Assumed Business Names

 

 

Oregon requires you to register your fictious business name whenever you are conducting business under a name that is not your full name. Elsewhere these are known as a DBA (doing business as), but it is all the same thing. Unlike California though, these are a lot easier, as registrations are handled at the state level, instead of county-by-county.

 

Assumed business names (ABNs) can be great for branding so you can use a name other than your LLC name. They are also less expensive, in that the state charges $50, and they only need to be renewed ever-other year. ABN registrations do not require a registered agent, but do require an authorized representative, which is functionally equivalent to a registered agent you need for an LLC or corporation.

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As to when you need one, that is if you are doing business under not your name. For example, Bob Johnson Contractors would need one, assuming your name was Robert Johnson, but Robert I. Johnson Contractors would not, if that was a contractor. There are other name rules too, see OAR Chapter 160, Division 10 and ORS Chapter 648 for other rules and regulations. Also be sure to select the county or counties you plan on using the name in, or all of them to be safe. Failure to to have one when need can cost you $500 and attorneys' fees to the other party if you end up in a dispute.

 

Our firm assists clients all the time with their ABNs, from registering them, making changes to them, and often converting them into LLCs as your business grows. We can also serve as the authorized agent.

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