Business Certificate Filings - Precision Corporate Services, Inc.

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Business Certificate Filings

 

 

Business Certificate Filings

also know as D/B/A Certificates,  Fictitious Names and/or  Tradenames*

 

Business Certificate filings in Massachusetts are handled at the Town (City) level by the corresponding Town or City Clerk's office. The following applies to just about all towns in MA:

 

  • Business Certificate Filings must be originally signed and notarized
     
  • the DBA name or "name under which the business will be conducted" may not have a corporate indicator (such as Corp, Inc., LP, LLC, etc...)
     
  • the address at which business is conducted must be an address located within the city/town in which the business certificate is being filed
     

Other than the above, requirements and forms can vary significantly from town to town. You may find forms posted at the town clerk's website or may need to call or go to the town clerk in person to obtain forms. PCS retains many of the forms, so feel free to check with us and we may be able to supply the form to you.  Posted here is a general MA DBA form , which is accepted in many (but not all) towns in MA.

PCS can handle DBA filings in most cities and towns in Massachusetts, though there are a few towns with stringent procedures requiring the actual person conducting business to go in person to the Clerk's office.

 

Additional Information & Links

 

MA General Laws Chapter 110, Section 5  (statute pertaining to DBA filings)

 

If filing a business certificate due to a corporate name availability issue, see Forced DBA Procedures

 

* The term Tradename (or Trade Name) can also be used in reference to a Trademark/Servicemark in which the name itself functions as the mark. This is not the same as a DBA filing. See the Mass Secretary of State Trademark/Servicemark section for additional info.

 

PCS does not provide legal advice

 

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