How to Sign a Corporate Letter With a DBA

Corporations can use a fictitious business name, also known as a "doing business as" or DBA, for a variety of reasons, including to maintain public recognition and goodwill in certain markets when a corporation acquires another company with an established customer base. The DBA is simply an alias, like a nickname, and is used for marketing and other informal purposes. It is not the corporation's legal name. The corporation's managers must present company information in such a way that informs the recipient of the legal name of the business, particularly when drafting contracts, ordering checks and sending official correspondence.

Create a signature section at the bottom of the corporate letter. Typically, the signature section starts with a closing salutation, such as "Sincerely." Leave enough space to allow the entire signature block to remain together on one page.

Read More: How Do I Extend My DBA?

Sign your name in ink. Type your name and corporate title under your signature. For example, John Smith would leave approximately four lines under the closing salutation to accommodate his signature, then type John Smith, Vice President. If you are using corporate letterhead that identifies your name and title, you do not need to include your title in your signature.

Indicate the name of the corporation and DBA under your title by using the phrase "trading as". For example, XYZ Corporation t/a ABC Foods. You can also use your letterhead to inform the recipient of the legal entity behind the DBA. Preprinted letterhead can indicate the name of the corporation and the DBA that it is trading under. In that case, you would not have to put the name of the corporation and DBA under your signature.