Can your trading name be different to your business name?
Can your trading name be different to your business name?
A trading name is the name (or names) used by a person, partnership or company for carrying out business which is not the same as their own name or official registered name. A business may use as many trading names as it requires, but these cannot be registered as official names of the company.
Do I need to register a trading as business name?
You’ll need to register your name as a trade mark if you want to stop people from trading under your business name.
What is the difference between business legal name and business trade name?
A legal name is the name of a person or entity that owns a business. A legal name must be registered with a state government and includes a legal ending, such as an LLC or LLP, after the title. A trade name is generally considered the name a business uses for advertising and sales purposes.
Can I add CO to my business name?
Yes. There is no prohibition to use the word Co or Company with your business name, whether your business is registered or not. If it is registered as a Company, then a suffix “ private limited” or “limited” in case of public limited company is required.
What happens if someone is using your business name?
If someone uses your name, simply showing proof that you’ve trademarked the name could be enough to convince a business to choose something else. Most importantly, if you must go to court, you’ll have legal proof that you registered the name. However, you don’t have to trademark your business name to protect it.
Can someone steal your business name?
If you have a unique brand name or logo, protect it. It is a simple thing for someone to snatch it out from under you and claim ownership of it. Your first step should be to register the name as a trademark. You can do this online through a number of services or hire an attorney.
Can you trade under a different business name?
You can also trade using a different name to your registered name. This is known as a ‘business name’ or ‘trading name’. You’ll need to register your name as a trade mark if you want to stop people from trading under your business name.
What happens if you register a trading name as a limited company?
There is always the danger that at a later date someone else may register the trading name as a limited company and then stake their claim. This could clearly cause complications for your business as they will have the right to the name and therefore can force you to stop using it.
Is it an offence to trade under an unregistered name?
It’s an offence to carry on business under an unregistered business name unless you trade under your own name such as Mary Jones. If you want your business to trade under a name that is different from your legal name, then you’ll have to register it as a business name.
What’s the difference between a trade name and a registered name?
Here is an explanation of how these names for business names differ and how they are used. A registered or legal name is your business tax ID number, used by federal and state taxing agencies, banks, and for other legal purposes. A trade name is used for advertising or trade purposes.