To register a business name in California, check if an existing business already uses the name. Then, register the business name with the California Secretary of State if the company is going to be an entity. Register the business’s name with the city’s county recorder if the business is not an entity.
Brad Nakase, Attorney
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Maria is opening her own clothing retail shop in Los Angeles. After months of thinking, she has finally settled upon two name choices: Retro Butterfly and Vintage Rose. She is aware that in California, one must register a business name with the state. Maria is eager to secure the rights to her favorite name so that no one else can claim it. When she checks the state naming database, she sees that Vintage Rose has already been taken by another business. Therefore, Maria decides to pick Retro Butterfly, and she pays to secure the name as her own. By registering her business’ name with the state of California, no other business can use the name Retro Butterfly.
Starting a business venture in California is an exciting prospect. California enjoys the fifth-largest economy in the world, offering entrepreneurs plenty of opportunities to achieve success. However, before opening one’s company for business, an entrepreneur will need to complete the vital step of registering his or her business’ name first.
But why is registering a business name important in the grand scheme of things? By registering a business name, an entrepreneur is reserving it in a state or local database. This means that only a business owner can use the name, and no one else. It is a smart idea to register a business in California for several reasons. These reasons include the following:
In the state of California, the requirements for business name registration depend on the entity type of the company.
Partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations are required to register their businesses at the state level. If the business owner wishes to operate under a name other than his or her own, he or she must file an additional fictitious business name statement with the county. This form is known as a “doing business as” (DBA) statement.
In California, sole proprietors are not required to register their businesses with the state. If the business owner wishes to operate under a name different than his or her own, he or she must submit an additional fictitious business name form (DBA) at the county level.
The following guidelines address how to register a business in the state of California. Specifically, they describe the registration process for partnerships, LLCs, and corporations:
In order to officially register the name of a sole proprietorship, one must perform the following:
Business name registration is but one of the many steps involved in the business registration process. Other important steps for registering a business in California include the following:
In the state of California, the cost of registering a business name will depend on which forms one files, as well as where one files it. Filing fees, of course, may always change.
An entrepreneur may reserve a business name for $10 with the Secretary of State. However, a business owner must pay $70 to file articles of organization for his or her LLC. That fee will increase to $100 if an entrepreneur is submitting articles of incorporation for a general stock corporation.
When it comes to filing a fictitious business name statement, the cost varies by county. For instance, at present it costs $53 to file the DBA statement in San Francisco County. However, it costs only $26 in Los Angeles County.
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