

That person may register the company legally as Amy’s Food Group LLC but use a DBA to operate and market under the McDonald’s brand. Say a local business owner wants to open a McDonald’s franchise. In addition to sole proprietorships and partnerships, DBAs are also commonly used by franchise business owners. Since a DBA is basically a nickname and not a business structure, it does not provide the same legal protections you would receive from an LLC or any other business structure. However, you can manage your business under a different name by registering a DBA with your local Secretary of State or other business licensing agency. If you operate a sole proprietorship or partnership, you’re required to use your legal personal name(s) as the name of your business. What is a DBA?ĭBA is short for “doing business as.” A DBA is an official fictitious name, assumed name or trade name that allows you to operate your business under a name other than your legal name. Let’s start with the basic definitions and a few examples. The two acronyms often confuse fledgling entrepreneurs.
