united-states licensing trademark name
Can the subsidiaries of a holding company each operate under the same dba name?
<p>Holding company X has subsidiaries A, B, and C</p>

<p>Can A, B, and C each file a DBA to operate as the same name ie ACME?  </p>

<p>How would this be different than Holding company X creating a trademark ACME and licensing it to A, B, and C?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>This is done routinely. For example, all interstate banks in the U.S. operate in this manner.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>How would this be different than Holding company X creating a
  trademark ACME and licensing it to A, B, and C?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is one of the common ways that this is done. The other is for each subsidiary to obtain a trade name certificate from the states where it operates with a certification from the trade name owner that it has authorization to do so.</p>

<p>A trademark licensing arrangement does not have to be accompanied by an ownership relationship, however. When it is not, it is called a franchise agreement.</p>
