Filing Doing Business As (DBA) in Wyoming

A partnership company or a sole proprietorship business is known to opt for a doing business as (DBA) as it helps such a business to operate the company under a name that is different from their legal or registered name. How do you apply for and register a Wyoming DBA especially if you are planning to start a new business in the state? Do you have to fulfill any Wyoming dba requirements? These are some of the many questions that this DBA article guide will try and answer.

Doing Business As (DBA) in Wyoming

If you are planning to establish your startup or business in the state of Wyoming then you may be required to register a dba in Wyoming. There are several aspects you need to consider in order to file a DBA in Wyoming but let us try and understand what is a DBA and whether you require it or not.

What is Doing Business As or DBA?

When you start a new business, you have to register the name of the business. In the simplest of words, a Wyoming DBA is a legal name that needs to be registered with the Secretary of State. A “Doing Business As” (DBA) name is also sometimes known as a trade name especially for partnerships and sole proprietorships. In other words when a company or person conducts their business under another name then that name is considered to be a DBA name.

For example: An entrepreneur named Jack Wills wants to start a fashion business in Wyoming. He can name it as Jack Wills or as Fashion Frontier wherein, “Fashion Frontier” would be the DBA name. As a result, Jack Willis would have to register a dba in Wyoming under this name.

When do you need a DBA?

A Wyoming DBA or ‘Doing Business As’ is a term used in the majority of states although different states may have different technical names for the same. Some of the most common terms include:

Assumed Name
Trade Name
Fictious Name
Trading As

The question is when do you need a DBA or when do you register a dba in Wyoming? According to the office of the Wyoming Secretary of State, all types of business entities including general partnerships, sole proprietorships, limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), limited partnerships (LPs), and any out of state or foreign businesses that are transacting or planning to transact business in the state under a name different from their legal name will be required to file a DBA in Wyoming.
It is important to identify the circumstances where your business may need to register a dba in Wyoming. The circumstances are:

If you have a general partnership firm or are a sole proprietor and plan to conduct business using a name other than your own name then you will have to file a DBA in Wyoming.
If you have formed an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or a business corporation and are planning to operate your company under a name different from the name of the LLC or company then you will be required to file for DBA after conducting a Wyoming dba search.

For example: let’s say that Johns Trekking Equipment Inc., wants to expand into Sports Clothing then Johns Trekking Equipment Inc. will need to file for a Wyoming DBA to conduct business as Johns Sports Clothing.

File Doing Business As (DBA) in Wyoming

You can operate your LLC, Inc., or any form of business in Wyoming under several DBA names as there are no specified limits but you will be required to file a DBA in Wyoming for each of those names. The process of filing a DBA (doing business as), which is also known as a trade name consists of a few steps as mentioned below.

Wyoming DBA name search

There are specific Wyoming dba requirements that you need to fulfill or be compliant with in order to register a DBA in the state. One of the first steps towards this is a dba name search as this will help you to identify a trade name that you can register for your business in this state.

One of the important aspects of Wyoming DBA name search is that you can browse through an extensive list of existing business names in the state. It is also important to know that Wyoming dba requirements specify that the trade name be distinguishable from other existing names or should be unique. Your trade name should include a proper suffix as mentioned by the Secretary of State like LLC, Incorporated, Corp., etc if your business is actually a corporation or LLC. You can check DBA name guidelines for Wyoming State here.

Register DBA with Wyoming SOS

Once you have identified a trade name for your business and if it is available then the next important step in Wyoming dba requirements is to register the name. You will be required to file DBA in Wyoming with the office of the Secretary of State.

The normal procedure is to complete the “Application for Registration of Trade Name” form, sign and notarize it, and then submit it with the Wyoming Secretary of State along with a filing fee of $100. Alternatively, we at IncParadise can help you register a Wyoming DBA with the office of the Secretary of State. Our process for DBA or trade name registration is quick and efficient and will help you save time.

Managing your Wyoming DBA

A Wyoming DBA is an important aspect of any business as it helps in creating a brand and can be used to serve several purposes including opening of business bank accounts. There is an initial filing fee for registering DBA and once it is registered there will be a Wyoming dba cost for renewal or changing the trade name. Let us look at the three important aspects of DBA or trade name.

Renew Wyoming DBA

After you register a dba in Wyoming, you can apply for business registration. However, it is important to remember that a Wyoming DBA has to be renewed once every ten years. There is a renewal fee of $50 to be submitted along with the renewal form to the office of the Wyoming Secretary of State.

Change Wyoming DBA

Businesses expand in their existing markets or diversify into other markets and in such scenarios you may have to file a DBA in Wyoming. But if you have already filed a trade name and want to change it, what is the process? The process is similar to that of applying for a new DBA, which is:

Conduct a Wyoming dba search for determining the availability of your new DBA.
Obtain the DBA name change form also known as the amendment to DBA name-registration form.
Complete the DBA name change form and submit it along with the Wyoming dba cost or fee for name change.

Cancel Wyoming DBA

At any given point in time, if you want to cancel your Wyoming DBA or trade name then you will be required to complete and submit a Cancellation of Trade Name form. The accompanying fee for cancellation is $10 and the form has to be submitted with the office of the Wyoming Secretary of State.

How IncParadise can help you!

The process to file a DBA in Wyoming requires you to fulfill certain state and legal requirements. This can be quite disconcerting but a professional service provider like IncParadise can handle all your DBA filing requirements in Wyoming on your behalf. This will allow you to focus on other aspects and requirements of your new business.

IncParadise cannot only help you to register a dba in Wyoming but also provide a wide variety of additional services to Wyoming’s new and existing businesses. Our services include getting tax id, corporation status, dissolutions, reinstatement, and foreign qualification among others. You can also enjoy the benefits of our virtual office and mail forwarding services.