Business name registration in Alaska is done on Form 08-557, which the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (Corporations Section) uses to register an unincorporated or DBA business name under AS 10.35. Sole proprietors, partnerships and entities that operate under a name other than their legal name use it, after they hold a matching Alaska Business License. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form is published by the Division at the official URL, and filing follows the mailing instructions printed on it.
Last updated
What is 08-557?
Form 08-557, NEW Business Name Registration (AS 10.35), is the Alaska form on which a person conducting business as an unincorporated business or under a DBA ("doing business as") name registers that name with the state for the purpose of exclusive rights to it.
The Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, part of the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, receives the registration through its Corporations Section. A name can be registered only if it is distinguishable on the Department's record from the name of any other organized entity, reserved name or registered name (AS 10.35.040). The name cannot contain a corporate identifier such as "corporation" or "limited liability company," or an abbreviation of those words.
The form is separate from the business license. Under the business licensing statutes (AS 43.70), the form states, there is no restriction on issuing several business licenses with the exact same name, and the Department must issue a license even if exclusive rights to a name have been secured under AS 10.35. A person holding exclusive rights may ask a court, through the Alaska Court System, for an order prohibiting use of a name that is not distinguishable, and may seek damages (AS 10.35.040(b)).
The package has three parts: the two-page registration (items 1 to 8), the one-page Contact Information sheet (Form 08-561), and an optional Credit Card Payment Form (08-4438). Entities already on record with the Division under Corporations Statutes, Title 10, do not need to register their legal name with this form.
Who needs to file 08-557?
A person who conducts business in Alaska as an unincorporated business or under a DBA name and wants exclusive rights to that name files Form 08-557 with the Corporations Section.
- Sole proprietors: the individual owner is listed in item 5 and signs.
- Partnerships: all partners are listed (item 5 and item 6, with an 8.5x11 supplement if needed), and one owning partner signs.
- Entities that own the business (such as an INC or LLC): the entity is the owner in item 5, with its Alaska Entity Number, and the signer must be on record with the Division as an authorized signer for that entity.
You must already hold the corresponding Alaska Business License, because its number is mandatory on the form and the name must exactly match the name on the license.
Do not use this form to register the legal name of an entity already on record with the Division under Corporations Statutes, Title 10; those entities do not need a business name registration for that name. A name with a corporate identifier cannot be registered on it.
When to file 08-557
File Form 08-557 after you have obtained the corresponding Alaska Business License, which the form says must come first. The form prints no separate deadline and no renewal date.
Because the Alaska Business License number is mandatory in item 3 and the registered name must exactly match the license, have the license in hand before you start. Registration is also tied to the name being distinguishable on the Division's record at the time it reviews your filing, so check the Division's website at Corporations.Alaska.Gov before you submit. For questions about timing or status, the form lists the Corporations Section at (907) 465-2550 and [email protected].
Documents you need
- Alaska Business License number: mandatory in item 3, and the business name must exactly match the name on the license, which must be obtained first.
- Filing fee payment: a check or money order payable to the State of Alaska, in U.S. dollars; the fee is nonrefundable.
- Credit Card Payment Form (08-4438): include it only if you pay by credit card instead of check or money order.
- Alaska Entity Number of the owning entity: only if the business owner in item 5 is an entity.
- 8.5x11 supplement listing additional owners: only if the business is a partnership with more owners than the form has room for.
- Contact Information sheet (Form 08-561): return it with your filing; it helps the Division process the filing and is not filed for record.
How to fill out 08-557
Confirm license and name eligibility
Before you start, obtain the corresponding Alaska Business License and check that the name is distinguishable on the Division's record and has no corporate identifier.
Enter the business name and license
Item 3: write the unincorporated or DBA business name exactly as on the Alaska Business License, then the Alaska Business License Number. Mark BL Ownership: Sole Proprietor, Partnership or Entity (INC, LLC, etc.).
Provide the business addresses
Item 4: enter the physical address and the mailing address, each with address, city, state and ZIP.
Identify the owner of the business
Item 5: enter the name of the owner and the owner's mailing address. If the owner is an entity, add its Alaska Entity Number.
List additional partners
Item 6: if the business is owned by a partnership (marked in item 3), list each additional owner's name and mailing address. Attach an 8.5x11 supplement if you need more room.
Describe the business and confirm
Item 7: enter the nature of the business and check the box confirming that the owner is doing business under the name listed in item 3.
Sign as the correct owner
Item 8: sign, date and print your name, and state your relation to the business. For an owning entity, give your signing authority, such as President of the owning entity.
Complete the Contact Information sheet
On Form 08-561, enter the entity name and AK Entity # as on the filing, a contact person with phone and email, and a return address for your filed documents.
Prepare the filing fee payment
Prepare a check or money order payable to the State of Alaska, or complete the Credit Card Payment Form 08-4438. Do not email card information.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every item against your Alaska Business License. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble the package described under How to submit.
How to submit 08-557
Form 08-557 is submitted by mail to the Corporations Section, together with the filing fee. The form names no other filing channel.
- By mail: Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, Corporations Section, PO Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806. The form says to mail it to the letterhead address; the street address printed there is State Office Building, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor.
- Fee: a nonrefundable filing fee in U.S. dollars applies (3 AAC 16.010(a)). Pay by check or money order payable to the State of Alaska, or attach the Credit Card Payment Form (08-4438). Do not email credit card information. The amount is printed on the form; ask the Division for the current amount.
- Package: the signed registration, the Contact Information sheet (Form 08-561, which is returned with the filing and is not filed for record), the payment, and any supplement for additional partners.
The Corporations Section can be reached at (907) 465-2550 or [email protected]. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing before obtaining the corresponding Alaska Business License, which the form says must be obtained first.
- Entering a business name in item 3 that does not exactly match the name on the Alaska Business License.
- Using a corporate identifier such as "corporation" or "limited liability company," or an abbreviation, in the business name.
- Choosing a name that is not distinguishable from another organized entity, reserved name or registered name on the Division's record.
- Leaving the Alaska Business License number blank; the form marks it mandatory.
- Having the wrong person sign: a sole proprietor must sign personally, one partner signs for a partnership, and an entity's signer must be an authorized signer on record and state their authority.
- Sending the form without the nonrefundable filing fee, or emailing credit card details instead of using the payment form.
- Registering an entity's legal name when the entity is already on record with the Division under Title 10, which does not require it.
- Omitting the check box in item 7 confirming the owner is doing business under the name in item 3.
Frequently asked questions
What is business name registration in Alaska?
It is the registration of an unincorporated or DBA business name with the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing on Form 08-557 under AS 10.35. It gives the registrant exclusive rights to a name that is distinguishable on the Division's record.
Do I need an Alaska Business License before registering a business name?
Yes. Form 08-557 says the corresponding Alaska Business License must be obtained first. The license number is mandatory on the form, and the business name must exactly match the name on the license.
Does registering a business name replace a business license?
No. The form explains that business licenses are issued under AS 43.70, and the Department must issue a license even when exclusive rights to a name exist under AS 10.35. Registration is a separate filing.
Where do I mail Form 08-557?
Mail it with the filing fee to the Corporations Section, PO Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806. The form directs filers to the letterhead address and prints no other filing channel.
Is there a fee to register a business name in Alaska?
Yes, a nonrefundable filing fee in U.S. dollars. Pay by check or money order payable to the State of Alaska, or attach the Credit Card Payment Form 08-4438. The form prints the amount; confirm it with the Division at (907) 465-2550.
Who signs the business name registration?
The owner. A sole proprietor signs personally, one owning partner signs for a partnership, and for an entity owner the signer must be an authorized signer on record with the Division and state their authority, such as corporation President.
Can I use "LLC" or "Inc." in a DBA name registration?
No. The form says an unincorporated or DBA name cannot contain a corporate identifier such as corporation or limited liability company, or an abbreviation of those words. The name must also be distinguishable on record.
Can I fill out Form 08-557 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the State of Alaska and does not file the form; you mail it to the Corporations Section with your payment.
Ready to fill out 08-557?
Fill out 08-557 now