How to Publish a DBA Notice in a Newspaper

Step 1: Confirm Whether Your State Requires It at All

Newspaper publication isn't a universal DBA requirement; it's a specific rule a subset of states impose on top of the basic government filing. Before you spend time or money on a newspaper notice, confirm directly with your state's filing agency whether publication applies to your situation, since many states require nothing beyond the filing itself.

Step 2: Learn the Timing Your State Uses

Where publication is required, states differ on whether it comes before or after the government filing. Florida requires advertising the fictitious name at least once in a newspaper in the county of your principal place of business before you file the Fictitious Name Registration itself. Minnesota works the other way: its Certificate of Assumed Name must be published "after it has been filed with the secretary of state," for two successive issues, in a qualified newspaper in the county of the principal or registered office. Get this order right, since publishing at the wrong point can mean the notice doesn't satisfy the requirement.

Step 3: Find a Qualifying Newspaper

Most states that require publication specify that it has to run in a "qualified newspaper" or "newspaper of general circulation" in a specific county, usually where your principal place of business is located. Georgia goes further, requiring publication specifically in the county's official legal organ, meaning the particular newspaper designated to print legal notices like sheriff's advertisements for that county, not just any local paper. Ask the newspaper directly whether it holds this designation if your state requires a specific type of publication.

Step 4: Run the Notice for the Required Number of Issues

How many times the notice needs to run varies by state. Florida requires just one run before filing. Minnesota requires two successive issues after filing. Georgia requires publication once a week for two weeks, meaning two separate weekly runs in the county's legal organ, after the trade name registration is filed with the Clerk of Superior Court. Confirm your state's exact count and whether "successive" or "weekly" issues means something specific for that newspaper's publication schedule.

Step 5: Make Sure the Notice Includes the Required Content

A publication requirement often specifies what the notice itself has to say, not just that something runs. Pennsylvania's fictitious name statute requires the legal notice to include the fictitious name, the address of the principal place of business, the names and addresses of the owners, and a statement that a fictitious name registration is to be, or was, filed under Pennsylvania's naming statute. Many newspapers that regularly run these notices have a standard template built around these requirements; ask whether they can supply compliant wording rather than drafting it yourself.

Step 6: Get the Affidavit of Publication From the Newspaper

Once the notice has run its required number of times, the newspaper will typically provide a signed affidavit of publication confirming the dates and publication it ran under. Confirm with the newspaper in advance that they'll supply this document and how long it takes to arrive, especially in a state with a filing deadline tied to it.

Step 7: File the Affidavit if Your State Requires It

Some states require filing that affidavit with a government office on a specific deadline; others don't require filing it at all, just publishing the notice itself. California requires filing the affidavit with the county clerk within 45 days after publication is completed. Pennsylvania, by contrast, requires the publication itself but doesn't require filing proof of it with the Department of State. See our guide on DBA affidavit of publication for which states require the filing step and their deadlines.

Step 8: Budget for the Cost Separately From Your Filing Fee

Newspaper publication has its own cost, charged by the newspaper directly and separate from your government filing fee, typically running from roughly $40 to $175 depending on the newspaper and how many runs are required. Get a quote from a qualifying newspaper before you file, so the publication cost doesn't come as a surprise afterward.

Ask the Newspaper About Turnaround Time

If your state has a filing deadline tied to publication, like California's or Nebraska's affidavit deadline, confirm with the newspaper how quickly they can run the notice and provide the affidavit afterward. A newspaper with a weekly or biweekly print schedule may take longer than you expect to complete a multi-issue requirement.

Keep a Copy of the Actual Published Notice

In addition to any affidavit, save a copy or screenshot of the notice as it actually appeared, including the date and publication name. This can be useful if a question ever comes up about exactly what ran and when, beyond what the affidavit itself states.

Republishing After a Name Change

If you later change your DBA's name, check whether your state treats that change as requiring a fresh round of publication, the same as a brand-new filing would. See our guide on how to change a DBA name for more on that process.

Not Legal Advice

Publication requirements, including timing, the required number of runs, and what the notice must say, are set by state statute and can change. Confirm the current requirement with your state's filing agency before publishing, and consider asking the newspaper's legal notice department, which typically handles these regularly.