An assumed name is a DBA (doing business as) in Iowa. Obtaining an Iowa DBA registration will not safeguard your personal assets. Forming a formal company structure, such as an LLC or corporation, can provide you with liability protection as well as a business name.
To begin with an Iowa DBA, choose your company entity type:
Partnership or sole proprietorship (if your business is not a formal structure)
Corporation, LLC, or LLP (if your business has a formal structure such as LLC or corporation)
Fill up an Iowa DBA application for a sole proprietorship or general partnership.
General partnerships and single proprietors must register their Iowa DBA with the County Recorder in the county in which their company is situated. Estates and real estate investment trusts must also register with the county.
A general partnership is a company created by two or more persons that does not have a formal corporate structure. A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business held by a single person. In either scenario, the company name is the same as the proprietors’ names. In these circumstances, a DBA might be advantageous for altering the company name to a more marketable one.
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.
Step 1: Conduct an Iowa trade name search.
In Iowa, registering a trade name does not prohibit other firms from registering the same name, but it does notify other companies that the name is in use. Trade names should be distinctive, and they must also fit Iowa’s company name standards.
To begin, go to the Iowa Secretary of State’s website and look for your new DBA name to ensure it isn’t currently in use.
Review the Iowa naming criteria next. In Iowa, assumed names shall NOT contain the following words:
Words that may cause confusion between your company and a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.)
Restricted terms (for example, bank, attorney, university) may need extra documentation and the participation of a licenced professional, such as a doctor or lawyer, in your operation.
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.
After reserving a domain name for your DBA, consider installing a business phone system to improve customer service and trustworthiness. We suggest Phone.com because of its low prices and wide range of beneficial features. Phone.com can help you get started.
Do you need assistance in developing a brand name and logo?
Try our company name generator if you need assistance coming up with a DBA name. Then, using our free logo generator, design a one-of-a-kind logo for your company.
Step 2: File a DBA with the County Recorder in Iowa.
To operate under a DBA, sole proprietors and partnerships must submit a trade name application with the relevant county recorder’s office(s).
Sole proprietors and partnerships must file in any county where they conduct or transact business.
We will walk you through the process of obtaining a Polk County DBA (Des Moines). Please contact your county recorder for guidance in other counties.
The Iowa State Association of Counties has contact information for your counties.
How to Register a DBA in Polk County
It is a good idea to examine the Iowa state business name database as well as local county records at the county office before beginning the DBA filing procedure.
After you’ve decided on a name, fill out the Trade Name Registration form and send it to the Polk County Recorder. The form may be returned by mail or in person.
Control Your Polk County DBA
DBA Concerns
The Polk County Recorder’s Office may be reached at (515) 286-3160.
Renewal of Your DBA
Your business name will not expire.
Modify Your DBA
To modify your trade name, you must complete a new registration. By submitting the trade name registration form and ticking either the “Add/Withdrawal Name(s) of Partners” or the “Change of Address” boxes, you may update information such as addresses and owners’ names.
Remove Your DBA
Fill out the trade name registration form and mark the “dissolve trade name” box.
Create an Iowa DBA for an LLC, Corporation, or LLP.
The Iowa Department of State receives Certificates of Assumed Name from incorporated firms.
The following sorts of businesses are considered incorporated:
Corporations, both for profit and non-profit
Professional Corporations and Associations
Limited Partnerships, often known as Limited Liability Partnerships,
Companies with Limited Liability
Entities Filing from Outside the U.S.
Step 1: Conduct a business entity search in Iowa.
In Iowa, registering a fake name does not prohibit other firms from registering the same name, but it does notify other companies that the name is in use. Trade names should be distinctive, and they must also fit Iowa’s company name standards.
To begin, go to the Iowa Department of State’s website and look for your new DBA name to ensure it isn’t currently in use.
Review the Iowa naming criteria next. In Iowa, assumed names shall NOT contain the following words:
Words that may cause confusion between your company and a government agency (FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.)
Restricted terms (for example, bank, attorney, university) may need extra documentation and the participation of a licenced professional, such as a doctor or lawyer, in your operation.
Step 2: Submit Your Fictitious Name Resolution in Iowa
If your company is incorporated, you must register your DBA with the Iowa Secretary of State.
You may file either online or on paper. The form will request your new DBA name as well as company details.
Control Your Iowa DBA
DBA Concerns
Call the Iowa Secretary of State’s office at (515) 281-5204.
Renew Your Business Name with the State
Your fictional name in Iowa does not expire.