The US Sole Proprietor Landscape
Sole proprietorships are the most common business structure in the United States, with over 27 million sole proprietors filing Schedule C with the IRS each year. Unlike corporations and LLCs, sole proprietorships are not registered at the state level — they exist as soon as a person begins conducting business. This creates a unique AI visibility challenge: there is no state registry record to anchor the business's identity.
DBA (Doing Business As) Registrations
Many sole proprietors operate under a trade name (DBA — "Doing Business As") that is different from their personal name. DBA registrations are filed at the county or state level, depending on the jurisdiction. While DBA registrations are not as authoritative as state LLC registrations, they provide a public record that AI systems can use as an identity signal.
The EIN as the Primary Anchor for Sole Proprietors
For US sole proprietors, the EIN is the most powerful identity anchor. While sole proprietors can use their SSN for tax purposes, obtaining an EIN creates a business-specific identifier that separates the business identity from the personal identity. AI Verified uses the EIN as the primary anchor for US sole proprietors, supplemented by the DBA registration if available.
Verification for US Sole Proprietors
Silver tier ($19/month) provides EIN-anchored verification for sole proprietors. Gold tier ($99/month) adds citation monitoring. US sole proprietors in professional services — freelance consultants, independent contractors, self-employed professionals — represent a significant market for AI Verified.