GETTING YOUR “DBA”

GETTING YOUR ¡°DBA¡±

Source: Houston Chronicle 1/20/2002

Question: How do I register a business name in Texas? What other licenses and permits do I need for

starting a business?

Answer: The first step is to contact the county clerk¡¯s office in the county where you will have your

principal place of business. For $11, you can obtain a DBA (Doing Business As), or Assumed Name

Certificate.

A DBA is valid for 10 years, and registers your business name with the county. It does not reserve your

name or grant you exclusivity for its use, however.

In Harris County, you are required to visit the clerk¡¯s office in person and pay your $11 fee in cash.

If you intend to do business in more than one county, a DBA must be filed in each. Contact the

appropriate county clerk¡¯s office for office locations, additional information and forms.

? Harris County¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­713-755-6436

? Ft. Bend County¡­¡­¡­¡­281-341-8652

? Montgomery County¡­¡­.281-353-9791

At the Harris County Clerk¡¯s website (co.harris.tx.us/cclerk), click on Assumed Names at the

bottom left-hand side of the page to send an e-mail with your questions about DBA permits. You can also

find which business names are already taken by searching the online database.

Certain business entities, such as limited partnerships and corporations, must register with the secretary of

state if they want to operate in Texas. If your business will be structures as a corporation, it is also

necessary to be sure that the name you register is unique and cannot be confused in any way with that of

another similar business entity.

To find out if your business name is already in use, contact the secretary of state at 512-463-5555 or visit

the website (sos.state.tx.us/corp).

Find the SOS District button for the secretary of state¡¯s online information. By subscribing, you can

access a variety of records and documents that are maintained by that office.

Once you have registered your business name, contact the Texas State Comptroller¡¯s Office to obtain a

sales tax permit and bond. There is no fee for this. Although there are exceptions, most products and many

services are subject to sales tax. Visit window.state.tx.us or call toll-free 1-800-252-5555.

If you will be paying wages to one or more employees, next contact the Internal Revenue Service toll-free

at 1-866-816-2065 to obtain an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. If you will be a sole proprietor

with no employees, your Social Security number is all you need.

If you want to download forms or find additional information about requirements, access the IRS website

(irs.). Look for the Small Business and Self Employed Community section.

In this section, you can find a schedule of free IRS small business workshops held at various locations.

The workshops are offered at least weekly, and some are taught in Spanish.

Finally, determine if your business must be registered with other agencies for additional licenses or

permits. To do so, visit ci.houston.tx.us and click on the ¡°One Stop Business Center¡± icon, or pick up

a ¡°Getting Started¡± packet at the City of Houston One Stop Business Center office, located at City Hall

Annex, 900 Bagby St., Public Level. The phone number for the Center is 713-663-7867.

You can also find much of the information you need for registering your business name and determining

other steps in starting your business at tded.state.tx.us/guide.

The Texas Department of Economic Development¡¯s online guide provides links to local, state and federal

regulatory agencies, as well as resources that will help you with a variety of business issues.

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