How to Register a DBA in Florida

Step 1: Confirm You Need One

A Florida fictitious name is only required if your business operates under a name different from its exact legal name, whether that's your own name as a sole proprietor or your LLC's or corporation's full legal name as filed with the state. If you only ever use your exact legal name, you don't need this filing.

Step 2: Check Name Availability

Search the Division of Corporations' fictitious name records through its official search tool before you advertise or file, since the state can reject a filing for a name that's already registered. This search doesn't check federal trademarks, so also search the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Search System separately if trademark conflicts matter to you.

Step 3: Confirm Your Entity Is Active, if Applicable

If an LLC or corporation is the one registering the fictitious name, confirm it's active and in good standing on Sunbiz first. Florida won't accept a fictitious name filing tied to an entity that isn't currently active in its records.

Step 4: Advertise the Name in a Newspaper

Before registering, Florida requires the proposed fictitious name to be advertised at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where your principal place of business is located, per Florida Statutes Section 865.09. This step happens before the registration is filed, not after, which is the reverse of some other states' publication rules, so don't skip straight to filing without placing the ad first.

Step 5: File the Registration Through Sunbiz

Once the advertisement has run, file your Fictitious Name Registration online through the Division of Corporations' Sunbiz e-file system, or by submitting the paper form. The filing fee is $50. You'll need the fictitious name, your principal business address, and the name and address of each owner or the registering entity's document number.

Step 6: Keep Proof of the Advertisement

While Florida's process centers on the advertisement happening before filing, keep your proof of publication, such as a copy of the newspaper or the publisher's confirmation, with your business records in case it's ever needed to resolve a question about your filing.

Step 7: Track Your Renewal Date

Your Florida fictitious name registration runs through December 31 of the fifth calendar year after you filed, not five years from the exact filing date. Renewal costs $50 and can also be completed through Sunbiz; missing the deadline lets the registration lapse, after which reactivating it typically means filing again as new.

Updating or Canceling the Registration Later

If you change the business address, add or remove an owner, or otherwise update the registration, you can typically update several fields directly through Sunbiz, though adding or deleting an owner requires publishing that change in an approved newspaper in the county of the principal place of business. If your LLC formed in Florida needs more on the entity itself, see our guide to the Florida LLC formation process.

Confirm Which Newspaper Qualifies

Florida's statute requires a newspaper of general circulation in the relevant county; a free local bulletin or an out-of-county publication may not satisfy the requirement, so confirm with the newspaper or the Division of Corporations before placing the ad.

File the Entity First if You Haven't Yet

If you haven't yet formed your LLC, form and activate it on Sunbiz before attempting the fictitious name filing, since Florida ties the fictitious name registration to an entity that's already on record.

Budget for the Renewal, Not Just the Initial Fee

The $50 you pay at filing isn't a one-time cost; plan for another $50 renewal before December 31 of the fifth calendar year, and set a reminder well ahead of that date.

Not Legal Advice

Florida's fictitious name rules can change, and county-level newspaper options vary. Confirm current requirements directly with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, before you advertise or file.