DoorWorthy

Who needs a trade name registration (DBA) in Louisiana?

Issued by Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division, at step 1 of 6 in the opening sequence: set up the business.

Every kind of business in Louisiana

The Louisiana table lists this for every kind of business.

Louisiana registers trade names with the Secretary of State, not the parish clerk. Register when the business trades under any name other than the LLC’s registered name or the owner’s legal name; file through geauxBIZ, by mail or in person.

Checked Oct 21, 2026 against the agency’s page.

Step 1 of 6: Set up the business

  1. Set up the business
  2. Register for tax
  3. Approve the space
  4. Get the permits for your kind of business
  5. Alcohol permits
  6. Before the first hire

Issued by Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division.

Sources and dates

Secretary of State trade name registration pages and fee schedule (R.S. 51:281 and following). Checked against the agency’s page on the date shown; cities add their own fees.

Questions about opening here.