Assumed name
File a Virginia Assumed or Fictitious Name Certificate (DBA)
Anyone doing business in Virginia under a name other than their legal name must file a certificate of assumed or fictitious name with the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission (§ 59.1-69). That now includes sole proprietors and partnerships, not just LLCs and corporations. The SCC fee is $10. We prepare and file it for $149 plus the fee.
Virginia fees re-checked against the Code of Virginia and SCC fee pages: November 10, 2026
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Virginia filings for owners. We are not the Virginia State Corporation Commission and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
- Filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission
- We track your $50 annual registration fee
- Cited to the Code of Virginia, Title 13.1
- Talk to a filer: (386) 465-3937
File a Virginia Assumed or Fictitious Name Certificate (DBA): the Virginia specifics
One central office
The SCC Clerk's Office is the central filing office for all assumed and fictitious names, including those used by individuals, general partnerships and trusts.
Check it: Virginia State Corporation CommissionWhat the certificate states
The person's name, the assumed name, the entity type, and for an SCC-registered entity its SCC ID number; for an individual, the street address of the office or residence (§ 59.1-70).
Check it: Code of Virginia § 59.1-70Cost of skipping it
Using an unfiled fictitious name is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $2,500, and the business may not maintain a lawsuit in Virginia courts until it files.
Check it: Virginia State Corporation CommissionOlder names at the circuit court
Some assumed names were filed with a circuit court clerk before the SCC became the central office. Releasing one of those is a $10 certificate of release filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, on paper.
Check it: Virginia State Corporation CommissionWho has to file in Virginia
Any person conducting business under an assumed or fictitious name, which the SCC defines to include t/a (trading as), dba and aka names (§ 59.1-69). A sole proprietor called "Jane Smith" who trades as "Shenandoah Dog Walking" files. So does an LLC called "Smith Ventures LLC" that runs a café under another name. Using the LLC's exact registered name does not require a filing.
Since the SCC became the central filing office, individuals file there too, not at the local circuit court.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov
What a fictitious name does and does not do
It puts the public on notice of who is behind the brand and lets you sue under it. It does not reserve the name, the SCC does not check for conflicts, and several businesses can file the same one. If you want exclusive rights, look at an LLC or corporate name (which must be distinguishable) and trademark protection.
Virginia also bars using an assumed name to intentionally misrepresent where the business is located (§ 59.1-69(C)).
Source: www.scc.virginia.gov
File a Virginia Assumed or Fictitious Name Certificate (DBA): questions
No. Fictitious names do not have to be unique, and the SCC does not decide who has the right to use one.
Check it: Virginia State Corporation CommissionCorp USA prepares and submits your Virginia filing with the State Corporation Commission's Clerk's Office for you. The official state fee is passed through at cost, with our service fee shown separately at checkout, so you do not need to go to the state's website to file.
Check it: Virginia State Corporation CommissionNo. The SCC creates the company. Your county, city or town may require a business license (often called BPOL) from the Commissioner of the Revenue, and zoning, Virginia Department of Taxation registration and professional licensing are separate steps that depend on where and how you operate.
Check it: Code of Virginia § 58.1-3703Ready when you are, Virginia.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Virginia filings for owners. We are not the Virginia State Corporation Commission and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.