An Assumed Name is any name that you or your business uses that if different from your name (or the name of your business entity). For example, if John Smith does business as Smith Landscaping, he would need to file an Assumed Name Certificate (aka DBA) for Smith Landscaping to inform the public that John Smith does business as Smith Landscaping.
If you have an incorporated business (Corporations or LLCs are the most common types) that conducts business under a name that is NOT the same as the legal name of the entity (i.e. Smith Printing, LLC doing business as Smith Printing Supply), the incorporated business would need a Assumed Name Certificate (aka DBA). If an UNincorporated business, like a sole proprietor, does business under a name that is not his or her name (i.e. John Smith doing business as Smith Landscaping), the individual(s) would need a DBA.
An incorporated business (i.e. corporation or LLC) must file an Assumed Name Certificate with the County AND the State. An Unincorporated business does not file with the State.
An incorporated business must file an Assumed Name Certificate with the County and the State. If you have or will file your own County level DBA, you only need to pay for the State level DBA.