Indiana DBA: Assumed Business Name Filing With the Secretary of State
Indiana DBA: Assumed Business Name Filing With the Secretary of State
If you sell under a name other than your own legal name or your registered business name, Indiana requires you to file an assumed business name, usually called a DBA (short for doing business as). People also search for an indiana trade name or indiana doing business as, and those searches lead to the same filing. The catch is the office. The answer depends on how your business is legally organized. Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) that are already registered with the state file with the Indiana Secretary of State. Sole proprietors and general partnerships do not. They record the name with the county recorder.
This guide covers both paths, what each costs, and what an assumed name does and does not do. It is informational content, not legal or tax advice. If your structure is complex, or you are not sure whether your business is a sole proprietorship, a general partnership or a registered entity, talk with an attorney or a CPA before you file.
Which office handles your Indiana DBA filing
Indiana splits DBA filings by entity type, so confirm your category before you pay anything.
| Business type | Where you file | Form | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporation, LLC, LP or LLP registered with the state | Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division | Certificate of Assumed Business Name (State Form 30353) | $20 per name online through INBiz; $30 per name on paper ($26 per name for nonprofit corporations) |
| Sole proprietorship or general partnership | County recorder in the county where the business is located | Assumed name recorded with the county recorder | Set by each county; ask your county recorder |
Sole proprietors and LLCs both use assumed names, but through different offices. The two filings are not interchangeable. A state filing does not satisfy a county requirement, and a county record does not stand in for a Secretary of State filing.
Filing a DBA with the Indiana Secretary of State
If your business is a corporation, LLC, LP or LLP already registered with the state, you file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name (State Form 30353) with the Secretary of State's Business Services Division. You can download the form from the state forms site at https://forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=16986. Most people file online through INBiz at https://inbiz.in.gov/, but the same form also serves as the paper filing.
The fees are:
- Online through INBiz: $20 per name
- Paper filing for corporations, LLCs, LPs and LLPs: $30 per name
- Paper filing for nonprofit corporations: $26 per name
Each name needs its own form and its own fee. If your LLC operates as Riverside Supply, Riverside Field Services and Riverside Rentals, that is three separate filings. Online, the total is $60.
Step by step
- Confirm your registered entity name. Search the public business records at https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch and confirm the exact legal name on file for your business.
- Check the name you want. Search the same records to see whether an identical or similar name is already on file. A search tells you what is in use. It does not reserve the name for you.
- File the form. File online through INBiz, or file a paper State Form 30353 with the paper fee. Follow the instructions on the form and the agency's current guidance for paper submissions.
- Keep your proof of filing. Save the online confirmation or a copy of the paper filing with your business records.
Filing a DBA as a sole proprietor or general partnership
Sole proprietors and general partnerships do not file with the Secretary of State. County offices cite IC 23-15-1-1 for the requirement to record an assumed name with the county recorder in the county where the business is located.
Two things make a county filing different from a state filing. First, each of Indiana's 92 counties sets its own fee, so there is no single statewide price for this filing. Second, the state Certificate of Assumed Business Name states that it cannot be used for a county filing. Do not send State Form 30353 to a county recorder and assume the job is done.
To learn the fee, the required form and how to pay, contact the recorder's office in the county where you operate. If you operate in more than one county, ask each recorder whether you must file in each one. Ask the county the same question about how long the filing stays in effect, since that is covered in the next section.
How long does an assumed name last?
Not confirmed. We have not confirmed from an official source whether an Indiana assumed business name expires, how long it stays in effect, or whether it must be renewed. Do not assume a DBA lasts forever, and do not assume it expires on a fixed schedule. Call the Secretary of State's Business Services Division at 317-232-6576 and ask about the term for state filings. For county filings, ask the county recorder the same question.
What an assumed name does and does not do
An assumed name lets you use a name other than your legal name in business dealings, such as on signs, invoices, contracts and a website. Beyond that, it is narrower than many owners expect:
- It does not give you ownership. An assumed name grants no ownership or exclusive right to the name. Filing does not stop another business from using the same or a similar name.
- It is not a trademark. Trademark protection is a separate process with its own rules. If your brand name matters to your business, ask an intellectual property attorney about it.
- Name reservation is a separate filing. Indiana's name reservation costs $10 and lasts 120 days. It is not a DBA, and it does not replace one. You can reserve a name through INBiz at https://inbiz.in.gov/start-business/step-one.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing in the wrong office. A sole proprietor who sends State Form 30353 to the Secretary of State, or an LLC that files only with a county recorder, has not completed the filing that applies to it.
- Filing one form for several names. The rule is one form and one fee per name.
- Treating a name search as protection. A clear search result shows what is currently on file. It does not lock the name to you.
- Confusing a DBA with tax registration. The assumed name filing is separate from tax registration. If you sell taxable goods, you may need a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate from the Indiana Department of Revenue, which carries a $25 fee. Check the Department's current requirements at https://www.in.gov/dor/.
Next steps
Start with your entity type. If your business is a corporation, LLC, LP or LLP registered with the state, file State Form 30353 through INBiz for $20 per name. If you are a sole proprietor or general partnership, call the county recorder where you operate and ask for the fee and filing steps. Before you file, confirm current figures on the Secretary of State's business page at https://www.in.gov/sos/business/ and with the county office.
If you want help thinking through the setup, the Indiana Small Business Development Center at https://isbdc.org/ can point you toward local guidance.
Disclaimer
This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, forms and procedures can change, and some details above are marked as unverified for that reason. Confirm current requirements with the Indiana Secretary of State and your county recorder before you file. For a complex structure, a multi-owner business or any question about liability or taxes, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.