Business Certificates

Filing a Business Certificate

WHAT IS A BUSINESS CERTIFICATE? 

Comonly referred to by the name "D/B/A" ("doing business as"), a business certificate creates a public record of the name and address of the owner(s) of a business.  

WHAT DOES IT DO?

A business certificate primarily allows consumers and/or creditors to identify the names of the actual owners of a business.   This information is a public record furnished to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue under the authority of Mass. G.L. 62C, S 49a.

WHAT DOESN'T IT DO?

Your filing of a business certificate at the local Town Clerk’s office does NOT protect your name or reserve it, as does a corporate filing or a trademark registration (done through the State).  It also does not permit you to operate a business in the town – it only registers your name.  To legally operate a business in the town, you must get the appropriate permits, licenses, variances, etc., that the issuing departments require of the town.

WHO MUST FILE A BUSINESS CERTIFICATE?  

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 110, Section 5 states that any person conducting business in the Commonwealth under any title other than the real name of the person conducting the business, whether individually or as a partner, shall file (a certificate) in the office of the clerk of every city or town where an office of any such person or partnership may be situated.

Any corporation doing business in a name other than its corporate name must also file.  The certificate must be completed and filed by a corporate officer.

Under Chapter 110, Section 6, a business certificate is not required if a corporation is doing business in its true corporate name or if a partnership is doing business under any title, including any partner's true surname.  Certain other associations and partnerships may also be exempt (refer to above citation for details.)

WHERE & HOW DOES ONE FILE?

File with the Town Clerk, either in person or by mail, in every city or town where an office of said business may be situated.  If filed by mail, the signature(s) of all partners must be notarized; if filed in person, all partners must be present, or the signatures of any missing partners must be notarized.

For any questions, contact the Town Clerk's Office at 508-285-0230.


Please find the links to the required forms below.
Business Certificate Application
Emergency Contact Information Form
Business Certificate Agreement