How to File a DBA in Colorado
In Colorado a DBA is a trade name filed online with the Secretary of State for $20, with no newspaper publication. Attorney review available.
Find out where you stand in Colorado
What kind of business is registering the name?
DocDraft provides document preparation, not legal advice.
Introduction
In Colorado a DBA filed by an individual or partnership lasts only one year before it must be renewed, an unusually short term; the DBA itself, called a trade name, is a business name different from the owner's legal name and creates no separate legal entity. You file a Statement of Trade Name online and statewide with the Colorado Secretary of State, not with a county (Colorado Revised Statutes Article 71 of Title 7). Colorado requires a trade name when a for-profit business does not use its true entity name, or when an individual does not use their legal first and last name, to conduct business in the state. The filing is done online and the fee is twenty dollars. Unlike some states, Colorado requires no newspaper publication of the name. Registering a trade name does not create a corporation or an LLC, does not shield the owner from liability, and gives no trademark or exclusive right to the name. Renewal depends on who files: a trade name filed by an individual or a general partnership is effective for one year and is renewed each year for a five dollar fee, filed during the three months before it expires, and an expired trade name cannot be renewed; a trade name filed by a reporting entity such as a corporation or a limited liability company stays effective while that entity remains in good standing. DocDraft builds your Colorado Statement of Trade Name from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
- 1
Colorado files a DBA, called a trade name, entirely online with the Secretary of State for a $20 fee. It is a business name different from the owner's legal name, and it creates no separate legal entity.
- 2
You file a Statement of Trade Name online and statewide with the Colorado Secretary of State, not with a county (Colorado Revised Statutes Article 71 of Title 7). Colorado has one central online filing office for trade names.
- 3
The online filing fee is twenty dollars to file a Statement of Trade Name with the Colorado Secretary of State. Colorado sets one statewide fee, and there is no paper option for the trade name statement.
- 4
Colorado requires a trade name when a for-profit business does not use its true entity name, or when an individual does not use their legal first and last name, to do business in the state.
- 5
Colorado requires no newspaper publication of a trade name. There is no publish-and-file-proof step once the Secretary of State accepts the trade name statement, unlike some other states.
- 6
A trade name filed by an individual or a general partnership is effective for one year and is renewed each year for a five dollar fee, filed during the three months before it expires; an expired trade name cannot be renewed (Colorado Revised Statutes Article 71 of Title 7).
- 7
A trade name filed by a reporting entity such as a corporation or an LLC stays effective while that entity remains in good standing. A DBA does not limit your liability and gives no trademark, so a sole proprietor with a trade name is still personally responsible for the business.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a DBA (Doing Business As) in Colorado, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The DBA (Doing Business As) guide walks through them.
Open the DBA (Doing Business As) guideCustomize your DBA (Doing Business As) Template with DocDraft
Colorado Requirements for DBA (Doing Business As)
File With the Secretary of State
In Colorado a DBA is a trade name registered online and statewide with the Colorado Secretary of State, not with a county (Colorado Revised Statutes Article 71 of Title 7). Colorado uses one central online filing office for trade names.
Twenty Dollar Online Fee
The online fee is twenty dollars to file a Statement of Trade Name with the Colorado Secretary of State. Colorado sets one statewide fee and offers no paper option for the trade name statement, so you file and pay online.
The Trade Name
The exact trade name to register. It must not include a word such as Corporation, Incorporated, LLC, or Limited unless the registrant is that type of entity, and a filing is required when the name differs from the legal name of the owner or the true name of the entity.
Registrant and Owners
The full legal name and address of the registrant, the type of registrant, and the name and address of each additional owner. An individual files under the individual legal name and a reporting entity files under its true entity name.
Principal Place of Business
The street address and county of the principal place of business in Colorado. This is recorded on the Statement of Trade Name filed online with the Colorado Secretary of State.
No Newspaper Publication
Colorado requires no newspaper publication of a trade name. There is no publish step and no proof-of-publication filing once the Colorado Secretary of State accepts the trade name statement.
One Year Term and Annual Renewal
A trade name filed by an individual or a general partnership is effective for one year and is renewed each year for a five dollar fee, filed during the three months before it expires. An expired trade name cannot be renewed. A reporting entity trade name stays effective while the entity keeps good standing.
No Entity, No Shield, No Trademark
A Colorado DBA is only a name registration. It creates no separate legal entity, does not limit the personal liability of a sole proprietor or general partner, and gives no trademark or exclusive right to the name.