one $100 fee per name. Each registration stands on its own with its own ten-year term and its own renewal date, so keep a list. Registering several trade names under one entity keeps your filing and tax footprint simple, but remember that it provides no separation of liability between the brands - every trade name is still the same legal entity, and a claim against one reaches all of them.
Search the Name First
Search the Wyoming Secretary of State's business name database before you file. The state will not register a trade name that conflicts with an existing registered name, and a rejected filing costs you the processing time.
If you need to hold a name while you prepare paperwork or arrange financing, the Secretary of State also offers a trade name reservation, filed on its own form for a $100 fee. That is optional; most filers go straight to registration.
Search for near matches, not just exact ones. Also search the USPTO trademark database. A trade name registration is a Wyoming filing, not a brand right, and the state will happily register a name that infringes someone else's federal trademark - leaving you to deal with the consequences. See the trademark hub.
Filing the Application
Complete the Application for Registration of Trade Name. It asks for the trade name, the legal name and address of the applicant, and the nature of the business conducted under the name.
The application must be signed and notarized. This is the requirement that most often sends a filing back: an unnotarized application will not be accepted. Sign it in front of a notary and attach the notarial certificate.
Mail the signed original to the Wyoming Secretary of State with a check or money order for $100 payable to the Wyoming Secretary of State. The Secretary of State states that processing takes up to 15 business days following the date of receipt in the office, so plan around that if a bank or a contract is waiting on the registration.
Wyoming Trade Name Fees
| Filing | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application for Registration of Trade Name | $100 | Notarized; effective ten years |
| Trade name reservation | $100 | Optional; holds the name before registration |
| Application for Renewal of Trade Name Registration | Set by the Secretary of State | Filed before the ten-year term expires |
| Assignment of Trade Name Registration | Set by the Secretary of State | Transfers the registration to a new owner |
| Federal EIN | $0 | Free from the IRS; not required for a trade name |
Fees are published on the Secretary of State's Business Division filing fee schedule. Renewal and assignment amounts change from time to time, so confirm them on that schedule before sending payment.
Compared with entity formation, a trade name is a modest cost. It is also a modest right - see the limits below before you treat it as brand protection.
Ten-Year Term and Renewal
A Wyoming trade name registration is effective for a term of ten years and is renewable. Ten years is long enough that most owners forget it entirely, so calendar the expiration date the day the certificate arrives.
Renewal is filed on the Secretary of State's Application for Renewal of Trade Name Registration. If the registration lapses, the name becomes available to others, and a competitor can register it.
If the business is sold, the trade name registration can be transferred using the Secretary of State's Assignment of Trade Name Registration form. Do not simply let the buyer start using the name; the registration record should match the actual user.
What a Trade Name Does Not Do
It does not create liability protection. A sole proprietor with a registered trade name is still a sole proprietor, personally liable for business debts. If liability separation is the goal, form an LLC - see what an LLC is and the single-member LLC guide.
It does not create trademark rights. A trade name registration records that you use a name in Wyoming. It gives you no nationwide rights and no presumption of ownership. Trademark rights come from use in commerce and are strengthened by registration with the USPTO.
It does not register you for taxes or licenses. Wyoming tax accounts, sales tax licensing, and any local or professional permits are separate filings - see business license requirements. It also does not give you a federal tax ID; the EIN is free from the IRS and is applied for separately, and the IRS limits applicants to one EIN per responsible party per day. If you later close the business, the entity itself must be wound up properly - see how to dissolve an LLC - and note that a Wyoming LLC must always maintain a registered agent. For definitions, see the glossary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I file a DBA in Wyoming?
Wyoming calls it a trade name. Complete the Application for Registration of Trade Name from the Wyoming Secretary of State, sign it before a notary, and mail the signed original with a $100 check or money order payable to the Wyoming Secretary of State.
How much does a Wyoming DBA cost?
The filing fee for a trade name registration application is $100, paid to the Wyoming Secretary of State. An optional trade name reservation, which holds a name before you register it, also costs $100. Renewal and assignment fees are set on the Secretary of State's fee schedule.
How long does a Wyoming trade name last?
Registration is effective for a term of ten years and is renewable using the Secretary of State's Application for Renewal of Trade Name Registration. Calendar the expiration date, because a lapsed registration releases the name and another business can register it.
Does a Wyoming trade name application need to be notarized?
Yes. The Wyoming Secretary of State requires the application to be signed and notarized. An application submitted without a notarized signature will not be accepted, which delays the registration. Sign in front of a notary and include the notarial certificate with the filing.
How long does Wyoming take to process a trade name?
The Secretary of State states that processing takes up to 15 business days following the date the application is received in the office. Plan for that window if a bank account, contract, or marketplace account is waiting on the registration certificate.
Does a Wyoming trade name protect my brand?
No. A trade name registration records your use of a name in Wyoming; it creates no trademark rights and no nationwide protection. Trademark rights come from use in commerce and are strengthened by federal registration with the USPTO, which is a separate application.
Related
- What is a DBA (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in Wyoming
- What is an LLC
- Single-member LLC
- Registered agent guide
- Trademark hub
- Business license overview
- How to get an EIN
- How to dissolve an LLC
- Legal glossary
Sources
- Wyoming Secretary of State - Application for Registration of Trade Name and instructions (PDF; $100 filing fee; notarized signature; ten-year renewable term; up to 15 business days processing).
- Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Division filing fee schedule (PDF).
- Wyoming Secretary of State - Trade Name Reservation (PDF).
- Wyoming Secretary of State - Application for Renewal of Trade Name Registration (PDF).
- Wyoming Secretary of State - Assignment of Trade Name Registration (PDF).
- Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Entities FAQs.
- USPTO - Search trademark database.
- USPTO - Trademark basics (federal registration; scope of rights).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN is free; one EIN per responsible party per day).
- IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal default classification).
- IRS - Single Member Limited Liability Companies (disregarded entity; employment and excise tax treated separately).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not legal advice, is not a law firm, and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current amounts with the Wyoming Secretary of State before acting.