Filing DBA in Alaska

DBA stands for "Doing Business As," which is a company name, also commonly called a "fictitious business name", "trade name" or "assumed name". When a sole proprietor operates a company using any name except his or her own given name, then the DBA or ficticious business name registration establishes the legal ownership to satisfy banks, local authorities, customers, etc. Even established corporations may need to file a DBA if they want to change their business name or operate under a different name. For example, MTS Inc. has a registered DBA under the name Tower Records.

Choosing Name
A name is available to reserve or register if the name is distinguishable from the names of existing organized entities and from names reserved or registered. Organized entity means corporation, cooperative, limited liability company, limited liability partnership and other organizational types. Words used to identify an internet domain name or internet address cannot be registered as business names.

DBA Registration for Corporation
You may register an entity if you are an organized and existing corporation of a state or territory of the United States not registered to do business in Alaska. The duration is through December 31st of the registered year. This is renewable annually by reapplying between October 1st and December 31st of the current year.

DBA Registration for individual
An initial business name registration expires on the fifth December 31st after the day of registration, e.g. if you register on April 4, 2006 the registration will expire on December 31, 2010. The registration is renewable at five-year intervals by reapplying between October 1st and December 31st of the year of expiration.

IMPORTANT
You have to renew your DBA, but keep in mind that State of Alaska does not send expiration notice prior to renewal.

Alaska DBA Registration Pricing
The application to register an entity or business name costs $25.

READY TO REGISTER YOUR DBA?