How to file a DBA in Boston: the business certificate at City Hall

Key takeaways

• A Massachusetts DBA is filed with the clerk of the city or town where the business has an office, not with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, under M.G.L. Chapter 110, Section 5.
• The Boston City Clerk charges $65 to file a Business Certificate (Form 1001C), plus $35 for owners who do not live in Massachusetts, as of November 13, 2026.
• A Business Certificate lasts four years from the date of issue and lapses unless it is renewed, according to Chapter 110, Section 5.
• Boston takes Business Certificate filings in person or by mail at Room 601 of Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square. The City Clerk has no online filing option.
• A change of business address costs $50 in Boston, and so does withdrawing a certificate when the business closes.
• An LLC or corporation that uses only its true registered name does not need a DBA, under M.G.L. Chapter 110, Section 6.

This guide is for sole proprietors, partners and company owners who trade under a name that is not their own legal name in Boston. A DBA (“doing business as”) is a public filing that ties a trade name to the people or company behind it. Massachusetts calls that filing a business certificate, and there is no statewide DBA registry: you file with the clerk of each city or town where the business has an office. In Boston that means the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, where filing costs $65.

The sections below cover who has to file, what the Boston City Clerk charges, the documents to bring, the steps at City Hall, renewal, and what to do when the business moves or closes.

What is a DBA in Massachusetts?

A DBA in Massachusetts is a business certificate filed with a city or town clerk by anyone who conducts business under a name other than their real name. The rule is state law, M.G.L. Chapter 110, Section 5, and the cities and towns carry it out.

The state’s business certificate page on Mass.gov uses “DBA”, “trade name”, “fictitious name” and “assumed name” for the same filing. Mass.gov also says the certificate is not a business license. A Business Certificate creates a public record of who owns the business and where it is.

Who needs a business certificate in Boston?

A business certificate in Boston is required when you run a business under a name different from its legal name, according to the City of Boston’s Business Certificate page. The city says this applies to sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations and LLCs.

Three Boston conditions apply before you file:

• A corporation, LLC or other legal entity must register with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Corporations Division first, and the person who signs the certificate must be listed as an officer or director in that state filing.
• The business address cannot be a P.O. box or a virtual address.
• A real estate salesperson cannot file a business registration under their own name. The city says a Real Estate Broker’s License from the Commonwealth comes first.

Who is exempt from filing a DBA in Massachusetts?

Businesses exempt from filing a DBA in Massachusetts are listed in M.G.L. Chapter 110, Section 6. Section 5 does not apply to:

• a corporation doing business under its true corporate name
• a partnership whose business name includes the true surname of a partner
• a limited liability company or limited liability partnership doing business under its true name, once it has registered or qualified with the Secretary of the Commonwealth
• a limited partnership under Chapter 109 using its true name, if the name spells out the words “limited partnership”

Section 6 also covers certain associations and trusts. The exemption ends when the name changes: an LLC registered as one name that opens a shop under another name is back under Section 5 for the shop’s name.

How much does a DBA cost in Boston?

A DBA in Boston costs $65 to file, and the same $65 at each four-year renewal, according to the City of Boston. State law sets default clerk fees in M.G.L. Chapter 262, Section 34 but lets a city council or town meeting set its own, so every municipality’s fee is different. Boston’s fees, as posted on November 13, 2026, are in the table.

Boston City Clerk filing	Fee
Business Certificate, new filing (Form 1001C)	$65
Business Certificate, renewal every four years	$65
Non-resident surcharge (owner lives outside Massachusetts)	$35 on top of the $65
Change of Location form	$50
Withdrawal of Business Certificate	$50
Withdrawal of a name from a certificate	$50

The City Clerk’s Office takes cash, credit cards, pinless debit cards, checks and money orders in person. Card payments carry a non-refundable service fee of 2.5 percent with a $1 minimum. By mail, the city accepts only a check or money order payable to the City of Boston.

What documents do you need for a Boston business certificate?

Documents for a Boston business certificate start with the completed, notarized Business Certificate form, which the City Clerk publishes in 12 languages. Every applicant also brings:

• the business name and street address
• the names and home addresses of all individuals with an interest in the business
• a signed copy of the lease with start and end dates, or a notarized letter from the landlord confirming the tenancy if there is no lease
• a valid photo ID

The City Clerk’s Office can notarize the form on site for free when you file in person, and everyone who signs has to be there. Search the city’s Business Certificate Database before you go. If a certificate with the same business name or address is already on file, Boston asks for a notarized letter from the landlord stating that the previous business owner is gone.

Extra documents by business type

Some trades have to show a permit or license with the form. The City of Boston lists these among others:

• Restaurants: a copy of the Food Service Permit from the Inspectional Services Department and the current lease.
• Food trucks: health and fire permits, a Hawkers and Peddlers License, a commissary kitchen agreement and a Certificate of Liability Insurance.
• Home improvement contractors: a valid Home Improvement Contractor registration from the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.

How do you file a business certificate at Boston City Hall?

Filing a business certificate at Boston City Hall takes one visit to the City Clerk’s Office, Room 601, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201. The city says a certificate filed in person is issued while you wait, and a mailed filing takes two to three business days. The steps are:

1. If the business is a corporation or LLC, confirm that it is registered with the Corporations Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and that the signer is a listed officer or director.
2. Fill out the Business Certificate form and check the “New Filing” box. Leave the signature for the notary.
3. Bring the form, the lease or landlord letter, photo ID, any trade permits and the $65 fee to Room 601, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To file by mail, send the notarized form, the documents, a check or money order and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Chapter 110, Section 5 requires a copy of the certificate to be kept at the business address and shown on request to anyone who has bought goods or services from the business.

Owners who live outside Massachusetts

A non-resident owner signs a second statement on the back of the Boston form and pays the extra $35. Under M.G.L. Chapter 227, Section 5A, the statement appoints the City Clerk as the owner’s agent for service of legal process in any action arising out of the business.

When does a Boston business certificate expire?

A Boston business certificate expires four years after the date it was issued. Chapter 110, Section 5 says a certificate “shall lapse and be void unless so renewed.” The City Clerk sends a letter when renewal is due. Renewal uses the same form with the “Renewal” box checked, the same documents and the same $65 fee.

The penalty figures differ by source. Section 5 sets a fine of not more than $300 for each month a violation continues. The Boston form and the city’s web page describe a late renewal penalty of up to $100 per month, capped at $300 in total. Ask the City Clerk’s Office which applies if your certificate has lapsed.

What do you file if the business moves or closes?

A business that moves or closes files a second sworn statement with the City Clerk, because Chapter 110, Section 5 requires one when an owner discontinues the business, withdraws from a partnership, changes residence or changes the business location. In Boston, a move within the city calls for a notarized Change of Location form with the same supporting documents as the original filing and a $50 fee.

Closing the business calls for the Withdrawal of Business Certificate form, also $50, described on the city’s withdrawal page. Removing one person from a certificate uses a separate withdrawal of names form at the same fee.

A move out of Boston is a different case. Section 5 requires a certificate in every city or town where the business has an office, so a shop that relocates to Cambridge, Somerville or Brookline files a new certificate with that municipality’s clerk at that municipality’s fee.

What should you recheck before you act?

Each item below was checked on November 13, 2026 and can change without notice:

• Boston’s fees ($65 filing and renewal, $35 non-resident surcharge, $50 change of location, $50 withdrawal): confirm on the City of Boston Business Certificate page or by calling the City Clerk at 617-635-4601.
• Filing hours: the Business Certificate page lists 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, the withdrawal page lists 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the City Clerk’s general office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call before a late-afternoon visit.
• Notary cost: the Business Certificate page says on-site notarization of the form is free, while the City Clerk’s general notary page lists $5 per document.
• Late penalties: compare the Boston form’s $100 per month figure with the $300 per month maximum in M.G.L. Chapter 110, Section 5.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change; confirm the current requirements with the agency named before you file or pay.

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