A Dallas County assumed name search is run through the County Clerk’s public records portal at dallas.tx.publicsearch.us, or in person at the Records Building, 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100. The search shows existing DBA (“Doing Business As”) filings that link a trade name to the person or entity behind it. Running the search before you file your own certificate is the practical way to avoid a name conflict.
Running the Search Online
Open dallas.tx.publicsearch.us and type the proposed business name into the search field.1Dallas County. Assumed Names/DBA Procedures The interface supports both broad and exact-match searches. Try variations of the name you have in mind. A close spelling, a dropped word, or a different punctuation choice can all produce the kind of confusion the assumed name system is designed to prevent, so cast a wide net on the first pass and narrow from there.
Each result carries a document number, a filing date, and a status. Read the status carefully. An active filing means someone is currently registered under that name in Dallas County. An expired filing means the previous certificate has lapsed, but that alone doesn’t guarantee the name is free. The prior owner may still be operating and simply hasn’t renewed. If the portal returns no results, or only clearly expired ones tied to businesses that appear defunct, the name is likely available at the county level.
Searching in Person or by Mail
The Records Building at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, has public terminals connected to the same index as the online portal.2Dallas County. Dallas County Clerk Walking in gives you immediate results plus access to staff who can help interpret what you find.
You can also submit a search request by mail. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the Clerk’s office can return the results.1Dallas County. Assumed Names/DBA Procedures Mailed searches take longer than either the portal or a walk-in visit, so use this route only when neither of the others works for you.
What the County Search Will Not Show
The Dallas County index only covers filings made at the county level. In Texas, those are the filings required from sole proprietors, general partnerships, joint ventures, estates, and real estate investment trusts. Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, professional associations, and limited liability partnerships file their assumed name certificates with the Texas Secretary of State instead, and they are not required to file a duplicate certificate with the county clerk.3Texas Secretary of State. Name Filings FAQs
The practical effect: a clean Dallas County search does not mean the name is unused. To rule out corporate or LLC use of the same name, run a second search in the Secretary of State’s SOSDirect database. The full framework, including who files where, sits in Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 71.4State of Texas. Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 71 – Assumed Business or Professional Name
Filing Your Own Certificate
Once the name is clear, complete the Certificate of Ownership for Unincorporated Business or Profession, which Dallas County publishes on the Clerk’s website.5Dallas County. Certificate of Ownership for Unincorporated Business or Profession You’ll need:
- The exact assumed name you’ll operate under
- The physical street address of the business
- Full legal names and addresses for every owner
- The period you intend to use the name, capped at ten years from the filing date
- A brief description of the business
- The county or counties where you maintain operations
Spelling on the certificate is the spelling you’re locked into. Banks, vendors, and courts will compare your paperwork against the recorded name character by character, so make sure what you file matches what you’ll use.
Filing in Person
Bring the completed certificate to 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100. All owners listed on the certificate must appear with valid identification. A deputy clerk can acknowledge the document on the spot for an additional $2.00, which saves a separate trip to a notary.6Dallas County. County Clerk Recording Division – Filing Fees and Payment Information
Filing by Mail
Mailed certificates must be notarized before you send them. A Texas notary can charge up to $10 for the first signature and $1 for each additional signature.7Texas Secretary of State. Notary Public Educational Information Include the filing fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing generally takes about a week before the recorded certificate is returned to you.1Dallas County. Assumed Names/DBA Procedures
Fees
The base filing fee is $23.00 for the first signature, plus $0.50 for each additional owner.6Dallas County. County Clerk Recording Division – Filing Fees and Payment Information Add $2.00 if a deputy clerk handles the acknowledgment. The office accepts cash, money orders, cashier’s checks, business checks, and credit or debit cards. Personal checks are not accepted.8Dallas County. County Clerk Central Records Division – Fees and Payment Information
How Long the Certificate Lasts
An assumed name certificate expires at the end of the stated term or ten years from the filing date, whichever comes first.3Texas Secretary of State. Name Filings FAQs There is no automatic renewal. To keep the name, you file a new certificate before the old one lapses. This matters on the search side as well: a name showing as expired in the portal may still be in active use by an owner who has simply forgotten to refile.
A DBA Is Not a Trademark
Filing in Dallas County creates a public record connecting the name to you. It does not grant exclusive rights. Another business in a different Texas county could file the same assumed name without conflict, because county DBA records are local. A federal trademark, registered through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is what provides nationwide protection for a brand name. If you plan to build real value around the name, treat the DBA as the first step and a trademark search as a separate one.
What Happens If You Skip It
A business operating under an unregistered assumed name cannot maintain a lawsuit arising out of a contract or transaction conducted under that name until a proper certificate is filed.4State of Texas. Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 71 – Assumed Business or Professional Name The contract itself stays valid, and you can still defend against claims, but you lose the ability to sue to collect until you correct the registration. Intentional violations are a Class A misdemeanor, and filing a certificate with deliberately false information is a third-degree felony. That last set of penalties rarely surfaces for people who simply forgot, but the civil bar on lawsuits is a real cost that can hit at the worst possible moment.