How to File a DBA in Oregon
In Oregon a DBA is an assumed business name registered statewide with the Secretary of State for a $50 fee, with no newspaper publication. Attorney review available.
Find out where you stand in Oregon
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Introduction
An Oregon DBA, called an assumed business name (ABN), must be renewed every two years, and it is the public filing that lets a person or business use a name different from the owner's legal name. Oregon does not file DBAs with a county clerk. You register the assumed business name statewide with the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division, and you can file online or by mail (ORS 648.007). The fee is $50 for a new registration. Any person or business that regularly carries on business under a name that is not its real and true name must register that assumed business name. Registering an ABN does not create a corporation or an LLC, does not shield the owner from liability, and does not give a trademark or an exclusive right to the name. Unlike some states, Oregon requires no newspaper publication of an assumed business name, so there is no notice to publish and no proof of publication to file. An Oregon assumed business name registration lasts two years: you must apply to renew within 30 days before the second anniversary of the date the Secretary of State registered the name, and the renewal fee is $50 (ORS 648.017). If you do not renew on time the Secretary of State can cancel the registration, so track the two-year date. DocDraft builds your Oregon assumed business name registration from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
- 1
An Oregon assumed business name (ABN), the state's term for a DBA, must be renewed every two years. It is a public registration that lets you use a business name different from the owner's legal name, and it creates no separate legal entity.
- 2
You register the assumed business name statewide with the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division, not with a county clerk, and you can file online or by mail (ORS 648.007).
- 3
The Oregon fee is $50 for a new assumed business name registration. There is one statewide form and fee, unlike states where each county sets its own.
- 4
Oregon requires no newspaper publication of an assumed business name. Chapter 648 has no publication mandate, so there is no notice to run and no affidavit to file.
- 5
An Oregon assumed business name registration lasts two years. You must apply to renew within 30 days before the second anniversary of the registration date, and the renewal fee is $50 (ORS 648.017).
- 6
A DBA does not give you any ownership of or exclusive right to the name, and it does not limit your liability. A sole proprietor with an ABN is still personally responsible for the business.
- 7
You must register an assumed business name in Oregon when you regularly carry on business under a name that is not the real and true name of the owner or the registered legal name of the entity.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a DBA (Doing Business As) in Oregon, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The DBA (Doing Business As) guide walks through them.
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Oregon Requirements for DBA (Doing Business As)
File With the Secretary of State
In Oregon a DBA is an assumed business name registered statewide with the Oregon Secretary of State Corporation Division, not with a county clerk (ORS 648.007). You can file online through the Oregon Business Registry or by mail.
State Form and 50 Dollar Fee
Oregon has one statewide assumed business name form and fee. The fee is 50 dollars for a new registration, unlike states where each county sets its own form and fee.
The Assumed Business Name
The exact assumed business 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 is not the real and true name of the owner.
Registrant and Owners
The full real and true name and address of the registrant, the type of registrant, and the name and address of each additional owner or authorized representative. For a general partnership, the partners are listed.
Principal Place of Business
The street address of the principal place of business and the Oregon counties in which the registrant conducts business, or a statement that the registrant operates in all counties. The registration itself is statewide.
No Newspaper Publication
Oregon requires no newspaper publication of an assumed business name. Chapter 648 has no publication mandate, so there is no notice to run in a local paper and no affidavit of publication to file after you register.
Two-Year Renewal
An Oregon assumed business name registration lasts two years. You must apply to renew within 30 days before the second anniversary of the registration date, and the renewal fee is 50 dollars (ORS 648.017). If you do not renew on time the Secretary of State can cancel it.
No Entity, No Trademark, No Liability Shield
An Oregon DBA is only a name registration. It creates no separate legal entity, gives no exclusive right or trademark in the name, and does not limit the personal liability of a sole proprietor or general partner.