Texas Porch

Business Filings

File a Local Assumed Name Certificate Before Using a DBA

Hidalgo County Rules & Licenses

Want to run a business in Hidalgo County under a name that isn't your own legal name? That's an assumed name certificate (most people call it a DBA), and it's a local filing with the County Clerk's Recording Department, not a state sales-tax permit and not a city business license.

The county's form wants the business name, the business address, your incorporated-business details if you have any, the county or counties where you'll use the name, and the period of use. It also carries a hard limit: an assumed name certificate is good for no more than 10 years from the date it's filed in the clerk's office.

A DBA on file lets you open a bank account and put your name on the sign, but it doesn't cover everything. Depending on what you're selling, you may still need state, city, food, alcohol, or sales-tax permits stacked on top of it.

Source to confirm: Hidalgo County Clerk - Recording

More Hidalgo County notes

Property Tax Basics

Two Separate Offices Handle Your Property Taxes

Hidalgo County has one office that values your property and a different office that collects the taxes, so you need to know which to contact.

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Homestead Exemption

A Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill

If your home is your main residence, you can file for a homestead exemption that reduces how much of its value gets taxed.

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Taxing Units

Your Tax Bill Comes From Many Different Entities

Hidalgo County has 56 active taxing units, so your total tax bill is the sum of rates from several different entities.

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Agricultural Valuation

Farm and Ranch Land Can Be Taxed on Productivity, Not Market Value

Texas law lets qualifying farmland and ranchland be taxed on what it produces rather than what it could sell for, which can cut the tax bill significantly.

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