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The Trade Name Laws Study Group, which was organized in the summer of 2009 by the Secretary of State’s Office, has recommended the adoption of a statute to provide for the voluntary and optional registration of trade names (also known as fictitious names or assumed names) on a statewide basis. By registering a trade name with the Secretary of State, a business will volunteer information regarding its legal name and address to be placed in a database maintained by the Secretary of State and accessible to the general public.

This system will provide Mississippians with an easy way to verify with whom they are doing business. An overwhelming majority of U.S. states have statutes allowing for registration of a trade name, while Mississippi currently does not. The Study Group will make its formal recommendations to the Mississippi Legislature later this year, which will include the specific registration requirements.