What has changed with the Trade, Business, & Fictitious (DBA) registration and maintenance process?

The following FAQs refer to the DBA registration process as it will exist once the transition in complete.

Up until the transition date of February 2, 2026, nothing regarding DBA registration in Delaware will change. Registration and maintenance of DBAs must still be done with the Prothonotary’s Office in each county. For more information on the current process, reference the Delaware Superior Courts Website: Trade, Business & Fictitious Names – Superior Court – Delaware Superior Courts – State of Delaware.

When is the transition to the new process?

The Division of Revenue will start administering Delaware’s statewide DBA registry on February 2, 2026, through https://onestop.delaware.gov/.

What changes does the online process bring to Delaware’s DBA application?

The required fields for the DBA application will remain the same as they were with the Superior Courts. Registration of new DBAs is now available online and is managed statewide by the Division of Revenue rather than by individual county Prothonotary Offices. The process also now requires a Delaware business license.

For holders of existing DBAs, no new action is required. Your DBA will remain registered on the list provided by the Delaware Superior Court and hosted alongside the list of new registrants with the Division of Revenue.

What if I’d prefer that my DBA appear in Division of Revenue’s Delaware Tradename Registry?

Revenue will permit an entity with a DBA that was previously registered with the Delaware Superior Courts to register such DBA in Revenue’s Delaware Tradename Registry via the One Stop system. This registration is optional and without cost if the registrant provides the appropriate file number associated with the existing DBA registration with Delaware Superior Courts. Re-registration will require an associated business license.

What documentation is required to register a DBA in Delaware?

To register a DBA in Delaware, you need to provide the legal name, address of the entity, the proposed DBA, names and addresses of ownership, date of formation, and nature of business. Additionally, for a Delaware LLC / Corporation who does not conduct business in Delaware but needs a Delaware DBA, a Certificate of Good Standing from the Delaware Division of Corporations will be required for entities not actively transacting business in Delaware along with a “Trade Name Only” Business license.

If a registrant is seeking to exercise their option to register an existing DBA on Revenue’s Delaware Tradename Registry, the DBA’s assigned Delaware Superior Courts’ file number will be required.

What if I need a Tradename certificate to provide validation of my DBA with a third party?

After February 2, 2026, if an entity with a name in Delaware Superior Courts registry seeks a Tradename Certificate from the DOR, such entity will need to register such Tradename in the DOR’s Delaware Tradename Registry via One Stop system for administrative purposes. DOR will not issue a Tradename Certificate for a Tradename that has not been registered in the DOR’s Delaware Tradename Registry.

This registration is without cost if the registrant provides the assigned file number of the existing DBA registration with Delaware Superior Courts. Re-registration will require an associated Delaware business license.

How much does DBA registration cost? The fee remains $25, but the DBA is now registered statewide, eliminating the need to pay multiple fees per county.

Is notarization required for DBA applications?

Notarization is no longer required as of February 2, 2026. All applications will be processed online.

I am a Delaware LLC / Corporation, and I do not conduct business in Delaware but need a Delaware DBA, what are my options?

For such companies, a Trade Name Only Business license is available. This special license is required to register a Delaware Trade Name if the registrant does not intend to conduct business in Delaware. A certificate of good standing will be required for the “Trade Name Only License”.

How does the Trade Name Only business license differ from typical business licenses?

This special license is similar to a regular business license but does not require Gross Receipt and Business Income Tax filings. It costs $25 and shares the same renewal and maintenance requirements as a standard Delaware business license.

What if I have a Trade Name Only license but want to transition to a standard business license?

Registering for a standard Delaware business license will void a Trade Name Only license.

Updates or transfers of DBAs between licenses can be done without a fee through the Update Trade Name flow in OneStop.

Can I use the same OneStop login for multiple client services?

Yes, actions in OneStop are based on knowledge of business details (i.e. license numbers and business names) rather than user accounts (i.e. login information), enabling flexible management across multiple clients

What should I do if my business details change?

Updates to key staff, ownership, or business address can be managed through Delaware One Stop in the Update Trade Name flow. Changes to the Taxpayer ID associated with a DBA will require a new registration.

Do DBAs need to be renewed?

No, DBAs in Delaware do not expire and do not require renewal.

Is there a public database where I can check the availability of a DBA before registering?

Yes, DOR will host the Delaware Trade Name Registry once the registration process is fully transferred. A static version of the Delaware Superior Courts online database will also be hosted for reference to existing DBAs prior to the transition.

For now, Delaware Superior Courts online database can be found at https://courts.delaware.gov/tradenames/  The new online process will also check for active DBAs during the application and will provide a notification about an existing name.

What if the DBA I’d like to register appears on either of the existing registries?

Registering a DBA does not confer any exclusive rights to the use of that name. It does not prevent others from registering that same DBA nor from using that same name. DBA filings are for public notice and do not establish trademark protection nor legal ownership. In the event you see that the DBA you would like is already registered, you may wish to consider selecting a different DBA to avoid the possibility of trademark infringement. If you seek exclusive rights, you may wish to contact an intellectual property attorney to seek trademark registration.

Can I have multiple DBAs under a single business license?

Yes, Delaware allows businesses to register multiple DBAs under a single Delaware business license.

How do I cancel my DBA if I no longer need it?

To cancel your DBA, you must submit a request through the Delaware One Stop portal using the termination workflow. This will remove the DBA from the active registry. There is no fee to cancel a DBA.

How do I amend my DBA?

After completing the business registration process and obtaining a Division of Revenue business license, a business, individual, or agent will be able to update an existing DBA associated with the businesses. There is no fee to update or cancel a DBA—including updating the business address or changing key individuals.

I held a DBA in Delaware, but I did not receive correspondence regarding the DBA administrative transition, why and what do I do?

If you did not receive correspondence regarding the change, it is likely that the existing DBA data either had a missing or incorrect address in the Delaware Superior Courts’ records. Please check the Delaware Superior Courts’ tradename registry and confirm the information recorded. Change of address may be enacted by exercising the no cost re-registration option on Delaware OneStop and adding the existing DBA to the Division of Revenue’s Delaware Tradename Registry.

What should I do if my business details change and I need to make updates, but my DBA was registered through the Courts?

 In order to make updates to key staff, ownership, or business address will now need to be managed through Revenue’s Delaware Tradename Registry via the One Stop system. Registrants seeking to make updates must add their DBA into the Revenue’s Delaware Tradename Registry via the One Stop system and then make any updates needed to their DBA account.  This registration is without cost if the registrant provides the appropriate file number associated with the existing DBA registration with Delaware Courts. Please keep in mind when completing the re-registration, it will require an associated business license.