DBA Filing Cost Estimator

Add up what registering a "doing business as" name really costs — the county or state filing fee, newspaper publication if your area requires it, and renewals down the road. Every fee is editable, and results update as you type.

📖 How it works & FAQ

County / state filing fee ($)

Newspaper publication required?

Publication cost ($)

Renewal fee ($)

DBA term (renew every N years)

Years to estimate

What a DBA actually costs

A DBA ("doing business as," also called a fictitious business name, trade name, or assumed name) lets you operate under a name other than your legal one. The registration itself is usually cheap, but the sticker price on the county website rarely tells the whole story. Most filers pay two or three separate costs: the county or state filing fee (commonly $10–$100, with $50 a typical midpoint), a newspaper publication fee in states that require you to announce the new name in a local paper (California, Georgia, Florida for certain filings, and others), and a renewal fee every few years, since many jurisdictions expire DBAs after 5 or 10 years. This estimator adds all three so you can see the first-year cost and the true multi-year total before you file. Estimates only, not professional, financial, tax, or legal advice; rates & fees vary by state and county.

How to use it

Enter your county or state filing fee. Look it up on your county clerk or secretary of state site and replace the $50 default.
Set whether newspaper publication is required in your area. If yes, enter the quoted publication cost; if no, that line is skipped.
Enter the renewal fee and how often the DBA must be renewed (many places use a 5-year term).
Choose how many years to estimate. The results update instantly with your first-year cost, the total over that horizon, and the average cost per year.

FAQ

Do all states require newspaper publication?: No. Only a minority of states require you to publish a notice of your fictitious name in a local newspaper. Check your county clerk's instructions; if publication is not required, flip the toggle to No.
How often does a DBA need to be renewed?: It varies. Common terms are 5 years (California) or 10 years, while some states register the name indefinitely until you abandon it. Set the term field to match your jurisdiction, or set the years-to-estimate equal to the term if renewals never apply.
Is a DBA the same as forming an LLC?: No. A DBA is only a name registration; it creates no separate legal entity and no liability protection. LLC formation is a different filing with its own, usually higher, fees.
Are there other costs this tool doesn't include?: Possibly: certified copies, notary fees, or a new business bank account's requirements. They're usually small, but add them to the filing fee field if you want them counted.