Fieldstone Lending, a small-business funding broker in Gillette, Wyoming, wrote this guide for owners who trade under a name that is not their legal one. It explains why funding partners compare names across documents, how to search the state's records, and what to have ready to record and keep a trade name current. Filing rules come from official pages only.
What a trade name is, in practice
Put simply, a trade name is any name you do business under other than the one on your legal record. A company formed as 'Sample Holdings LLC' might paint 'Sample Plumbing Co.' on its trucks. For a business that is not incorporated, the legal name is generally the owner's own, so any other name on the invoices works as a trade name.
Why funding partners compare names
Much of underwriting is cross-checking. A partner reads bank statements, a state record, tax returns and invoices, and expects them to describe one business. When the account says one name, the invoices another and the state record a third, the file stalls while someone explains.
| Document | Name a partner expects | If it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Business bank statements | Legal name, or legal name with the trade name | Ask the bank to add the trade name to the account |
| State business record | Legal name; trade name if recorded | Search the record and correct or record it |
| Invoices and contracts | The name customers pay | Make sure that name is on the account they pay into |
| Equipment quotes and leases | The legal name of the buyer | Have the seller reissue the quote |
| Card processor statements | The name settlements go to | Update the merchant account |
Step 1: search before you print anything
Search the state's business records for the exact name and for close variants: different spellings, with and without 'Co.' or 'Services', singular and plural. Note any entity or trade name already using something close. The Wyoming Secretary of State's Start a Business page (sos.wyo.gov/Business/StartABusiness.aspx, checked 2026-10-16) is the official starting point for state business filings.
Step 2: record the name
Before filing, gather the exact legal name of the person or entity that will use the trade name, the trade name spelled exactly as it will appear on signs and invoices, and the business address. In Gillette, WY that address may sit inside city limits or out in the county even with a Gillette mailing address, so write it exactly as the record should show it.
Step 3: keep it current
A recorded name that lapses brings back the very mismatch the filing was meant to fix. Put any renewal date in the calendar the day you file, keep the confirmation with your formation papers, and check the record before any funding request, lease or large equipment purchase.
Tax registration under the same name
If your business registers with the Wyoming Department of Revenue, use the same legal name there. Its Excise Tax Division registration page (excise-tax-div.wyo.gov/registration, checked 2026-10-16) is the official entry point.
A note for Campbell County, WY sole owners
In Campbell County, 5.2% of employed residents (+/- 1.5) were self-employed in unincorporated businesses, and 3.9% (+/- 1.3) in incorporated ones (American Community Survey 2020-2024). Unincorporated owners are the group most exposed to the name problem above, because the legal name on their records is their own. The county also had 3,840 businesses with no paid employees in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics). More county figures are on the Gillette, WY page.
Common mismatches and their fixes
| What the file shows | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| Bank account in the owner's personal name, business is an LLC | Open or retitle a business account in the LLC's legal name |
| Trade name on invoices, nothing on the state record | Search, then record the trade name |
| State record shows an old address | Update the record before any request |
| Equipment quote made out to the trade name | Ask the seller to reissue it to the legal entity |
| Card processor settles to a different account | Point settlements at the account on the request |
Before you send a funding request
- Search the state record and print what it shows.
- Compare it with the name on your bank statements and card processor.
- Fix mismatches at the bank or processor first; they take the longest.
- Bring the record to the first call.
Then read how a request moves or compare the six funding structures. If you are also choosing a space, the permits and commercial space guide is the next read; the post on your business name on every document gives worked examples. The rest of the guides live on the resources hub.
By Fieldstone Lending · Updated
A question for Fieldstone Lending on S Gillette Ave in Gillette, WY?
Torn between structures? Phone, or start online.