An assumed business name in Oregon, often called a DBA, is any name you use to identify your business when your real legal name isn’t prominently shown to customers. Oregon law requires you to register that name with the Secretary of State before you start operating under it. Registration costs $50, lasts two years, and does not create a new legal entity or give you liability protection. Skip it and you can’t sue in Oregon courts to collect on your business’s contracts until you fix the problem.
When Registration Is Required
The rule is broad. No one can conduct business under an assumed name in any Oregon county where the business is located, has a physical facility, or stations an employee without first registering that name and keeping the registration current.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.007 “Person” in the statute covers individuals, partnerships, LLCs, corporations, and trusts alike.
In practice:
- A sole proprietor named Jane Smith who runs a bakery called “Sweet Treats” has to register, because customers see “Sweet Treats,” not “Jane Smith.”
- A partnership operating under any name that doesn’t show the real names of every partner has to register.
- An existing entity like “Portland Innovations LLC” that opens a storefront called “Oregon Goods” has to register “Oregon Goods” separately.
One trap catches people often: if your name includes words like “& Company,” “& Associates,” or “& Daughters” that suggest additional owners who don’t actually exist, Oregon treats that as an assumed business name too.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.005
How to Register and What It Costs
You can file online through the Oregon Business Registry portal or by mailing a printed form to the Corporation Division.3Oregon Secretary of State. Assumed Business Name (DBA) Registration Forms Online is faster; the fee is the same either way.
The application asks for:4Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.010
- The assumed business name, in the English alphabet (numbers and basic punctuation are allowed).
- The real name and street address of every person or entity that will operate under the name.
- The principal business address, plus every Oregon county where you’ll operate under the name.
- The name and mailing address of one authorized representative who will handle communications with the Secretary of State on behalf of all registrants.
- A short description of your primary business activity.
Current fees:5Oregon Secretary of State. Business Registry Fee Schedule
- New registration: $50
- Renewal every two years: $50
- Amendment with a name change: $50
- Amendment without a name change: $0
- Cancellation: $50
All fees are nonrefundable. The free amendment for address or ownership updates means there’s no financial excuse for letting your records go stale. The Secretary of State’s role is purely administrative; the office doesn’t verify whether the information you submit is actually true.6Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.012
Checking If Your Name Is Available
Before you file, search the Oregon Secretary of State’s online business registry.7Oregon Secretary of State. Find a Business The office will refuse to register any name that isn’t distinguishable on existing records from another assumed business name, a registered entity name, or a reserved name.8Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.051
There is one workaround. If your desired name conflicts with an existing registration, you can submit a sworn affidavit stating either that you already have prior rights from established use, or that your line of business is different enough from the existing registrant’s that customers won’t be confused.8Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.051 This isn’t a casual checkbox. You’re swearing under penalty of false statement that the facts are true.
Keeping the Registration Alive
Renewal
You must renew within 30 days before the second anniversary of your original filing, and every two years after that.9Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.017 The Secretary of State’s office mails a renewal notice at least 30 days before the deadline.10Oregon Secretary of State. Annual Report or Renewal Don’t rely on that notice reaching you. If you miss the deadline, the state can cancel your registration without further warning.
You cannot change the business name itself through the renewal. A name change is a separate amendment filing with its own $50 fee.10Oregon Secretary of State. Annual Report or Renewal
Amendments
You have 60 days to file an amendment after any of these:11Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.025
- An owner’s name, identity, or address changes.
- The authorized representative changes.
- You start doing business under the name in a new county.
- Your principal business address changes.
Cancellation
If you stop doing business under the assumed name, you must cancel the registration within 60 days.12Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648 – Section 648.055
The Cost of Not Registering
If you operate under an assumed name without registering, you lose standing to bring a lawsuit in Oregon courts for the benefit of that business.13Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648.135 – Effect of Violation of ORS 648.007 If a customer stiffs you on an invoice or a vendor breaches a contract, you can’t sue to collect until you register. You can cure the problem any time by filing, but the statute of limitations keeps running the whole time you’re out of compliance. Oregon won’t give you extra time.
Exposure runs the other way too. If someone sues you and your business was operating with an unregistered assumed name, the plaintiff can recover at least $500 or the actual costs they spent tracking down your real identity, whichever is greater. The court can also award attorney fees to the prevailing party in that dispute.13Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes ORS 648.135 – Effect of Violation of ORS 648.007
What a DBA Registration Does Not Do
Registering an assumed business name does not create a new legal entity. A sole proprietor who files a DBA is still a sole proprietor, personally liable for every business debt and obligation. If you want liability protection, you need to form an LLC or corporation with the Secretary of State as a separate step. The DBA registration is a public disclosure tool, not a corporate shield.
It also does not give you trademark rights. Your filing lets you operate under the name in Oregon’s business registry. It does not give you exclusive ownership of the name or the ability to stop competitors from using something similar. Another business could register an identical name in a different industry and, with the right affidavit, get approval. National brand protection requires a federal trademark registration through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
And it changes nothing about your taxes. You don’t need a new Employer Identification Number just because you’re operating under a different name.14Internal Revenue Service. When to Get a New EIN A sole proprietor still files on Schedule C. An LLC keeps whatever tax classification it already elected. The DBA is an Oregon state-level administrative filing with no federal tax consequences.