Do I need a Trade Name Registration (DBA) for Lilz Gloss N Scrub in Wisconsin?

Hi Lillian, a good name deserves to be registered properly, and Lilz Gloss N Scrub is no exception. In Wisconsin, registering "Lilz Gloss N Scrub" comes first, and the state calls that filing a Trade Name Registration. We cover the name registration, the tax IDs, and the licenses that let you open in Racine, and finish with a quick recap.

How Wisconsin handles a business name

In Wisconsin, a business name other than your own legal name is registered as a Trade Name Registration, which you will also hear called DBA, assumed name, or fictitious name. Wisconsin has no general rule that makes most sole proprietors and partnerships register a business name, so registration is optional and works as public notice that you are using the name. Mercantile businesses whose name sounds like a corporation do have a statement to record.

Newspaper publication: We found no newspaper-publication requirement for this registration in Wisconsin.

How long it lasts: The optional registration lasts ten years and can be renewed in the six months before it expires.

What Lilz Gloss N Scrub needs

1. Trade Name Registration – Register "Lilz Gloss N Scrub" before you use it on signs, invoices, and your business bank account. Most banks will not open an account or deposit checks made out to a trade name until it is registered to you.
2. Name check – Choose a name that is easy to spell and not confusingly close to a business already operating nearby. Registering a DBA announces your use of the name, but only a trademark gives you exclusive rights to it.
3. LLC (limited liability company) – A DBA creates no separate legal entity and no liability protection; an LLC keeps business debts and lawsuits separate from your personal home and savings. If a contaminated batch causes lip infections among buyers, those claims fall on the business, giving your personal assets a protective buffer. If you form the LLC under the exact name Lilz Gloss N Scrub LLC, the LLC filing itself protects that name and you will not need a separate DBA for it.
4. EIN (federal tax ID number) – You plan on 1 employee, so the federal tax ID number (EIN) is required for payroll, and you will use it for the business bank account opened in the registered name.
5. Wisconsin seller's permit – You will be selling taxable goods, so register to collect sales tax before your first sale. It also lets you buy inventory for resale without paying tax on it.
6. Wisconsin employer ID – With 1 employee, you need a state employer account number for payroll withholding and unemployment insurance. It works like the EIN, but for state payroll taxes.
7. Business license – Governments license businesses so they can collect a modest tax and keep inspectors checking safety. Plan on a local business license for Lilz Gloss N Scrub in Racine.

By the numbers: Banks, insurers, and tax forms will ask for your industry code. For a lip gloss business it is NAICS 325620 (Toilet Preparation Manufacturing). With 1 employee planned, you are already creating jobs in Racine. That makes 7 items on your list.

Tip: Follow cosmetic labeling rules by listing all ingredients and the net amount on every tube.

To recap: Lilz Gloss N Scrub in Racine, WI needs a Trade Name Registration, a name check, an LLC, an EIN, a sales tax permit, a state employer ID, and a business license. With the paperwork done, the fun part begins: serving your first customers.

We can file your business name registration and the other paperwork for you: start here.