Doing Business As (DBA)

A “Doing Business As” (DBA) is a trade name a business uses that’s different from its legal name. In NYC home improvement work, this matters because contractors must operate only under the exact name listed on their DCWP license.

If a contractor wants to market or operate under another name—like a shorter brand name or a more consumer-friendly identity—they must formally register that name as a DBA and then update their DCWP license to match.

Using an unregistered or unlicensed name is a violation and can trigger fines, contract invalidation, or license issues.