Florida DBA Resource

DBA vs. LLC in Florida

An important distinction: a Florida DBA/fictitious name registration is not the same thing as forming an LLC. They serve different legal and business purposes.

Florida DBA / Fictitious Name

A fictitious-name registration records a name under which a person or existing business operates. It does not itself create a new LLC or corporation.

Florida LLC

An LLC is a separate legal business entity created through an LLC formation filing. It involves a different statutory framework, filing, governance and ongoing compliance requirements.

Can an LLC have a DBA?

An established LLC can register a fictitious name if it meets the applicable Florida requirements. The DBA is an alternate name; it does not replace the LLC’s legal existence.

Which one do you need?

The answer depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you already have an entity and want to operate under another name, a fictitious name may be relevant. If you want to create a new legal entity, you are looking at an LLC formation rather than a DBA.