Naming
Your Business
You
do not want to go to the trouble and expense of naming your business,
ordering signs, forms, business cards, advertising, etc. without making
sure that the name does not conflict with another already existing
business. It is important, therefore, to take the time to do some
research.
You want to choose a name that is easy to understand, spell, pronounce,
and remember. A good idea is to select a name everyone will remember.
This just makes good business sense. Ask yourself whether your name
reflects the type of business you are opening. This is important because
bulding signage is restricted to the name and address, therefore descriptors
are not allowed.
Once
you select a name, you should go to the Oakland County Register
of Deeds, which is the general recorder for numerous Official County
records, and complete the DBA forms. That office is located in the
County Service Center,
1200 North Telegraph
Road, Building 12 East
Pontiac, Michigan 48341.
The clerk will
do a search to see if there are any other businesses in the County
with the same name and assuming there are not, will allow you to
file your DBA papers. These papers are also known as a “Certificate
of Persons Conducting Business Under Assumed Name.” There
is a filing fee associated with this form
Some
useful Oakland County contact phone numbers are:
Assumed Names: 248/858-0568
Legal Records: 248/858-0582
Plat Engineer: 248/858-1447
Register of Deeds: 248/858-0605.
If you decided
to form a corporation, you need to file form “Certificate
of Assumed Name” along with a nominal filing fee with the
Corporation, Securities, and Land Development Bureau of the Michigan
Department of Consumer and Industry Services in Lansing. This office
is also responsible for reserving business names:
Michigan
Department of Consumer and Industry Services
Corporation, Securities, and Land Development Bureau
6545 Mercantile Way
P.O. Box 30054
Lansing, MI 48909-0022
Main number: 517/334-6302
Name availability: 517/334-7561
Name availability: 900/555-0031
Fax: 517/334-8329
If you plan
to sell products over the internet, may expand your business beyond
the state, or wish to avoid a conflict with someone else’s
trademark, you can apply for your own trademark, service mark, or
trade name. Trade name or trade mark protection is usually good
for a specific period of time; usually up to 10 years. After that
you have to renew your application. It is now possible to register
your trademark on line by accessing the federal government’s
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office
Box NEW APP FEE
c/o Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks
2900 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202-3513
Phone: 800/786-9199
Main: 703/308-HELP
TDD: 703/305:7785
Fax: 703/305-7786
HELP: 703/308-9000
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