Short answer. The Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service (RCW 19.80), for sole proprietors and partnerships not using the owner's full legal name and for corporations, LPs and LLCs not using their registered name. Cost: $5 per trade name, plus the business license application processing fee. Stays registered until the owner cancels it; cancelling is free. File a business license application in My DOR.
At a glance
- Called
- trade name
- Where to file
- State office
- Filing fee
- $5 per trade name, plus the business license application processing fee.
- Local fees vary
- No local filing
- How long it lasts
- No expiry
- Newspaper notice
- Not required
- Online filing
- File a business license application in My DOR.
Renewal, with dates
Stays registered until the owner cancels it; cancelling is free.
Setting up the books for the new name? A free bookkeeping health check.
For a registration filed on Saturday, November 21, 2026:
- Sole proprietor or partnership: no expiry date
No newspaper notice
Chapter 19.80 RCW (trade names, registered with the Department of Revenue) has no newspaper publication requirement.
Your own date: open the calculator set to Washington.
Official sources
- Washington DOR: Register trade names (checked November 2026)
- Washington Legislature: Chapter 19.80 RCW, Trade names (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 Washington?
It's called a trade name. The Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service (RCW 19.80), for sole proprietors and partnerships not using the owner's full legal name and for corporations, LPs and LLCs not using their registered name.
What does it cost to register a business name in Washington?
$5 per trade name, plus the business license application processing fee.
How long does a Washington trade name last?
Stays registered until the owner cancels it; cancelling is free.
Is a newspaper notice part of filing in Washington?
No. Chapter 19.80 RCW (trade names, registered with the Department of Revenue) has no newspaper publication requirement.
Can the filing be done online in Washington?
File a business license application in My DOR.
All states: DBA registration by state · Virginia · West Virginia