Doing business as (DBA) is a term referred to as a business’s assumed, trade, or fictitious name, indicating that the business is conducted and presented under a name other than the legal name of the legal person (or persons) who own it and are responsible for it. Not all businesses need DBA. It depends on a combination of the business's legal entity, the locale's requirements, and the business owner's preference. It is often used in the case of brand names or franchises. For consumer protection, many states require a DBA statement to be filed.

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For example, if Matria Watson wants to start a decoration business, her business will operate under her name, unless Matria chooses to register her DBA name as “Matria’s Decoration Shop.” After registering DBA, Matria’s full name isn’t legally attached to her business’s name.