Starting a business in The Coyote State is complicated enough. Getting your ready-to-file Fictitious Name Registration (often called a DBA or "Doing Business As") shouldn't involve hours of forms and guesswork.
At assumedname.org, we eliminate the complex paperwork by providing South Dakota Sole Proprietors with the certificate, accurately pre-filled with the precise information the County Clerk and/or Secretary of State needs. Whether you are from Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings, or somewhere else in South Dakota, the Assumed Name Certificate will work in the city or town you are doing business in. Your accurate paperwork is ready in minutes.
If already you have an LLC or a corporation, you may have a different filing process for filing an assumed name at the state level. AssumedName.org focuses on helping Sole Proprietorships with local business name filings.
Our streamlined service is designed for the modern South Dakota entrepreneur seeking speed, convenience, and guaranteed accuracy:
⚡️ Lightning Fast Preparation: Complete our simple online questionnaire and receive your complete, accurate South Dakota DBA form ready-to-file in minutes.
✅ Guaranteed Accuracy for $5: For a low, one-time fee of only $5, we ensure the information on your certificate exactly reflects the details required by your local South Dakota county.
🛡️ Focus on Core Business: We handle the paperwork preparation so you can immediately focus on the next steps, like setting up your professional South Dakota business bank account.
❓ Still have questions? Find out what a DBA is, why most states require them, and if you need one for your business.
🖹 A custom formatted PDF: Prefilled with your information making it fast and easy for your government office to file and satisfy your jurisdictions business name requirements. You will have the opportunity to view & download your certificate plus it will be emailed to you.
🚐 Less driving around to get the right form: Save time, gas money, and parking fees going from place to place.
😕 Less confusion: We have done the research and identified the right information to put on the right form for South Dakota Sole Proprietors so you don't have to. No matter if you are doing business in Minnehaha, Pennington, Brown, Brookings, or any other county in South Dakota, the information on your certificate will be accurate.
💲A low one-time charge: We charge $5 plus processing fees to complete your order. We use Stripe as our payment processor so you know it's secure and you can pay with many different types of credit cards or digital wallets like apple pay.
When operating under a name that differs from their personal legal name.
Sole proprietors file with the South Dakota Secretary of State.
Yes. South Dakota requires publication in an approved local newspaper.
Registrations last **five years** and must be renewed.
Steps:
Access the South Dakota Secretary of State’s business search tool.
Enter your proposed fictitious business name and similar variations.
Review existing businesses using the same or similar names.
Decide whether you need a different name to avoid confusion.
Save your search results for your records.
Documents Required:
None
Estimated Time:
5–10 minutes
Steps:
Visit the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website and check for your desired fictitious business name using their search tool.
Gather your legal name, address, fictitious name, and a brief description of your business.
Create your Fictitious Business Name Certificate at assumedname.org and have it notarized.
Send the certificate along with the filing fee to the Secretary of State .
Publish the required notice in a local newspaper according to South Dakota law.
Keep proof of publication and your registration confirmation and begin using your fictitious name.
Documents Required:
- Fictitious business name certificate
Filing fee payment
Proof of newspaper publication
Estimated Time:
Preparation: 20–30 minutes
Publication period: varies by legal requirements
What does the law say:
The relevant state law for Fictitious names / DBAs is: S.D. Codified Laws § 37-20-1
Steps:
Register your fictitious business name with the South Dakota Secretary of State
Obtain an EIN from the IRS if your bank requests it.
Gather your fictitious business name registration proof, publication proof, EIN letter (if applicable), government-issued ID, and proof of business address.
Contact a local bank and ask about business accounts for sole proprietors using fictitious business names.
Provide the required documents and complete the application; most banks open accounts within a few business days.
Documents Required:
Fictitious business name registration
Proof of publication
EIN (if required)
Government-issued ID
Proof of business address
Estimated Time:
Preparation: 20–30 minutes
Bank approval: 1–3 hours