How Do You Get a DBA in Michigan?
Plenty of business owners reach a point where their legal business name no longer fits what they're actually selling. A landscaping sole proprietorship might want to operate as "Great Lakes Yard Co." instead of the owner's own name, or an LLC formed under a generic holding name might want a friendlier brand for customers. Getting there legally means filing what Michigan calls a certificate of assumed name, which most people simply refer to as a DBA. If you've been asking how do you get a DBA in Michigan, the short answer is that it depends entirely on your business structure, since the state splits this process between two very different offices.
Unlike states that funnel every assumed name filing through a single agency, Michigan requires sole proprietors and general partnerships to register locally with their county clerk, while LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships register at the state level through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, commonly known as LARA. Knowing which path applies to you before you start filling out paperwork will save you time, a wasted filing fee, and a possible rejection.
What a DBA Means in Michigan
Michigan law doesn't technically use the phrase "DBA." Instead, the relevant statutes refer to a certificate of assumed name, and county-level filings for informal businesses are formally labeled a certificate of persons conducting business under an assumed name. Regardless of the label, the purpose stays the same: it lets a business operate publicly under a name different from the one on its formation documents, or different from the owner's own legal name in the case of a sole proprietor.
It helps to understand what a DBA does not do, because a surprising number of new business owners assume it accomplishes more than it actually does. Filing an assumed name does not create a new legal entity, does not change how the business is taxed, and does not provide any liability protection. A sole proprietor who files a DBA is still personally responsible for business debts and lawsuits, exactly as before. If you want that kind of separation between personal and business finances, you'd need to form an LLC or corporation first, and then, if you still want a different public-facing name, file the assumed name certificate on top of that structure.
Filing a DBA for Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships
If your business is a sole proprietorship or a general partnership, sometimes called a co-partnership under Michigan law, you'll register your assumed name directly with the county clerk in the county where your business is located. This is the most common route people take when they first ask how do I get a DBA in Michigan, since sole proprietorships make up a large share of small businesses in the state. You'll need to file in every county where your business actually conducts operations, not just the county where you happen to live, so businesses that serve customers across county lines may need more than one filing.
Most county clerk offices, including larger ones like Wayne, Oakland, and Kent County, provide their own version of the assumed name form, though the underlying requirements stay consistent statewide under Michigan's assumed names statute. The form typically asks for the proposed assumed name, the legal name and address of each business owner, and a description of the business. Signatures generally need to be notarized, and many county clerk offices will notarize the document on the spot if you file in person, which can save you a separate trip. Filing fees at the county level usually run somewhere between $10 and $16, though the exact amount varies by county, so it's worth confirming the current fee with your specific clerk's office before you show up or mail your paperwork.
Before submitting anything, the clerk's office will typically check whether your proposed name is already in use locally, and county clerks have the authority to reject any assumed name that seems likely to mislead the public or that closely resembles an existing business name. Running your own search through the Michigan LARA business entity database ahead of time is a smart habit, since it catches conflicts with statewide registered entities that a county-level search alone might miss.
Filing a DBA for LLCs and Corporations Through LARA
Formally registered businesses, including LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships, skip the county clerk entirely and file directly with LARA's Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau. The form you'll need is the Certificate of Assumed Name, officially numbered CSCL/CD-541, and it covers your business no matter which county or counties you operate in, since it's a single statewide filing rather than a county-by-county process.
You have three ways to submit this form: online through the LARA Corporations Online Filing System, by mail with a check made payable to the State of Michigan, or in person. Filing online tends to be the fastest option and typically requires signing in with the PIN and customer ID number your business received when it originally registered with the state. The filing fee differs depending on your entity type, landing at $10 for corporations and limited partnerships, compared to $25 for LLCs. Whichever method you choose, expect processing to take roughly one to two weeks, since Michigan doesn't currently offer an expedited option for assumed name filings the way it does for some other business filings.
Naming rules apply here as well. LARA won't approve an assumed name that includes restricted terms tied to regulated industries, such as banking or deposits, and you generally can't use designations like Inc., Corp., LLC, or LLP within the assumed name itself, since those suggest a formal entity type that doesn't match how the name is actually being used. Names that closely resemble government agencies, such as FBI or ATF, are also off-limits. Running a name search through the LARA Corporations Online Filing System before you file is the easiest way to confirm your chosen name is available and compliant.
| Business Type | Where to File | Filing Fee | Renewal Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship | County clerk (each county of operation) | Roughly $10 to $16 | 5 years |
| General partnership | County clerk (each county of operation) | Roughly $10 to $16 | 5 years |
| Corporation or limited partnership | LARA Corporations Division (Form CSCL/CD-541) | $10 | 5 years |
| LLC | LARA Corporations Division (Form CSCL/CD-541) | $25 | 5 years |
Renewing, Changing, or Canceling Your Michigan DBA
Once approved, a Michigan assumed name stays valid for five years, whether you filed with a county clerk or with LARA, which is notably shorter than the ten-year terms some other states allow. Renewal requires refiling the same certificate before the term expires; there's no separate short-form renewal, so you're essentially repeating the original filing process and paying the original fee again. Missing the renewal window means your assumed name is no longer officially registered, even if you keep using it in practice, which can create complications with banks or vendors who ask to see current documentation.
If you decide to stop using an assumed name altogether, the process depends on where you originally filed. Businesses registered through LARA can terminate their certificate through the Corporations Online Filing System or by submitting a Certificate of Termination of Assumed Name, while county-level filers submit a Certificate of Discontinuance of Business Under an Assumed Name to their county clerk. Both routes typically charge the same fee as the original registration. It's worth noting that canceling an assumed name has no effect on your underlying legal entity; if you're closing an LLC or corporation entirely, that requires a separate dissolution filing with LARA, not just a discontinuance of the trade name.
How much does it cost to get a DBA in Michigan?
Costs depend on your business structure. Sole proprietors and general partnerships typically pay between $10 and $16 to their county clerk, while corporations and limited partnerships pay $10 to LARA and LLCs pay $25. Since fees can vary by county and occasionally change at the state level, it's worth confirming the current amount with your county clerk or LARA before filing.
Do I need a lawyer to file a Michigan DBA?
No, filing an assumed name in Michigan is designed to be handled without legal representation, and most business owners complete it on their own through the county clerk or the LARA online filing system. That said, if your business structure is more complex, such as a multi-entity partnership adopting a shared assumed name, brief legal guidance can help you avoid naming conflicts or paperwork errors.
How long does a Michigan assumed name last before I need to renew it?
A Michigan certificate of assumed name is valid for five years from the date of filing, regardless of whether it was registered at the county or state level. To keep using the name afterward, you'll need to refile the same certificate and pay the applicable fee again, since Michigan doesn't offer an automatic renewal option.
Does a DBA protect my Michigan business name from competitors?
Not entirely. Filing a certificate of assumed name puts your chosen name on public record and satisfies Michigan's legal requirement to disclose the name you're operating under, but it doesn't grant exclusive statewide rights the way a trademark would. County clerks and LARA will reject names that are confusingly similar to existing registrations, though owners who want stronger protection often pursue a trademark in addition to their assumed name filing.