Business and Professions Code 17918 specifies "No person transacting business under a fictitious business name contrary to the provisions of this chapter, or his assignee, may maintain any action upon or on account of any contract made, or transaction had, in the fictitious business name in any court of this state until the fictitious business name statement has been executed, filed, and published as required by this chapter. For the purposes of this section, the failure to comply with subdivision (b) of Section 17917 does not constitute transacting business contrary to the provisions of this chapter.”

WHO SHOULD FILE

• Persons doing business for profit under a fictitious name (does not include surname in company name)
• Statement must be filed in county of principal place of business, and may also be filed in other counties as long as the requirements for filing in the county of principal place of business have been met

REQUIREMENTS

• File within 40 days of business start date
• Owner must sign (corporate officer if corporation; manager or officer if limited liability company; general partner if partnership; trustee if trust)
• Street address of principal place of business and county must be listed (corporation/limited liability companies must include address as set out in its articles of incorporation on file with the Secretary of State and the state of incorporation/organization)
• All owners and their residence addresses must be listed
• Filed copy of statement must be published once per week for four consecutive weeks in an adjudicated newspaper in Los Angeles County (list included on web page and at County Clerk 's Office)
• Publication must begin within 30 days of filing

PUBLICATION

State law requires that within the next 30 days of filing, the registrant must publish a statement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the principal place of business is located once a week for four successive weeks.

FEES

• The first time filing fee for the Fictitious Business Name Statement is $26.00 for one business name and one registrant.
• The renewal filing fee for the Fictitious Business Name Statement is $26.00 for one business name and one registrant.
• There is an additional fee of $5.00 for both first time filing and renewal filing for each additional business name and/or each additional registrant in excess of one.

Payment for in-person request can be made by cash, check, money order or one of the following debit/credit cards: American Express®, Discover®, or MasterCard®. A $1.75 handling fee will be charged on all credit card orders. If paying by check, valid identification (i.e., Driver's License) of the signer is required and must be presented at time of filing. Out of state checks are accepted. Make checks payable to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk or RRCC.

RENEWALS:

A fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it is filed in the office of the County Clerk . A renewal of a fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to the date of expiration if you intend to continue doing business under that name and if there are no changes from the original. A renewal only requires completion of the application and a $26.00 fee and $5.00 for each additional business name/registrant. A renewal does not require publication.

Click here for A LIST OF NEWSPAPERS OF GENERAL CIRCULATION.

You may use the Fictitious Business Name Application Form to file an FBN.

Click here for APPLICATION FOR FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 

If you choose to mail your FBN application instead of filing it in person, please use the following address:

DISTRICT OFFICES DO NOT PROCESS MAIL REQUESTS.

Business Filing and Registration
P.O. Box 1208
Norwalk , California 90651-1208
For Information Call…..(562) 462-2177

PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO L.A. COUNTY CLERK

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME SEARCH:

Locating a fictitious business name may be conducted in person if at the Norwalk office, by mail, or over the Internet.

Click here for AN INTERNET SEARCH OF A NAME.

We cannot accept telephone requests for business name searches.

Business name searches and/or filings can be conducted in person at the following locations:

The headquarters of the Department of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk

12400 Imperial Highway, 2nd Floor, Searches, Room 2207, Filings, Room 2001
Norwalk, CA 90650
Office hours:  8 a.m. - 5 p.m., M-F, except holidays
(562) 462-2177

Branch Offices:

Van Nuys District Office
14340 W. Sylvan Street
Van Nuys , CA 91401
Search hours:  8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. , M-F, except holidays
Business name filing hours are 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
(818) 376-3777

LAX District Office
11701 S. La Cienega Bl., 6th Floor
Los Angeles , CA 90045
Search Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. , M-F, except holidays
Business name filing hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
(310) 727-6142

Lancaster District Office (Filings only - no searches at this time.)
1028 W. Avenue J2
Lancaster , CA 93534
Business name filing hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
(661) 945-6446

Please note that searches at the branch offices only yield the business name, document number, and the date filed. Additional information regarding the business in question can only be obtained from our Norwalk office via mail or visit to the Norwalk office.

Detailed searches can be ordered by mailing a written request to:

Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Business Filings and Registration Section, Room 2001
12400 Imperial Highway
Norwalk , CA 90650

AND should include the following information:

1. Name of the business
2. Address of the business

PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO L.A. COUNTY CLERK

The search fee is $5 per name. There is no charge for a search done in person. If a search reveals the company name, a certified copy is $2 per document. A check or money order payable to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk must accompany the written request and should also include a stamped self-addressed return envelope. The search fee is non-refundable.

NOTE:   This office does not issue Business Licenses. To obtain a License, contact the City Hall within the city where the business will be conducted. For a business to be conducted in an unincorporated area of the County, contact the Los Angeles County Business License office at (213) 974-0093 .

TRADEMARKS AND TRADENAMES

Contact the Commissioner for Trademarks, 2900 Crystal Drive , Arlington , Virginia 22202-3513