Missouri fictitious name filing guide

Missouri calls this filing a fictitious name registration.

The Secretary of State explains that a fictitious name is any name under which a person or business transacts business in the state other than its true name, and that it is commonly referred to as a "DBA," an acronym for "doing business as."

The governing law is Chapter 417 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri: section 417.200 declares that every name other than the true name of the person doing business is a fictitious name and makes it unlawful to transact business under one without first registering with the secretary of state.

Unlike states that split the filing between a state office and county clerks, Missouri routes every entity type to the same place: section 417.210 requires every person, general partnership, corporation, or other business organization doing business under a fictitious name to file with the Secretary of State within five days after beginning business under that name.

This guide keeps its Missouri overview boundary visible as conservative research context.

The Secretary of State stresses that filing does not afford or secure any exclusive rights to the name, and the Corp. 56 form repeats that there is no provision in the chapter to keep another person or business entity from adopting and using the same name.

Failing to register is a misdemeanor under section 417.230, and the Secretary of State notes that persons who fail to register are subject to charges by their local prosecuting attorney.

Missouri offers two filing paths, both handled by the Secretary of State's Corporations Division.

The online path is the state's Business Services portal: the Secretary of State's FAQ states that online registration of a fictitious name can be accomplished at https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/.

The paper path uses Form Corp.

56, Registration of Fictitious Name, available from the Corporations Division forms page; the same form handles new registrations, renewals, corrections, and amendments via checkboxes.

The form asks for the business name to be registered, the physical business address (a PO Box may only be used in addition to a physical street address), and the name, address, and percentage owned of every party with an interest in the business, with a separate page attached for more than three owners.

Check the official page before relying on execution details that may change.

The Secretary of State states that the completed form may be mailed or delivered in person, together with the filing fee of $7.00, to either the main office in Jefferson City — the form lists PO Box 778 / 600 W.

Main St., Rm.

322, Jefferson City, MO 65102 — or any of the Corporations Division branch offices.

The filing is due within five days after beginning business under the fictitious name, per section 417.210.

A Missouri fictitious name registration lasts five years.

The Secretary of State's FAQ says a registration is good for five years and may be renewed at the end of that period, and section 417.210 states that registrations filed on or after August 28, 2004 remain active for a period of five years and then expire unless renewed.

Renewals must be filed within the six-month period before the expiration date, and a renewal continues the registration for five years after the date it would otherwise expire.

An expired registration cannot be renewed: the FAQ states that once expired, the business must file a new fictitious name registration and will be issued a new charter number.

For changes, the address of the business or of an owner may be changed at renewal or by filing an amendment of a fictitious name; other information may not be changed except to correct an error on a recently filed registration.

To change the name or the ownership of the business, the existing registration must be cancelled and a new one filed.

Cancellation uses Form Corp.

14, Cancellation of Registration of Fictitious Name, which states that no fee is required, and section 417.210 requires a cancellation within five days when the business or an owner's interest ceases to exist or changes.

Start with the free official path.

Read the Missouri Secretary of State's Fictitious Name Registration FAQ, then either register online through the state's business portal at https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/ or download Form Corp. 56 from the Corporations Division forms page and mail or deliver it with the stated $7.00 filing fee to the Jefferson City office or a branch office.

File within five days of starting business under the fictitious name, as section 417.210 requires, and calendar the five-year expiration so you can renew within the six-month window before it lapses.

This guide keeps its Missouri brand commentary separate as conservative research context.

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