Connecticut DBA Filing: Trade Name Cost (2026)

Q: What is a DBA in Connecticut?

In Connecticut a DBA is called a trade name. It is a name a business uses that differs from the owner's legal name or an entity's exact registered name. You register it by filing a trade name certificate with the town clerk in each Connecticut town where you transact business, under General Statutes Section 35-1.

Q: Is registering a DBA required in Connecticut?

Yes. Unlike some states, Connecticut makes trade name registration mandatory. General Statutes Section 35-1 requires any person, partnership, LLC, or corporation transacting business under an assumed name to file a trade name certificate with the town clerk, and it sets a penalty for failing to do so.

Q: How much does a Connecticut trade name cost?

The recording fee is set by each town clerk, so the exact amount varies by town. It is a modest, one-time recording fee. Confirm the current fee with the town clerk where you will file before you submit the trade name certificate.

Q: Does a Connecticut trade name give me liability protection?

No. A trade name is only a registered name. It does not create a separate legal entity, gives no liability protection, and does not grant the exclusive rights a registered trademark provides. For a liability shield you form an LLC or corporation with the Connecticut Secretary of the State.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

In Connecticut a DBA is called a trade name, and you must file a trade name certificate with the town clerk in each town where you do business, under General Statutes Section 35-1. Registration is mandatory before you transact business under the name - not optional as in some states - and it gives no liability protection. You form an LLC or corporation for that.

Quick Answer

Connecticut term: Trade name - the DBA equivalent
Filed with: Town clerk in each town where you transact business (not the Secretary of the State)
Governing law: General Statutes § 35-1
Required?: Yes - mandatory, with a penalty for noncompliance
Filing fee: Set by each town clerk (confirm locally)
Liability protection: None - a trade name is only a name

What a Connecticut DBA (Trade Name) Is

A DBA ("doing business as") is a trade name a business uses that differs from the owner's legal name or from an entity's exact registered name. Connecticut's statutory term for it is a trade name, governed by General Statutes Section 35-1 in Chapter 621 (Assumed Business or Trade Name) and administered locally by the town clerk. A sole proprietor named Marcus Feldman who operates as "Nutmeg Handyman Services," or an LLC that markets a brand different from its exact registered name, files a trade name certificate so the public can connect the brand to the true owner. For the national concept, see what is a DBA.

A trade name is not a business entity. It provides no liability protection and does not change how you are taxed. If you want a liability shield, you form a Connecticut LLC or a corporation with the Connecticut Secretary of the State - an entirely separate filing from the town-clerk trade name certificate. See what an LLC is and sole proprietorship vs LLC for the difference.

Registration Is Required in Connecticut

Connecticut is stricter than states that make DBA registration optional. Under Section 35-1, every person, partnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation that conducts or transacts business in Connecticut under an assumed name - any name other than the true legal name of the owner or entity - must file a trade name certificate with the town clerk. The statute makes registration mandatory and sets a penalty for failing to file. Beyond the statutory penalty, an unregistered trade name can create practical problems: banks routinely require a filed trade name certificate before opening an account in the DBA name, and failing to register can complicate your ability to enforce contracts made under the name. Because the requirement is triggered by doing business under the name, file the certificate before you begin operating under the trade name.

Where You File: the Town Clerk

Connecticut trade names are filed at the municipal level, not the state level. You file the trade name certificate with the town clerk of each town where you conduct or transact business - so a business operating in more than one town may need to file in each one. This is a key difference from states like Oklahoma, where a DBA is filed once with the Secretary of State. In Connecticut, the Secretary of the State handles entity formation (the Certificate of Organization for an LLC) and the annual report, while the town clerk handles trade names. Since a 2021 Public Act took effect on January 1, 2022, town clerks use a uniform trade name certificate prescribed by the Secretary of the State, so the form is consistent statewide even though you submit it locally. Ask your town clerk for the current uniform certificate rather than using an out-of-date town form.

How to Register a Connecticut Trade Name Step by Step

The process runs through your town clerk:

Confirm the name. Check that your trade name is not already in use in a way that would mislead the public, and confirm it does not infringe a federal trademark. A trade name filing does not, by itself, guarantee exclusive rights.
Get the uniform trade name certificate. Obtain the current certificate from the town clerk where you will file. It asks for the trade name, the true owner's name and address, and the business address.
Sign and file with the town clerk. Complete the certificate and file it with the town clerk in each town where you transact business under the name. Some towns require the signature to be acknowledged (notarized).
Pay the recording fee. Pay the town clerk's recording fee, which is set locally. Keep your stamped copy with your business records.

Registering the trade name does not, by itself, get you a state tax permit or a local business license. If you sell taxable goods you also register for the Sales and Use Tax Permit with the Department of Revenue Services, covered below.

Connecticut DBA Fees and the Uniform Certificate (2026)

Because Connecticut trade names are filed with the town clerk, the recording fee is set by each town rather than by a single statewide schedule. The table shows the items a typical filer encounters; confirm the exact recording fee with the specific town clerk before you file.

Item	Where	Fee (2026)
Trade name certificate (per town)	Town clerk	Set locally (confirm with the town)
Certified copy of the certificate	Town clerk	Set locally
Form a Connecticut LLC instead	Secretary of the State	$120
Sales and Use Tax Permit (if selling taxable goods)	Department of Revenue Services	$100
Federal EIN	IRS	$0 (free)

The trade name certificate is a one-time filing to put the name on record with the town (you re-file only if the ownership or name changes, or if you begin doing business in a new town). Because it is not an entity, a trade name has no annual state fee of its own - but if the name is held by an LLC, that LLC still owes its $80 annual report to the Secretary of the State. Compare the trade-name route with the full Connecticut LLC cost if you are deciding between a DBA and forming an entity.

Trade Name vs LLC, EIN, and Trademark

A DBA is often confused with three other things. It is not a Connecticut LLC, which is a liability-protected entity created by filing a Certificate of Organization for $120 with the Secretary of the State. It does not by itself require a new EIN - a sole proprietor can use an existing EIN or Social Security number, and an LLC keeps its own EIN, because a trade name is just a name. And it is not a trademark: a Connecticut trade name certificate gives no exclusive nationwide rights, which come only from a registered trademark. See how to trademark a business name for brand protection, and remember a trade name does not replace a Connecticut annual report, a registered agent, or a local business license. If your goal is a liability shield rather than just a name, compare a DBA with forming an LLC or reviewing S-corp vs LLC treatment.

Taxes and Licenses for a Connecticut DBA

Registering a trade name does not register you for tax. Filing a DBA and paying taxes are handled by different offices: the town clerk records the trade name, while the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services handles tax registration. If your business sells taxable goods or services, you must obtain a Sales and Use Tax Permit before making sales; Section 12-409 sets the permit fee at $100, and permits renew biennially. A sole proprietor operating under a trade name reports business income on their personal Connecticut income tax return, because a trade name does not change how the business is taxed. Connecticut has no single general statewide business license, but many activities need local or professional licenses - see business licenses in Connecticut for what applies to your trade.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a DBA in Connecticut?

In Connecticut a DBA is a trade name - a name different from the owner's legal name. You register it by filing a trade name certificate with the town clerk in each town where you transact business, under General Statutes Section 35-1.

Is registering a DBA required in Connecticut?

Yes. Section 35-1 makes trade name registration mandatory for anyone transacting business under an assumed name, and it sets a penalty for failing to file with the town clerk.

Where do I file a Connecticut DBA?

With the town clerk of each Connecticut town where you conduct business, not with the Secretary of the State. Since January 1, 2022, towns use a uniform trade name certificate prescribed by the Secretary of the State.

How much does a Connecticut trade name cost?

The recording fee is set by each town clerk, so it varies by town. It is a modest, one-time recording fee - confirm the current amount with the town clerk where you file.

Does a Connecticut trade name give me liability protection?

No. A trade name is only a registered name. For a liability shield, form an LLC or corporation; for exclusive brand rights, register a trademark.

Sources

Connecticut General Statutes - § 35-1, Certificate required of person transacting business under assumed name; penalty (trade name certificate; town clerk filing; mandatory).
Connecticut General Statutes - Chapter 621, Assumed Business or Trade Name (statutory framework).
Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-247, Certificate of Organization (an LLC is formed separately from a trade name).
Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243u, Fees payable to Secretary of the State ($120 certificate of organization; $80 annual report).
Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243n, Registered agent (required for an LLC, not a trade name).
Connecticut General Statutes - § 12-409, Sales and use tax permit ($100 permit fee; biennial renewal).
Connecticut General Statutes - § 12-408, Imposition of sales tax (sellers must register).
Connecticut Secretary of the State - business.ct.gov online business services portal (entity formation, separate from trade names).
IRS - Doing Business As (a DBA does not by itself require a new EIN).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (entity vs trade name).
Cornell Law School LII - Trade name (definition and function).

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and deadlines change; verify current requirements with your Connecticut town clerk and the Connecticut Secretary of the State before acting.