A trade name is a Louisiana DBA (doing business as). A Louisiana trade name registration permits a company to operate under a name other than its legal name.
Your personal assets will not be protected if you register a DBA in Louisiana. Forming a formal company structure, such as an LLC or corporation, can provide you with liability protection as well as a business name.
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Create a Louisiana DBA.
It is simple to register a Louisiana trade name, commonly known as a DBA.
A DBA is solely used for branding purposes. A DBA does not safeguard your personal assets in the event that your company is sued. As a result, we highly advise that a DBA be utilised exclusively by a formal company structure such as an LLC or corporation to add new brands to an existing firm.
If you operate an informal company (sole proprietorship or partnership), we highly advise you to create an LLC to keep your business and personal assets distinct. The name of the LLC might be chosen to serve as the business’s brand name.
Learn How to Get a DBA in Louisiana in Two Easy Steps:
Begin by doing a Louisiana Trade Name Search.
Register Your DBA in Louisiana
A DBA is solely used for branding purposes. To keep your company and personal assets distinct, we propose incorporating an LLC.
Step 1: Conduct a Louisiana Trade Name Search.
Your Louisiana trade name must be distinct and comply with the state’s company name criteria.
To begin, go to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website and look for your new DBA name to ensure it isn’t currently in use.
Review the Louisiana naming criteria next. In Louisiana, your business name should NOT contain the following words:
Unless the company is genuinely an LLC, corporation, or etc., any business entity suffix, such as LLC, Incorporated, Corp., etc.
Without the consent of the Louisiana Commissioner of the Office of Financial Institutions, the terms bank, banker, banking, savings, safe deposit, trust, trustee, building and loan, homestead, or credit union may be used.
Words that falsely imply your firm is a charity, nonprofit, or government agency.
“Casualty,” “Redevelopment Corporation,” or “Electrical Cooperative” are all examples of terms.
Without the consent of the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board, the terms “engineer,” “engineering,” “surveyor,” and “surveying” (or any variants) may be used.
Words implying that the firm was formed for any illegal purpose. It also cannot include any terms “that are immoral, dishonest, or scandalous in nature.”
We suggest that you check to see whether your name is accessible as a web domain (URL). You may not want to launch a company website right now, but you may wish to prevent others from gaining your URL.
Step 2: Create a Louisiana DBA.
Before you can register your trade name in Louisiana, you must actually be using it. If you haven’t begun using a trade name yet, Louisiana permits you to reserve it before registering it. You may reserve a DBA for your firm online or by filling out and completing the Application for Reservation of Trade Name. A trade name may be reserved for $25 and will be reserved for 120 days after the application is completed.
Your Louisiana trade name may be registered with the Secretary of State either online or by mail. You may either file online via the Louisiana geauxBIZ website or fill out the Application to Register Trade Name form.
The following are some critical portions of the form:
Section 2: The state of incorporation of the applicant (if applicable)
Section 5: Business Type
Section 7: When was the first time a trade name was used?
Section 8: When was the first time a trade name was utilised in Louisiana?
A DBA does not provide legal protection for your personal assets if your company is sued. Visit our How to Form an LLC page and choose your state for additional information on forming a limited liability corporation.
Maintain Control of Your Louisiana Trade Name
General Concerns
Call the Commercial Division of the Louisiana Secretary of State at (225) 925-4704.
Renew Your Business Name with the State
Your Louisiana trade name will expire after 10 years. You may renew it online or by completing and submitting this form. The cost for filing is $75.
You may send the completed form to the following address:
Division of Commerce
P.O. Box 94125
70804-9125 Baton Rouge, Louisiana
You may also hand it in to the Secretary of State’s office:
Secretary of State of Louisiana
Archives Avenue, 8585
70809 Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Change Your Company Name
Call the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Commercial Division at (225) 925-4704 for assistance in altering your DBA.
Remove Your Trade Name
Call the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Commercial Division at (225) 925-4704 for assistance in removing your DBA.