North Carolina DBA Filing: Cost & Steps (2026)
In North Carolina, a DBA is called an assumed business name, and you register it by filing an Assumed Business Name Certificate with the county Register of Deeds. The recording fee is set by state law and is commonly $26. One filing is effective in all 100 counties and is added to the statewide database maintained by the Secretary of State.
Quick Answer
- What it is called
- Assumed Business Name (North Carolina's term for a DBA / trade name)
- Document
- Assumed Business Name Certificate
- Where to file
- County Register of Deeds (not the Secretary of State)
- Fee
- Recording fee set by G.S. 161-10 - commonly $26 (confirm with your county)
- Coverage
- One filing is effective statewide in all 100 counties
- Governing law
- Assumed Business Name Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 66, Article 14A
What Is a North Carolina DBA (Assumed Business Name)?
A DBA - short for "doing business as" - is a trade name that a business uses instead of its owner's legal name or its registered entity name. North Carolina does not use the phrase "DBA" in its statutes; the legal term is assumed business name. The rules are set out in the Assumed Business Name Act, codified at North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 66, Article 14A, which the General Assembly enacted to replace the older law effective December 1, 2017.
The purpose of the law is transparency: when a business operates under a name that is not its true legal name, the public - customers, creditors, and courts - should be able to find out who actually stands behind that name. Filing an Assumed Business Name Certificate creates that public record. A DBA is not a business structure; it does not create a separate legal entity, and it does not by itself limit your liability. If you want liability protection, you form an LLC or corporation, and the DBA sits on top of that entity. For the national overview of trade names, see what is a DBA.
Who Must File an Assumed Business Name Certificate
You must file if you regularly conduct business in North Carolina under a name that is not your legal name. This applies across business structures:
- Sole proprietors. An individual doing business under any name other than their own legal name (for example, "Sarah Chen" trading as "Blue Ridge Bakery") must file.
- General partnerships. A partnership operating under a name that does not include the surnames of all partners generally must file.
- LLCs and corporations. A registered entity that does business under any name other than the exact legal name on its formation record must file. If your North Carolina LLC uses only its registered name, no assumed name is required.
The obligation attaches to the use of the name in business, not to your intentions. If two people co-own the trade name, both are listed as owners on the certificate. A single certificate can list more than one assumed name and more than one owner, which is useful when several related brands share the same ownership.
Where to File: County Register of Deeds
North Carolina assumed business names are filed at the county level with the Register of Deeds, not with the Secretary of State. This is a frequent point of confusion because corporations and LLCs register their entity with the Secretary of State - but the assumed name goes to the Register of Deeds. Under G.S. 66-71.4, you file in the office of the Register of Deeds in a county in which you engage in or intend to engage in business.
The important modern feature of the Act is statewide effect: you no longer have to record the same certificate separately in every county where you operate. A certificate filed in one county's Register of Deeds is legally effective in all 100 counties, because the county forwards the record into a central, searchable database. That single-filing rule is one of the biggest practical changes the 2017 Act made. Contact information and hours for each office are published by the individual county governments, so plan to check your county's Register of Deeds page before you go.
North Carolina Assumed Business Name Filing Fee (2026)
The cost of a North Carolina DBA is a single recording fee paid to the Register of Deeds. The fee is set by statute (G.S. 161-10), and the standard charge for recording an Assumed Business Name Certificate is commonly $26. Because counties occasionally add small charges for extra pages or certified copies, confirm the exact figure with your county Register of Deeds before filing.
| Item | Where | Fee (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Record an Assumed Business Name Certificate | County Register of Deeds | Commonly $26 (G.S. 161-10) |
| Amended Assumed Business Name Certificate | County Register of Deeds | Same recording fee |
| Withdrawal of assumed business name | County Register of Deeds | Same recording fee |
| Certified copy of a recorded certificate | County Register of Deeds | Per-page copy fee (varies) |
| Federal EIN for the business | IRS | $0 (free) |
There is no annual renewal fee for an assumed business name in North Carolina - you pay once to record it and pay again only if you amend or withdraw it. Compare this to the recurring cost of a registered entity in North Carolina LLC cost.
How to File Your North Carolina DBA, Step by Step
The process is short. Each step below maps to a requirement in Article 14A.
- Search the name first. Check the Secretary of State's statewide assumed business name database and its entity records so your chosen name is not already in heavy use and does not collide with an existing LLC or corporation name. A DBA search does not guarantee exclusivity, but it avoids obvious conflicts.
- Complete the Assumed Business Name Certificate. The state provides a standardized form. You list the assumed name(s), the real name and address of each owner, the nature of the business, and the counties in which you use the name. G.S. 66-71.5 governs the required contents.
- Sign the certificate. Each owner signs. For an entity, an authorized person signs on its behalf. Some Register of Deeds offices require signatures to be acknowledged (notarized), so check your county's instructions.
- File with the Register of Deeds. Submit the completed certificate to the Register of Deeds in a county where you do business and pay the recording fee (commonly $26). Many counties accept the certificate in person, by mail, and some through an e-recording service.
- Keep your stamped copy. Banks often ask for the recorded certificate before opening an account under the trade name. Store it with your EIN confirmation and other formation records.
The Statewide Assumed Business Name Database
Since December 1, 2017, the North Carolina Secretary of State has maintained a central, online, searchable database of assumed business name certificates recorded across the state. When your county Register of Deeds records your certificate, the record flows into this database, which is why a single filing reaches all 100 counties. Anyone can search the database at no charge to find the real owner behind an assumed name.
Two caveats matter. First, the database only contains certificates recorded on or after December 1, 2017; older filings under the prior law are not necessarily included. Second, the database records the assumed-name filing - it is separate from the Secretary of State's entity records for LLCs and corporations. If you are researching a company, you may need to check both the assumed business name search and the business entity records. For general business searches in other states, see our glossary and the Michigan business entity search guide for a comparison of how these tools differ by state.
A DBA Does Not Create an LLC, Trademark, or Tax ID
Registering an assumed business name is often the first paperwork a new business files, so it is easy to overestimate what it does. An assumed business name certificate is a notice document. It does not:
- Create liability protection. Only forming an entity does that. If you want a legal shield, compare S-corp vs LLC and read how to form an LLC in North Carolina.
- Grant exclusive rights to the name. Two businesses can hold similar assumed names. Enforceable brand rights come only from a trademark registration.
- Serve as a tax ID. You still apply separately for a federal EIN and, if you sell taxable goods, register with the North Carolina Department of Revenue for a Certificate of Registration to collect sales and use tax.
- Replace licenses. Depending on your activity and location, you may still need state or local permits - see business licenses.
If you are a sole proprietor, an assumed name plus an EIN and any needed license may be all you need to operate; a partnership should also have a written agreement, and an entity should keep its operating agreement current.
Changing, Withdrawing, or Correcting Your DBA
Your certificate must stay accurate. When ownership changes, when you add or drop an assumed name, or when you stop using a name entirely, file the appropriate follow-up with the Register of Deeds. To update the information, file an amended Assumed Business Name Certificate. To stop using the name, file a withdrawal. Each follow-up filing carries the same recording fee as the original.
Because the certificate does not expire on a fixed date, the main compliance risk is a stale record - a name that lists an owner who has sold the business, or a business that quietly dissolved without withdrawing its assumed name. If you close the business, coordinate the DBA withdrawal with your other wind-up steps; see how to dissolve an LLC for the entity side. Keep a North Carolina registered agent current if you also operate a registered entity, and track any annual report obligations separately from the DBA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a DBA cost in North Carolina?
The recording fee is set by state law (G.S. 161-10) and is commonly $26, paid to the county Register of Deeds. Fees can vary slightly by county, so confirm the amount with your Register of Deeds before filing.
Where do I file a DBA in North Carolina?
With the Register of Deeds in a county where you engage in business. Under the Assumed Business Name Act, a single filing is effective in all 100 counties and is added to the statewide database.
Do I file a North Carolina DBA with the Secretary of State?
No. Assumed business names are filed with the county Register of Deeds. The Secretary of State only maintains the searchable statewide database of certificates recorded on or after December 1, 2017.
Does a North Carolina assumed business name expire?
Not on a fixed schedule, but it must stay accurate. File an amended certificate when the name, owner, or counties change, and a withdrawal when you stop using the name.
Does a DBA protect my business name in North Carolina?
No. It lets you operate under a name and identifies the owner, but it does not grant exclusive rights. Only a state or federal trademark provides enforceable protection.
Does an LLC need a DBA in North Carolina?
Only if the LLC operates under a name different from its registered legal name. If it uses only its formation name, no assumed business name is required.
Related
- What is a DBA? (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in North Carolina
- North Carolina registered agent requirements
- How much does a North Carolina LLC cost?
- How to get an EIN
- How to register a trademark
- Michigan DBA filing (sibling state)
Sources
- North Carolina Secretary of State - Assumed Business Names (statewide database; December 1, 2017 effective date).
- North Carolina Secretary of State - Assumed Business Name Search.
- North Carolina Secretary of State - Business Registration Division.
- North Carolina General Assembly - Chapter 66, Article 14A, Assumed Business Name Act.
- North Carolina General Assembly - G.S. 66-71.1, Definitions.
- North Carolina General Assembly - G.S. 66-71.4, Filing of certificate (file with Register of Deeds; statewide effect).
- North Carolina General Assembly - G.S. 66-71.5, Contents of certificate.
- North Carolina General Assembly - G.S. 161-10, Uniform Register of Deeds fees (assumed business name recording fee).
- North Carolina Department of Revenue - Business Registration (Certificate of Registration, Form NC-BR).
- North Carolina Department of Revenue - Sales and Use Tax.
- Wake County, North Carolina - Filing an Assumed Name (DBA) (county Register of Deeds procedure).
- North Carolina General Statutes - Chapter 66, Article 14A (full text mirror).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
- IRS - Sole Proprietorships (trade names and EINs).
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 procedures change and vary by county; verify current requirements with your North Carolina county Register of Deeds and the North Carolina Secretary of State before acting.