You passed your exam, you have your license, and now you want a name on the door. Before you fall in love with one, run it through the four checks below. Each takes minutes and saves you from reprinting signage later.

1. Check that the name is free in Florida

Every business name in Florida is searchable on Sunbiz, the Division of Corporations website (search.sunbiz.org). Search the exact name and close variations. If another active business already uses it, pick something else. A name that is only slightly different from an established spa in your area is a headache waiting to happen, even if the state lets you register it.

2. Decide how you will operate

• Sole proprietor under your own name: no registration needed, you are the business. Simple, but your personal assets are on the line.
• Sole proprietor under a business name: Florida's Fictitious Name Act requires you to register the fictitious name (also called a DBA, "doing business as") with the Division of Corporations before you start doing business under it. The state fee is $50, and the registration is valid for five years, expiring on December 31 of the fifth year. Florida also requires the name to be advertised at least once in a newspaper in the county of your principal place of business before you register. You do not submit proof of the ad; you certify on the application that it ran.
• LLC: the name is registered when you form the company. Most solo estheticians, nail techs, and PMU artists who plan to rent a suite end up here for the liability separation. Talk to an accountant about whether it fits your situation.

3. Grab the handles

Check the domain (yourname.com) and the Instagram and TikTok handles before you commit. Clients find beauty professionals on Instagram first, so a name that is taken there is effectively taken. If the exact handle is gone, a short, consistent variation like "yourname.orlando" across every platform beats a different spelling on each one.

4. Avoid words that create obligations

Words like "medical," "clinic," "MD," or "dermatology" imply a medical practice and can draw regulatory attention. "Academy" or "school" implies a licensed educational institution. Keep the name honest about what you are licensed to do.

Put it on the paperwork in the same form everywhere

Once you choose it, use the identical spelling and punctuation on your fictitious name registration, your EIN application, your bank account, and your DBPR license record. Mismatches between those documents are the most common reason a bank turns away a new business account.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change; confirm current requirements with the Florida Division of Corporations and a licensed professional.

Pristine Beauty Academy graduates who want help with the business side can ask Admissions about our Own It resources during your program.