DBA Renewal Requirements by State

Why Renewal Terms Differ So Much by State

DBA, trade name, and fictitious name filings are creatures of state (and sometimes county) law, with no federal standard behind them. Each filing agency sets its own term, fee, and renewal process independently, which is why one state expires a DBA every 2 years and another lets it run for 5 years, or not expire at all. There's no general rule you can apply across states; you need your specific state's own schedule.

States With a 5-Year Renewal Term

Five years is the single most common term among states that set one. Florida's Fictitious Name Registration lasts through December 31 of the fifth calendar year and is renewable for $50. Maryland's trade name registration is effective for 5 years, with renewal, also $25, available within 6 months before expiration. Michigan's Certificate of Assumed Name expires December 31 of the fifth calendar year following the year it was filed, with a $25 renewal. Hawaii's Trade Name registration is valid for five years, and the state recommends re-registering in the six months before expiration since its filing agency sends no reminder. Mississippi's Fictitious Business Name Registration runs 5 years and is renewable, New Hampshire's Trade Name Registration must be renewed every 5 years for $50, North Dakota's Trade Name Registration expires every 5 years and renews for $25, Connecticut's Trade Name Certificate is valid for five years under a law effective January 1, 2025, and Alaska's Business Name Registration gives exclusive rights to a name for five years, renewable each October 1 through December 31 of the expiration year.

States With Shorter Renewal Cycles

A smaller group of states renew more frequently. The District of Columbia requires renewal of its Trade Name Registration by April 1 of the second year after registration, and every two years after that, with a $55 renewal fee and a $55 late fee if you miss the date; an unrenewed trade name is canceled on September 1. Oregon's Assumed Business Name registration renews every 2 years for $50. Utah's D.B.A. registration is on the shortest common cycle, renewing every 3 years for $18, and Utah doesn't allow reinstating an expired D.B.A.; you have to register it again as new.

States With No Renewal Requirement

A few states don't require renewal at all once a DBA is filed. Rhode Island's Fictitious Business Name Statement has no expiration date and doesn't need to be renewed, according to its own filing form. Alabama's trade name registration technically runs for 5-year terms and can be renewed, but Alabama has no mandatory DBA filing for an LLC in the first place, since registering a trade name there is optional.

An Entity's DBA Can Be Tied to Its Own Status Instead of a Fixed Term

Colorado handles this differently from a fixed-term renewal. For an LLC (a "reporting entity"), its Statement of Trade Name in Colorado stays effective for as long as the LLC itself remains in Good Standing or Noncompliant status, with no separate periodic renewal required, unlike a sole proprietor's trade name in Colorado, which does expire after one year unless renewed. In a state structured this way, keeping your LLC itself in good standing, by filing its periodic report on time, is what keeps the DBA active.

Table: Verified Renewal Terms by State

Always Confirm the Current Term With Your Filing Agency

Renewal terms and fees change when states update their statutes, as Connecticut did effective January 1, 2025. Before relying on any renewal schedule, including this one, confirm the current term and fee directly on your state's Secretary of State or filing agency website, since even a state's own form can be revised between legislative sessions.

Set a Calendar Reminder the Day You File

Many states, including Hawaii, send no reminder before a DBA expires. Set your own renewal reminder the same day you file, timed to your state's specific renewal window, whether that's 2, 3, or 5 years out.

Some States Don't Allow Reinstating a Lapsed DBA

Utah specifically doesn't allow reinstating an expired D.B.A.; you have to register it again as new, which can mean losing your place if someone else claims the name in the gap. Treat your state's renewal deadline as firm, not as a grace-period suggestion, unless you've confirmed otherwise.

Renewal Fees Are Usually Separate From the Original Filing Fee

A renewal fee is often the same as, or close to, the original filing fee, but it's a distinct payment made on its own schedule; it's not automatically deducted or billed without action on your part. Budget for it the same way you'd budget for your LLC's own annual report fee.

Keep Renewal in Mind Alongside Your LLC's Own Compliance

If your DBA belongs to an LLC, you're already tracking that LLC's annual report deadline; add the DBA's renewal date to the same compliance calendar so neither one lapses unnoticed. LLC Register's $99-a-year registered agent service includes annual report filing for the LLC itself, which can make it easier to keep that half of your compliance on schedule even if the DBA renewal is tracked separately.