---
title: "How to File a DBA in Kentucky: Where, Cost, Renewal | MCC"
description: "To file a DBA in Kentucky, register the assumed name with the state or county, depending on who owns it. Lasts 5 years."
url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/bookkeeping/dba-kentucky"
---

Business names · Kentucky

# Registering a DBA in Kentucky

Where the assumed name is filed, what it costs, when it has to be renewed, from the official pages.

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**Short answer.** A sole proprietor files with the county clerk where the principal place of business is. A business entity files with the Secretary of State and gets a copy for the local county clerk's office. Cost: County clerk: $46 in Scott County for a filing, renewal or withdrawal. Secretary of State: $20 for an entity's renewal; the first-time state fee wasn't on the pages we opened. Five years from the filing date. File the renewal certificate within the six months before it expires.

## At a glance

Called

assumed name

Where to file

Depends on the owner

Filing fee

County clerk: $46 in Scott County for a filing, renewal or withdrawal. Secretary of State: $20 for an entity's renewal; the first-time state fee wasn't on the pages we opened.

How long it lasts

Individuals: 5 years; entities: 5 years

## Individuals and companies file in different places

A sole proprietor files with the county clerk where the principal place of business is. A business entity files with the Secretary of State and gets a copy for the local county clerk's office.

Setting up the books for the new name? [A free bookkeeping health check](/bookkeeping/health-check).

## Renewal, with dates

Five years from the filing date. File the renewal certificate within the six months before it expires. An entity's assumed name is effective for five years; renew within six months before expiration for another five.

For a registration filed on Monday, November 23, 2026:

- **Sole proprietor or partnership:** expires Sunday, November 23, 2031; renewal window opens Friday, May 23, 2031
- **LLC or corporation:** expires Sunday, November 23, 2031; renewal window opens Friday, May 23, 2031

Your own date: [open the calculator set to Kentucky](/bookkeeping/dba-renewal-date-calculator?state=ky).

**Not stated on the pages we read:** whether local fees differ, a newspaper notice and online filing.

## Official sources

- [Scott County Clerk: Certificate of assumed name](https://scottcountyclerk.ky.gov/services/public-records/certificate-of-assumed-name/) (checked November 2026)
- [Kentucky Secretary of State form RAN: Renewal of assumed name](https://web.sos.ky.gov/forms/corp/RAN-Renewal of Assumed Name.pdf) (checked November 2026)

General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Checked November 2026 against the pages above. Fees and forms change, and a county or town office can add its own steps, so confirm with the filing office before you file. We don't file DBAs or trade names for anyone.

## Questions people ask

**Where is a DBA filed in Kentucky?**

It's called a assumed name. A sole proprietor files with the county clerk where the principal place of business is. A business entity files with the Secretary of State and gets a copy for the local county clerk's office.

**What does it cost to register a business name in Kentucky?**

County clerk: $46 in Scott County for a filing, renewal or withdrawal. Secretary of State: $20 for an entity's renewal; the first-time state fee wasn't on the pages we opened.

**How long does a Kentucky assumed name last?**

Five years from the filing date. File the renewal certificate within the six months before it expires. An entity's assumed name is effective for five years; renew within six months before expiration for another five.

All states: [DBA registration by state](/bookkeeping/dba-registration-by-state) · [Iowa](/bookkeeping/dba-iowa) · [Michigan](/bookkeeping/dba-michigan)

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## Want the books set up for the new name?

[See bookkeeping services](/bookkeeping/)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)