Register trade names

You must register a trade name, or “doing business as” name, per RCW 19.80.10 for:

A Sole Proprietor or Partnership using a name other than the full legal name of the owner or owners.
A Corporation, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Company operating under a name other than the name registered with the Office of the Secretary of State.
Any business name you are using that is not your full legal name.

Registering your trade name does not protect the name from use by others. A business can register an unlimited number of trade names.

A trade name will remain registered indefinitely until the owner requests that it be canceled. There is no charge for canceling a trade name.

If you also want to file a trademark or service mark, you may want to consult an attorney. If your business activities will extend beyond Washington State, it may be to your benefit to file for a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. If your business activities will stay within Washington, it may be to your benefit to file for a trademark with the Secretary of State.

Find out if a name is already in use

Our business lookup: General license
Secretary of State Corporations Registration Data Search: Corporation and limited liability company names.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Commission: Search for federally registered names.

Register a trade name

File a Business License Application online with My DOR.
Pay the $5 fee for each trade name registered and the Business License Application processing fee (non-refundable), see instructions on how to determine your processing fee.

Cancel a trade name

Online with My DOR.
By paper, using the Business Information Change form. Provide your Unified Business Identifier number (UBI), sign and date your request.