For your 20+ series under a Wyoming Statutory Trust (WST), the process for filing a Trade Name (DBA) is a bit “old school” compared to forming the trust itself.
Can you file online?
No. In Wyoming, you cannot file a Trade Name (DBA) registration online. While the Secretary of State allows you to form the initial Trust and file Annual Reports digitally, the Application for Registration of Trade Name must be submitted by mail.
What is the cost?
The state filing fee is $100 per Trade Name.
If you plan to register a unique DBA for all 20 series, the total state fees would be $2,000. Because of this, many trust owners only file DBAs for the series that deal directly with the public or have specific branding needs, while letting the others operate under their legal “Series” names (e.g., Agri-Biz ST, Series 14).
Key Requirements for the Filing
Since you have to mail this in, you’ll want to get it right the first time to avoid the 15-day processing delay for a rejection:
- Notarization is Required: The application form must be signed and notarized before you mail it.
- “In Use” Requirement: Wyoming law technically requires that the trade name be “in use” before it is registered. This usually means you’ve already started using the name on a website, business card, or invoice.
- Payment: You must include a check or money order made payable to the Wyoming Secretary of State.
- Term: The registration is valid for 10 years, after which it can be renewed for $50.
Mailing Address
You will send the notarized form and the $100 check to:
Wyoming Secretary of State
Herschler Building East, Suite 101
122 W 25th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020
Pro-Tip for your 20 Series
If you are opening 20 series at once, you might want to call the Secretary of State’s Business Division first. Since you are a Statutory Trust and not a standard LLC, you want to ensure the clerk understands that the “Applicant” is the Master Trust but the name being registered belongs to a specific Series.
On the form, under “Name of Applicant,” you would typically list it as:
[Master Trust Name], on behalf of its Series [X]
Does this volume of filings change your plan for how many of the 20 series will actually need a separate “public-facing” brand name?