How to Get a DBA in Alabama

Step 1. Start with an Alabama Trade Name Search

Your Alabama trade name must be unique and must also meet Alabama’s business name requirements.

首先,使用Alabama Secretary of State’s Business Entity Searchand search for your new DBA name to make sure it isn’t already in use.

Next, review the Alabama naming requirements. In Alabama, your trade name shouldNOTinclude:

• Any banking-related wordswithout a letter from the Alabama Banking Commissioner’s Office, orany insurance-related wordswithout a letter from the Alabama Insurance Commissioner’s Office.
• Any words that could confuse your corporation with agovernment agency(FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
• Aprofessional designationin the name (i.e., engineering, attorney) without a copy of the license of one officer/member or a letter from the governing agency allowing the use of the name without licensing.
• Any words that indicate or imply that the corporation is engaged in a business that is notauthorized by lawto pursue.

We recommend checking if your name is available as a网络域(URL). You might not plan on starting a business website today, but you may want to prevent others from acquiring your URL.

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Step 2. Use Your Alabama Trade Name

Alabama requires that you have operated under your trade namebeforeyou can register it. So, if you'd like to register and protect a trade name in Alabama, you need to start using it right away.

阿拉巴马州需要三个“specimens" of trade name usage. Some examples of acceptable specimens include:

• Business Cards
• Brochures
• Flyers
• Labels
• Decals

Specimens must beunaltered and legible．The trade name application will ask where and when you used the trade name for the first time in any state and in Alabama specifically, so it’s important to keep track.

Step 3. Register Your Alabama DBA

Your Alabama trade name can be filed online or by mail with the Secretary of State. You can file online with theSecretary of State’s websiteor you can complete theApplication to Register or Renew Trademark, Service Mark or Trade Nameform.

Some important sections of the form include:

• Section 4:Description of the trade name
• 第五节:Description of the goods or services that will be offered under the trade name
• Section 6:An explanation of how the trade name will be used
• Section 10:Any other entities authorized to use the trade name (if applicable)
• Section 11: Date the trade name was first used

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