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Massachusetts DBA: File a Business Certificate
In Massachusetts, a DBA is a business certificate filed with the clerk of each city or town where the business has an office (c. 110, § 5). It is not filed with the state. An LLC or corporation using its exact registered name does not need one (§ 6), but one trading under a different name does. Fees are set by each city or town: Boston charges $65, Worcester, Springfield and Cambridge $50, Lowell $100. We prepare and file it for $149 plus the clerk's fee.
Massachusetts fees re-checked against the Massachusetts General Laws and the Corporations Division Filing Fees page: November 11, 2026
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
- Filed with the Massachusetts Corporations Division
- We track your Massachusetts annual report
- Cited to M.G.L. chapters 156C and 156D
- Talk to a filer: (386) 465-3937
Massachusetts DBA: File a Business Certificate: the Massachusetts specifics
Local, not state
The certificate goes to the city or town clerk where the business has an office, and to every city or town if it has more than one office (c. 110, § 5).
Check it: M.G.L. c. 110, § 5Who is exempt
A corporation or LLC doing business under its true registered name does not file (c. 110, § 6). Add a brand and the business certificate becomes required.
Check it: M.G.L. c. 110, § 6Four years, then renew
A business certificate is in force for four years from issue and must be renewed every four years while the business continues, or it lapses. Operating without one can bring a fine of up to $300 for each month the violation continues (c. 110, § 5).
Check it: M.G.L. c. 110, § 5Who files a business certificate
Anyone conducting business under a name other than their own, including a sole proprietor using a brand, a partnership, and an LLC or corporation using a name that is not its registered name (c. 110, §§ 5, 6). The certificate goes to the clerk of each city or town where the business has an office.
Each city sets its own fee. Boston charges $65 plus $35 for a non-resident owner; Lowell charges $100 including one certified copy.
Source: malegislature.gov
What a business certificate does and does not do
It tells the public who is behind a brand. It does not reserve the name statewide, and clerks generally do not check for duplicates in other towns. For protection beyond notice, a Massachusetts trademark registration is $50 per class at the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Certificates expire after four years in cities such as Boston and Worcester, so renew on time.
Source: www.boston.gov
Massachusetts DBA: File a Business Certificate: questions
No. It puts the public on notice of who owns the business. It does not reserve the name statewide; a trademark registration ($50 per class at the Secretary) is the next step for that.
Check it: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionMany clerks require the owner's signature in front of the clerk or a notary. We prepare the form and tell you exactly how your city or town takes it.
Check it: M.G.L. c. 110, § 5Yes. Corp USA prepares and submits your Massachusetts filing with the Corporations Division for you. The official state fee is passed through at cost, with our service fee shown separately at checkout, so you never have to work through the state's filing system yourself.
Check it: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionReady when you are, Massachusetts.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.