Which agency should sole owners contact to obtain a fictitious business name (DBA) if they do not want to use their legal name for the construction business?

Which agency should sole owners contact to obtain a fictitious business name (DBA) if they do not want to use their legal name for the construction business?

• A. State government
• B. Federal government
• C. City or county government
• D. Department of Motor Vehicles

Answer: (C)

A fictitious business name (DBA) registration is a local filing that lets a business operate under a name other than the owner’s legal name. Because it’s about publicly identifying who is operating in a specific area, the filing is handled by local government. In California and many other places, you register with the city or county government (typically the county clerk/recorder or a local business registration office). The federal government and the Department of Motor Vehicles aren’t involved in DBA registrations, and state-level agencies generally don’t issue DBAs for sole proprietors. So the correct route is to contact the city or county government to obtain a DBA.

A fictitious business name (DBA) registration is a local filing that lets a business operate under a name other than the owner’s legal name. Because it’s about publicly identifying who is operating in a specific area, the filing is handled by local government. In California and many other places, you register with the city or county government (typically the county clerk/recorder or a local business registration office). The federal government and the Department of Motor Vehicles aren’t involved in DBA registrations, and state-level agencies generally don’t issue DBAs for sole proprietors. So the correct route is to contact the city or county government to obtain a DBA.