Welcome back to the Startup Journal — I’m Craig Stephens, founder of City Edition Printing & Design, and I’m documenting the real process of launching my new AI startup, City Edition Design.
Yesterday, I talked about downloading your DBA form from your state’s Secretary of State website.
Today, let’s go through how to fill it out.
📝 What You’ll Need to Fill Out Your DBA:
✅ 1. Your Business Name:
This is the name you plan to operate under (mine is City Edition Design). Double-check spelling — it needs to be consistent across all documents.
✅ 2. Your Legal Name and Address:
You’ll need your full legal name, and depending on your state, you might need a residential and/or business address.
✅ 3. Your EIN or SSN:
If you already have an EIN, use that. If not and you’re a sole proprietor, you can usually use your SSN. I used the EIN from City Edition Printing, since City Edition Design is a DBA under that LLC.
✅ 4. Signature and Date:
Print clearly and sign. Make sure your dates match across all documents.
🔒 Quick Tip:
Always download the most recent version of the form directly from the official Secretary of State site. And if possible, call or email their office to confirm requirements.
Tomorrow, I’ll share the method I found most effective for submitting the form — and how I got it done faster than expected.
— Craig Stephens
www.CityEditionPrinting.com
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