DBA filing · Connecticut

How to File a DBA in Connecticut

In Connecticut, a DBA is filed with your city or town clerk. Register with the Town Clerk — Trade Name Certificate for ~$20.

A DBA — short for “doing business as,” also called a fictitious business name, assumed name, or trade name — lets you legally operate under a name that isn't your own legal name or your company's exact registered name. In Connecticut, a DBA is filed with your city or town clerk.

Here's exactly where and how to register your DBA in Connecticut — and what it costs — so your filing is accepted the first time.

How to file a DBA in Connecticut

  1. Confirm your name is available. Run a quick pre-check on our name-search tool, then verify it against the official Connecticut records so you don't pay to file a name that's taken.
  2. Complete the Connecticut filing. Register with the Town Clerk — Trade Name Certificate. The filing fee is ~$20.
  3. Handle any extra steps. Filed with the town clerk where you transact business; must be notarized.
  4. Keep it active. Your registration lasts None — we'll remind you before it lapses.
Where it's filed: Town / city — Town Clerk — Trade Name Certificate.

Two ways to file in Connecticut

DBAform is a resource either way — do it yourself with the official link, or let us handle it.

Do it yourself — free

Use the official Connecticut link and the details on this page to file it yourself at no charge.

Open the official Connecticut filing page →

Done for you — via LegalZoom

Prefer to hand it off? File through LegalZoom, our recommended service (plus the ~$20 state fee).

File through LegalZoom →

Rather have it done for you?

Don't want to navigate the Town Clerk — Trade Name Certificate yourself? File through LegalZoom, our recommended filing service — they prepare the paperwork and submit it to the correct office (from $99 plus the ~$20 state fee). DBAform may earn a commission if you use our link, at no extra cost to you.

Connecticut DBA — frequently asked questions

Where do I file a DBA in Connecticut? +

In Connecticut, a DBA is filed with the Town Clerk — Trade Name Certificate. This is handled by your city or town clerk.

How much does a DBA cost in Connecticut? +

Connecticut's government filing fee is ~$20. You can file it yourself and pay only that fee, or file through LegalZoom (from $99 plus the state fee).

Does a DBA in Connecticut expire or need to be renewed? +

A Connecticut DBA does not expire and needs no renewal.

Does Connecticut require newspaper publication for a DBA? +

No. Connecticut does not require you to publish a notice of your DBA in a newspaper.

Do I have to file a DBA in Connecticut? +

If you operate under any name other than your own legal name (as a sole proprietor) or your business's exact registered name (as an LLC or corporation), Connecticut requires you to register it. If you use only your legal name, you generally don't need one.

Is a DBA the same as an LLC in Connecticut? +

No. A DBA is only a registered trade name -- it doesn't create a legal entity or protect your personal assets. An LLC does both. Many owners form an LLC and then file a DBA under it.

Other states

Filing in more than one state, or not sure this is the right one? Browse every jurisdiction or jump to a popular state:

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