Short answer. The Ohio Secretary of State (Revised Code chapter 1329). Cost: $39 for a trade name registration or a fictitious name report. Five years from registration or report. Renew within the six months before it expires; a general partnership renews whenever a named partner leaves.
At a glance
- Called
- trade name registration or fictitious name report
- Where to file
- State office
- Filing fee
- $39 for a trade name registration or a fictitious name report.
- Local fees vary
- No local filing
- How long it lasts
- 5 years
- Newspaper notice
- Not required
Renewal, with dates
Five years from registration or report. Renew within the six months before it expires; a general partnership renews whenever a named partner leaves.
Setting up the books for the new name? A free bookkeeping health check.
For a registration filed on Thursday, November 5, 2026:
- Sole proprietor or partnership: expires Wednesday, November 5, 2031; renewal window opens Monday, May 5, 2031
No newspaper notice
Ohio Revised Code chapter 1329 (trade names and fictitious names, filed with the Secretary of State) has no newspaper publication requirement.
Your own date: open the calculator set to Ohio.
Before you file
Someone using a fictitious name without registering it must report it within 30 days of first use, and can't sue in that name until they comply (ORC 1329.01, 1329.10).
Not stated on the pages we read: online filing.
Official sources
- Ohio Revised Code chapter 1329 (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Checked November 2026 against the pages above. Fees and forms change, and a county or town office can add its own steps, so confirm with the filing office before you file. We don't file DBAs or trade names for anyone.
Questions people ask
Where is a DBA filed in Ohio?
It's called a trade name registration or fictitious name report. The Ohio Secretary of State (Revised Code chapter 1329).
What does it cost to register a business name in Ohio?
$39 for a trade name registration or a fictitious name report.
How long does a Ohio trade name registration or fictitious name report last?
Five years from registration or report. Renew within the six months before it expires; a general partnership renews whenever a named partner leaves.
Is a newspaper notice part of filing in Ohio?
No. Ohio Revised Code chapter 1329 (trade names and fictitious names, filed with the Secretary of State) has no newspaper publication requirement.
Anything else to know before filing in Ohio?
Someone using a fictitious name without registering it must report it within 30 days of first use, and can't sue in that name until they comply (ORC 1329.01, 1329.10).
All states: DBA registration by state · North Carolina · Oregon