If you're operating under any name other than your own legal name — "Sarah's Mobile Detailing" instead of just your own name — Florida requires you to register that name with the state. That's what a DBA ("doing business as") is here, though Florida's own paperwork calls it a fictitious name registration. Same thing, different label.
Here's the actual process, without the runaround.
1. Search the name first
Before you file anything, search the Florida Division of Corporations' Sunbiz name search to make sure your name isn't already registered. Florida doesn't require your name to be wildly unique the way a trademark does, but you can't register an identical fictitious name that's already active.
2. File through Sunbiz
Florida's fictitious name registrations go through Sunbiz.org, run by the Florida Department of State. You'll need:
- The exact fictitious name you want to register
- Your business's mailing address
- The county (or counties) where you'll be doing business
- Your Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), or your Social Security Number if you're a sole proprietor without one
The filing fee is $50, plus $30 if you want a certified copy for your records (many banks ask for one when you open a business account, so it's usually worth the extra $30).
3. Publish the notice (yes, really)
Florida law requires you to publish notice of your fictitious name registration in a newspaper in the county where your business is located, once, before filing. This trips people up constantly — it's an actual legal requirement (Florida Statute 865.09), not optional paperwork. Most counties have a local legal notices publication that handles this for a small fee, often $10–$40.
4. Keep your confirmation
Once approved, Sunbiz gives you a registration number and confirmation. Keep this — you'll need it when opening a business bank account, applying for local licenses, or setting up payment processing.
What trips people up
- Skipping the publication step — this is the single most common thing people miss, and it's a legal requirement, not a suggestion.
- Assuming the DBA protects the name — it doesn't function like a trademark. Someone else can still use a confusingly similar name in another state, or even challenge you if they trademarked it first.
- Forgetting to renew — Florida fictitious name registrations expire and need to be renewed periodically. Sunbiz will email the address on file, so keep that updated.
None of this is complicated once you've done it once. It's just paperwork nobody explains clearly the first time around — which is exactly why we handle it for people who'd rather spend their time on the actual business.