As your medical practice expands—adding new services, specialties, or locations—you don’t need to set up a new corporation every time. In both Canada and the United States, you can register additional trade names (also known as DBAs) under your existing corporation. This allows you to operate under different names while keeping your legal and financial structure streamlined.

Registering A Trade Name For Medical Practices

What Is a Trade Name?

A trade name (also known as a “doing business as” or DBA) allows a corporation to operate under a different name without changing its official legal name. You still have one legal entity and one tax number—but you can publicly use a more patient-facing or location-specific brand.

Example: Your legal name may be 1234567 Inc., but your public-facing brand is Glow Med Spa Toronto, Glow Med Spa NYC. Those public names are your registered trade names.

Why Would Medical Clinics Want To Use Multiple Trade Names

As medical practices expand, so do their needs for differentiated branding:

  • Launch a New Service Line: Create separate brands for injectables, IV therapy, or wellness programs.
  • Expand to a New Location: Operate as Miami Skin Studio or Miami Medical Aesthetics while keeping legal operations under your existing corp.
  • Improve SEO & Ads Performance: Align location-specific names with your Google Business Profile and local search visibility.
  • Streamline Marketing: Use clean, memorable names without legal suffixes like “Inc.” or “Ltd.”

When It Makes Sense for Your Practice

A trade name might be the right move if you’re:

  • Operating as a numbered corporation and want a more memorable public name
  • Expanding into new cities and need location-specific branding
  • Adding new services that need their own positioning and online presence
  • Running local ad campaigns and want to match business name + location for credibility
  • Building a franchise-ready clinic structure

How to Register a Trade Name

In Canada

  1. Choose Your Name: Pick a name that reflects your brand, location, or service line clearly.
  2. Search for Name Availability A NUANS (Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search) is optional in Ontario but can help avoid duplication or confusion. Ontario Business Central also offers NUANS. (Ontario Business Central is a trusted partner of the Ontario government.)
  3. Register the Trade Name Use the Ontario Business Registry or a service provider like Ontario Business Central. 
  4. Renew Every 5 Years Trade names in Ontario must be renewed every five years to remain valid.

In the United States

The DBA process typically happens at the state, county, or city level depending on your business structure and location.

  1. Determine if You Need a DBA: You’ll need one if your clinic is operating under a name that’s different from your registered entity name (e.g., Wellness & Aesthetics Center of Miami instead of Health Innovations LLC).
  2. Check Name Availability: Each state has its own business registry, but a basic online search is a good start.
  3. Understand Local Requirements: Some states require you to register DBAs through the state, others through your county. Requirements may vary based on whether you’re a sole proprietor, LLC, or corporation.
  4. File Forms and Pay Fees: You’ll typically complete a form and pay a filing fee (usually $5–$100).
    • In Washington State, DBAs are filed through My DOR
  5. Maintain or Renew Registration: Some states (like Washington) allow DBAs to remain active indefinitely. Others require renewal every few years—check with your local office to stay compliant.

How Can I Use Different Names for Each Location Without Creating New Corporations?

How Can I Use Different Names For Each Location Without Creating New Corporations

At Wisevu, many of our medical clients register trade names to run Google Service Ads and create separate Google Business Profiles for different locations.

This strategy is useful when:

  • You’re expanding into new cities (e.g., Refine Aesthetics Ottawa, Toronto Medical Wellness)
  • You want to run distinct Google Local Services Ads accounts per location
  • You need to use a unique address, phone number, and business profile for each market
  • You’re building SEO and reputation around each clinic location individually

What to Do

Canada

  • Register a new trade name using your new clinic name and address.
  • Skip BN and HST fields if using Ontario Business Central’s registration form. Your main corporation already has those.
  • Use the new local address in the registration—even though the documents will be sent to your head office address. This matters for Google’s verification process.
  • Cost is around $145 if using Ontario Business Central (includes government fees). You can also do it yourself or ask your accountant.

United States

  • Register a DBA for each clinic name you want to use. This is also known as a fictitious name or assumed name, depending on the state.
  • You do not need to create a new corporation or LLC. Your original entity stays intact, and all DBAs fall under it.
  • Check with your state, county, or city to determine where the DBA must be filed. Requirements vary.
  • Include your local clinic’s name and address in the registration to align with Google’s verification process.
  • Fees vary, but expect to pay around $5–$100 per DBA registration, depending on location. Some states (like California or New York) may also require you to publish a notice in a local paper.
  • In most cases, you can use your existing EIN (tax ID) and don’t need a new one.
  • Unlike Canada, some U.S. states don’t require renewal (e.g., Washington), but others do—check your local rules.

This approach helps you scale advertising, manage reviews locally, and maintain a clean brand structure across multiple cities.

Points To Remember Before You File

What To KnowWhat It Means for Your Clinic
You can register more than one trade nameThis is particularly useful if you offer different services like med spa, dental, or hormone therapy under the same parent corporation.
No separate business number or tax return neededAll income remains under your current corporation. No need for separate tax returns.
No name protectionTrade names aren’t legally protected like corporate names or trademarks. You’re free to use them—but so is someone else, unless you register a trademark.
Must be renewed every 5 yearsIn Ontario, trade names expire after 5 years and must be renewed to remain active.

Legal and Compliance Notes

In Canada

  • The Business Names Act requires accurate and complete information.
  • Submitting false or misleading details can lead to fines: up to $2,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations.
  • Trade name registration does not grant name exclusivity—only a trademark can do that.
  • Registered names can be used as proof when opening clinic bank accounts, applying for permits, or verifying with ad platforms.

In the United States

  • A DBA is not a separate legal entity—it’s just an alias for your corporation.
  • Registering a DBA does not protect your name from being used by others. It simply informs the public that your business is operating under a different name.
  • If you want exclusive rights to a name across the U.S., you must register a trademark through the USPTO.
  • Trademark fees apply per application and per class of services.

Final Thoughts

For clinics aiming to grow, trade names offer a practical method to establish various brand identities under a single corporate umbrella. Whether launching a high-end med spa or entering a new market, this strategy provides significant flexibility.

Wisevu Medical has extensive experience assisting clinics with effective brand architecture. If you require assistance in positioning your services or branding your new ventures, we can provide expert consultation.