Should you trademark a DBA?
A DBA allows operating a business under a name distinct from its official designation. Registering a DBA enables operating under a pseudonym, valuable for branding and privacy. Assess if you should organize a separate entity for a distinct business; consult an experienced Business Attorney. You can trademark a DBA logo if used to brand products/services. Most states require registering your DBA if you use one. DBAs offer state-level protection only unlike federal trademarks. Both identify companies to consumers, but differ in coverage. Use both or either depending on business needs. A company may use DBAs for new ventures under its corporate name. Essentially a fictitious name registration, a DBA lets a company operate under a name besides its registered one. It doesn’t provide full legal coverage of a Corporation or LLC. If a Sole Proprietor does business under a name besides their own, they register a DBA with that alternate name.
Can you use a symbol in a DBA?
A DBA allows operating a business under a name distinct from its official designation. Registering a DBA enables operating under a pseudonym, valuable for branding and privacy. You should file a DBA for each name you do business under. Consult an experienced Business Attorney. You can trademark a DBA logo used to brand products/services. Most states require registering your DBA. DBAs offer state-level protection unlike federal trademarks. Both identify companies to consumers, but coverage differs. Use both or either depending on needs. A company may use DBAs for new ventures. Essentially a fictitious name registration, a DBA lets a company operate under another name. It doesn’t provide Corporation or LLC coverage. If a Sole Proprietor does business under another name, they register a DBA.
Trademarking Your DBA
By trademarking your DBA, you gain protections and keep competition from stealing names. A DBA and a Trademark help start + grow a business differently. A trademark grants exclusive name, logo, and tagline use. A DBA does not grant exclusivity. Another entity could use the same DBA. If identifying services or goods, protect your DBA name with a trademark. Brand name DBAs get intellectual property protection.