Trade Name Certificates

Trade Name Certificates

A trade name is filed in the town in which the business is being conducted.  The trade name is a fictitious name under the business being transacted.  It does not provide liability protection nor does it protect that business name from being used by someone else.  The trade name provides the public that an individual or individuals are conducting business under an assumed name.  A trade name can be filed by one individual; a group of individuals; or a business registered with the Secretary of the State. 

https://portal.ct.gov/tninstructions

Fees to file

When you deliver the trade name application to the town clerk, you must pay a $20 filing fee payable to the town clerk.

Trade name forms

The forms below should be used for a trade name filed on or after January 1, 2025. The forms must be hand signed by the applicant(s) and notarized by the town clerk or another notary.

Trade Name Applications (Natural Persons)

Use this form for applications filed by one or more individuals (natural persons). The term "natural persons" is used here to highlight that these are filed by individuals, not business entities (artificial persons).

Trade Name Applications (Business Organizations)

Use this form if you are filing a trade name for a business organization registered with the Secretary of the State. Please verify your business name, business ID/ALEI (authoritative legal entity identifier) and active status using our Business Search Tool. The name, business ID, and address should match exactly what you see on business.ct.gov. The status of the business organization must be active. If the business organization has another status, contact the Secretary of the State Business Services Division to resolve the business status at bsd@ct.gov.

Trade Name Cancellation (All Filer Types) 

Use this form to cancel a trade name that was previously filed.