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Businesses that conduct business under a name that is not their legal name need a Certificate of Assumed Name. This certificate is also called the "doing business as (DBA) certificate." Businesses must file the certificate with the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS).
Without this certificate, a business must operate under its legal name, and use its legal name everywhere. The legal name is the name on documents used for incorporation.
The Certificate can be filed at the same time as documents of incorporation.
Business owners should consult with an attorney if they wish to understand the implications of this practice.
General partnerships and sole proprietorships do not file this certificate. Instead, they should file a business certificate with the county clerk in their county or borough. Click the following link for information on this requirement.