Washington Trade Name (DBA): $5 Through the Department of Revenue, Not the Secretary of State or County

If your business will operate under a name other than your own legal name, you need to register that name in Washington. The process is cheaper and simpler than many owners expect. A Washington DBA (“doing business as”), also called a trade name, costs $5 per name and is filed with the Washington State Department of Revenue. It is not filed with the Secretary of State, and it is not filed with a county clerk. The filing happens inside the same statewide Business License Application that issues your Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number.

This guide covers when you need a trade name, what it costs, how to file, how long it takes, and what a trade name does not protect. It is informational only, not legal or tax advice.

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When you need a trade name in Washington

Washington requires a trade name registration in two situations:

A sole proprietor or general partnership uses any name other than the owner’s full legal name. If you are Jane Smith operating as “Smith Bakery,” you need one. If you operate under “Jane Smith,” you do not.
A limited liability company (LLC), limited partnership (LP) or corporation uses a name other than the exact name registered with the Secretary of State.

An LLC does not need a DBA just because it is an LLC. If Cedar Ridge Consulting LLC operates under that registered name, it needs no trade name. The requirement is triggered by a different public-facing name, not by the entity type. If the LLC wants to sell under “Cedar Ridge Analytics,” it does need one.

Where to register: Department of Revenue, not the Secretary of State or county

Many owners look in the wrong place first. Here is where each filing goes:

Trade names: Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service (BLS), through the Business License Application in My DOR.
Entity names (LLC, LP, LLP, corporation): Secretary of State, through the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS).
County and city offices: Neither registers trade names. Washington’s 39 counties and 281 incorporated cities and towns may issue their own licenses, which are covered later in this guide.

The BLS sits inside the Department of Revenue. It issues the nine-digit UBI number and handles trade names, state endorsements and city endorsements in one application. The official trade name page is Department of Revenue trade name registration, and the application itself is at Apply for a business license.

Washington trade name registration fees

Three amounts matter for a trade name filing:

Item	Amount	Notes
Trade name registration	$5 per trade name	Charged for each name you register
Processing fee, opening or reopening a business	$50	Non-refundable
Processing fee, filing for another purpose (such as adding a trade name to an existing business)	$10	Non-refundable

Two examples show how this adds up. A new sole proprietor registering one trade name pays the $50 processing fee plus $5 for the name, or $55, before any endorsement fees. An existing licensed business adding one trade name pays the $10 processing fee plus $5, or $15. City and state endorsement fees are separate, so confirm those amounts with the Department of Revenue before you submit.

Each business can register an unlimited number of trade names. Each name stays registered until you cancel it, and cancellation is free.

Step by step: how to file

Check the name before you commit. A trade name gives no protection against others using the same name. Search the Secretary of State business database at ccfs.sos.wa.gov business search to see whether an LLC or corporation already holds the name, and search trademark records if the name will anchor your brand.
Form your entity first, if you have one. LLCs, LPs, LLPs and corporations must be formed or registered with the Secretary of State before you submit the Business License Application. An LLC files a Certificate of Formation with Initial Report through CCFS, with a $180 filing fee. Sole proprietors and general partnerships do not file with the Secretary of State and go straight to the Department of Revenue.
Confirm your registered agent. Every business must designate a registered agent in Washington under RCW 23.95.405. The agent must consent to serve, supply an email address, and have a physical street address in Washington. PO Boxes and private mailbox addresses are not accepted. Changing the agent or registered office carries no fee.
Submit the Business License Application in My DOR. Log in at dor.wa.gov, complete the Business License Application, enter each trade name, and pay the $5 per name plus the processing fee. Check the total on the final screen before you submit.
Wait for processing. Online applications take about 10 business days. If city or state endorsements need approval, add roughly 2 to 3 weeks. Mailed applications can take up to six weeks, so file online whenever you can.
Keep your records. Save your UBI number and your confirmation with your business records. Banks, vendors and payment processors often ask for them when you open accounts under the trade name.

When to file your trade name

File before you do anything public under the name. That means before you open a bank account in the trade name, sign a lease or contract under it, print business cards or invoices, or start advertising. Because online processing takes about 10 business days, and longer when endorsements are needed, build that time into your launch schedule. A trade name filed after you have started invoicing creates a mismatch between your records and your public name.

What a trade name does not protect

A trade name is a registration, not a trademark. It does not stop another business from using the same name, and it does not give you exclusive rights to a logo or brand. If protecting the name matters to your business, you need a separate filing.

Washington state trademark: filed with the Secretary of State at $55 per class for 5 years, with renewal at $50.
Federal trademark: a separate filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, with its own fees. Confirm current federal fees on that agency’s site before you apply.

A trademark attorney can tell you whether a name is distinctive enough to protect and whether a conflicting name already exists.

Other licenses you may need

A trade name registration does not license what you sell or do. Depending on your activity, you may also need:

City and county endorsements, which the BLS processes in the same application when required.
Local B&O tax registration. Washington has no corporate or personal income tax on wages. Most businesses instead pay the state business and occupation (B&O) gross receipts tax, and about 54 cities add their own B&O tax. The Department of Revenue does not administer local B&O taxes, so confirm with your city.
Occupational licenses from the agency that regulates your trade. Examples include L&I for contractors and electrical or plumbing work, DOL for real estate, cosmetology, notaries, security and tow operators, DOH for health professions, home care and lodging, WSDA for cottage food, processors and pesticides, LCB for liquor, cannabis and tobacco, DCYF for child care, DSHS for adult family homes, and UTC for movers and charter services.
Health district permits, issued locally where your activity requires one. Confirm with your local health district.

Common mistakes

Filing with the Secretary of State or a county clerk. Neither office registers trade names, so that effort does not satisfy the requirement.
Assuming an LLC needs a DBA. It does not, as long as the business uses the exact name on file with the Secretary of State.
Believing a DBA protects your brand. It does not. Use a trademark search and, if needed, a state or federal filing.
Skipping the state license. The Business License Application that registers your trade name also issues your UBI and covers the state business license.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a DBA if I already have an LLC?

Only if the LLC operates under a name other than the exact name registered with the Secretary of State. Using the registered name requires nothing extra.

Can I register more than one trade name?

Yes. A business can register an unlimited number of trade names. Each name carries its own $5 fee.

Do trade names expire?

No. A trade name stays registered until you cancel it, and cancellation is free.

Does my trade name need to be the same as my website or social media handle?

Washington does not require that. The trade name is a state filing about the name you do business under. Still, a mismatch between your registered name and your public name can cause confusion with banks, customers and vendors, so keep them consistent where possible.

Official resources

Disclaimer: This article is informational only. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Fees, processing times and rules can change, so confirm current figures on the agency pages linked above. If your situation involves multiple owners, a business sale, trademark questions or complex tax registration, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.