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Separating your personal name from your sole proprietorship or acquiring a unique name for branding purposes in Alaska is very easy by filing a DBA. We make this process easier with our 3-step DBA guide.
Important! Please keep in mind that DBA is not a business structure, so it won’t protect you from liabilities, lawsuits, or any other unforeseen situations. DBA stands for Doing Business As. – often precedes the name under which a business operates, which is not the legal name of the business.
Therefore, before starting, make sure you understand the difference between informal business structures such as sole proprietorship and formal ones like corporations and LLCs.
To register or renew the trademark, trade name, or service mark for your company in Alaska you need to file the application to the Secretary of State. Here is what you need to do:
Alaska Business Entity Search
Your company’s trade name should be unique and have not been acquired by any other entity in Alaska. Moreover, this name must also meet the business name requirements of Alaska.
First, visit the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s website and search for the DBA that you wish to have for your business. Here, make sure, this name isn’t already in use.
Note: You can also find a complete guide on business name search here.
Once you are done searching, the next step is to review the naming requirements of the state of Alaska. Your DBA should not include:
- Words that are commonly used by a government agency such as Treasury, FBI, State Department, etc.
- Any word or phrase that implies or suggest that the LLC is operating for a purpose other than the one contained in its Articles of Organization.
- Words indicating or implying that your company is engaged in an unauthorized business by law to pursue.
- Words related to banking or insurance. If your work is somewhat related to banking or insurance, you will be needing a letter from the Alaska Devision of Banking and Security or Alaska Division of Insurance respectively to use the related words in your trade name.
- Words like “borough”, “city”, or “village” that otherwise indicate that the LLC is a municipality. The location may be used in the LLC’s name but not in DBA.
- Words related to professional designation (i.e., engineering, consultant, attorney). To include such prefixes or suffixes, you will need a copy of the license of one of your company’s officers or members. If not possible, you must acquire a letter from the governing agency allowing the use of such a name without licensing.
Apply for Alaska business license ($0 + Endorsement Fee)
Before registering an Alaska business name, you must have a business license explicitly for that name. For each different name, a separate business license is required.
To get an Alaska business license, you need to file online at the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development or send your New Business License Application at:
Mailing Address:
Business Licensing Section,
Street: 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor, Juneau, AK 99801.
PO Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806.
Phone: (907) 465-2550 , Fax: (907) 465-2974
If you already have a business license in Alaska and want to renew it, you can apply online at the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.
Register Your Alaska DBA ($25)
You can file Alaska DBA online or download the Alaska trade name form and submit it to the Secretary of State in-person or through mail at the following address:
Mailing Address:
Corporations Section,
P.O. Box 110806,
Juneau, AK 99811-0806.
Submit In-Person:
Corporations Section,
State Office Building, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor,
Juneau, AK 99811.
The following information must include in the Alaska trade name form:
- Your business name
- Entity type (eg; LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation)
- Trade name’s description
- Business License number
Top Tip:
Instead of doing it yourself, save some time by hiring a reliable formation service like ZenBusiness. You can see editors’ Review on ZenBusiness to decide if it’s the best choice for your company.
Editor’s Insight
Filing an Alaska fictitious business name, aka an Alaska DBA (doing business as), is an easy and straightforward process. If you want to save time and effort, LLC filing companies like LegalZoom and ZenBusiness can help you get that at a fraction of the cost.
However, if you are interested in DIY, you just need to follow the above-mentioned step-by-step guide or see how to Get a DBA in any of the 50 states.
Aisha Noreen is an owner of a small business with more than 9 years of experience in the marketing industry. With the wisdom of an old soul, she always seeks innovation and mind-blowing ROI techniques. Her unique approach helped many small businesses thrive and she can surprise you in many ways as well. Believe it or not, her energy, passion, and creativity are contagious enough to transform your business and take it to another level.
