File a DBA in Connecticut

Step 3: Complete and notarize the application

The application asks for the trade name, your legal name, your business street address, and a brief description of your business. A PO Box alone is not sufficient—you must provide a physical street address.

Once complete, the application must be hand signed (electronic or typed signatures are not accepted) and notarized. Notarization means you sign in front of a licensed notary public who verifies your identity and witnesses your signature. You cannot sign at home and bring the form to a notary afterward. Notaries are commonly available at banks and shipping stores; the Connecticut Secretary of the State's office maintains a notary lookup for your area.

Step 4: File with the town clerk's office

Bring your completed, notarized application to the town clerk in the municipality where your business is located or primarily operates. If you conduct business in multiple towns, you may need to file a separate certificate in each. Contact each town clerk to confirm.

Payment methods vary by town—some accept only cash, check, or money order; others accept credit cards. Confirm before you go. The Connecticut Town Clerks Association maintains a directory of all town clerk offices statewide.

Step 5: Pay the filing fee and receive confirmation

The filing fee is $20, paid at submission. After recording your trade name, the clerk will give you a certified copy of the filed certificate—the document most banks require to open a business account under your trade name. Keep it accessible.

How much does a DBA cost in Connecticut?

• Filing fee: $20, due at submission
• Renewal fee: $20, due every five years
• Notarization fee: Typically $5–$15, paid to the notary before you reach the town clerk's office
• Additional municipal fees: Some towns charge small administrative fees on top of the state fee. Confirm with your town clerk before you file.

The notarization cost is the one that catches people off guard—it happens outside the town clerk's office and is not included in the $20 statutory fee. If you operate in multiple municipalities and file a separate certificate in each, the $20 fee applies per location.

There is no publication requirement for Connecticut trade names.

How to check if a business name is available in CT

1. Search the Connecticut Secretary of the State's business registry. Use the state's online registry or LegalZoom's Connecticut business name search tool to check LLCs, corporations, and other state-registered entities. This does not surface locally filed trade names.
2. Contact the town clerk's office where you plan to file. Trade names exist only in local records. Call or visit and ask them to search their trade name index. This is the step most filers skip, and the one most likely to surface a direct conflict.
3. Search the USPTO trademark database. A federal trademark gives its owner nationwide rights. Even if no Connecticut entity is using your name, a federal trademark holder could object to your use of it. Search at tmsearch.uspto.gov before you commit.
4. Check domain names and social media handles. Not a legal requirement, but a name that is legally available yet claimed across every relevant platform puts you at a disadvantage from day one.

None of these searches guarantees a hold on the name. The clock starts only when the town clerk stamps your application.

Connecticut trade name forms, signature rules, and notarization requirements

Connecticut offers two trade name application forms. Natural persons use the Trade Name Application for Natural Persons. LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, partnerships, and foreign business organizations use the Trade Name Application for Business Organizations. Using the wrong form is a guaranteed rejection.

Two requirements apply across all filer types: the application must be hand-signed and notarized.

Hand-signed means a wet-ink signature by the correct authorized party—the individual filing, or an authorized officer or member for business entities. Electronic signatures and typed names are not accepted.

Notarized means you sign in front of a licensed notary public who witnesses the act in real time. Signing at home and bringing the form to a notary afterward does not satisfy this requirement.

If you submit an application that is unsigned, missing notarization, or improperly notarized, the town clerk will reject it on the spot. You will need to complete a corrected application, schedule another notary appointment, and return to the clerk's office.

Pre-filing checklist

• Name availability confirmed: Searched the state business registry and contacted the town clerk to verify the name is not already in use locally.
• Correct form selected: Trade Name Application for Natural Persons (individuals) or Trade Name Application for Business Organizations (LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, partnerships, foreign entities).
• Trade name entered correctly: Matches exactly what you intend to use in business.
• Legal name entered correctly: Your full legal name or entity's registered legal name appears as required.
• Street address provided: Physical street address listed. PO Box alone is not sufficient.
• Business description included: Brief description of the nature of your business is completed.
• Application hand signed: Correct authorized party has signed with a wet-ink signature in front of a notary public.
• Notarization complete: Licensed notary public has witnessed the signature, verified identity, and stamped or sealed the document.
• Payment ready: Confirmed the town clerk's accepted payment methods and have the correct form of payment for the $20 filing fee.
• Copies made: Made a copy of the completed, notarized application before submitting the original.

How long a Connecticut DBA lasts: Renewal, amendment, and cancellation

Once your trade name is successfully filed, the registration requires periodic maintenance to remain active and accurate, including understanding the necessary steps for renewal, amending details, and formally canceling the name when it is no longer in use.

Renewal

A Connecticut trade name registration is valid for five years from the date recorded by the town clerk. To keep it active, file a new trade name application before expiration and pay the $20 fee. The process is identical to the original filing.

If the registration lapses, your trade name is no longer on record and another individual or business could register that same name in your town. There is no grace period, so mark the expiration date as soon as you receive your certified copy.

Amendment

If your business address or other registered details change, contact the town clerk's office where you originally filed—requirements vary by municipality. If you want to change the trade name itself, file a new trade name application for the new name and cancel the old one separately.

Cancellation

When you stop doing business under a trade name, file a Trade Name Cancellation form with the same town clerk's office that holds your original registration. Both individuals and business organizations use the same cancellation form, available through the Connecticut Secretary of the State's website.

DBA vs. LLC vs. trademark in Connecticut

Understanding the difference between registering a name and creating a formal legal entity is critical when starting a business. While all three terms—trade name, LLC, and trademark—involve your business name, they serve fundamentally different purposes related to liability, name exclusivity, and legal structure.

Connecticut trade name vs. LLC

A trade name is purely a name registration. It does not change your legal structure, create a separate entity, or limit personal liability.

An LLC is a separate legal entity. An LLC member generally is not personally responsible for the company's debts and legal obligations. A sole proprietor operating under a trade name remains personally liable for everything the business owes. If a customer sues "Spotless CT" and that is a trade name for Jane Smith, Jane Smith's personal assets are on the line. If liability protection is part of your goal, a trade name alone does not get you there. For a full comparison of your options, see how to start an LLC in Connecticut.

Connecticut trade name vs. trademark

A Connecticut trade name registration records that you are using a name. It does not give you exclusive rights to it—two businesses in different Connecticut towns can hold registrations for the same name simultaneously.

A federal trademark registered through the USPTO grants nationwide exclusive rights to use a name in commerce within a specific category of goods or services. LegalZoom's trademark search services can help you check existing, pending, and common-law trademarks before you apply.

If you operate or plan to operate in other states, see DBA requirements in other states for a comparison of how other jurisdictions handle trade name registration.

Common reasons a Connecticut trade name application gets rejected

Despite the seemingly straightforward nature of trade name registration, many applications are returned to the filer due to preventable errors. Understanding the most frequent issues, from logistical missteps to non-compliant forms, is essential to ensuring a swift and successful filing process with your town clerk.

• Missing hand signature. Wet-ink signature from the correct authorized party is required. Electronic signatures and typed names are not accepted.
• No notarization or incomplete notarization. You must sign in front of the notary, who witnesses the act in real time. A stamp applied after the fact does not count.
• PO Box used as the business address. A physical street address is required.
• Prohibited name terms. Words like "bank," "trust," and "insurance," or terms implying government affiliation or a different legal structure, require special authorization.
• Wrong form for the filer type. Individuals and business organizations use separate forms. Submitting the wrong one results in automatic rejection.
• Unaccepted payment method. Payment policies vary by municipality. Confirm before you go.

File your Connecticut DBA with LegalZoom

If you would prefer to have the process handled for you rather than managing the notarization logistics and town-level filing yourself, you can file your Connecticut DBA with LegalZoom. LegalZoom's service fee is charged separately from the $20 Connecticut state filing fee, and both costs will be disclosed clearly before you complete your order.