DBA means "Doing Business As".  If you are an Individual Sole Proprietor and want to do business under a name which is different from your legal name then you have to Register a DBA Name with the county clerks in the California counties where you want to conduct business under the DBA Name.

If you are a Corporation or LLC and want to do business under a name which is different from the name which is registered with the California Secretary of State then you have to Register a DBA Name with the county clerks in the California counties where you want to conduct business under the DBA Name.

In California a DBA Name is called a Fictitious Name.

In California a DBA Name is called a Fictitious Name. Other names for a California Fictitious Name include:

• California Alternate Name
• California Assumed Business Name
• California Assumed Name
• California Business Name
• California Trade Name

No.  You CANNOT Register a DBA Name with the California Secretary of State.  In California you are required to register a DBA Name with the California counties in which you want to conduct business under your Fictitious Name.

Yes. You can register a California Fictitious Name with the CA Secretary of State for a California Corporation or a California LLC.

Before a California Corporation or LLC can register a DBA Name, the CA Corporation or CA LLC must be in good standing with the California Secretary of State.

Yes. You can register a California Fictitious Name even if you have not formed a California Corporation or LLC. In fact that's what most skilled craftsman and professionals do when they want to use a business name other their own name.

You Register a DBA Name with the California Secretary of State for an existing California business.

You Reserve a Company Name with the California Secretary of State for use with a California business that will be formed and legally registered with the CA Secretary of State sometime in the future.


When you Register a Corporation or LLC with the California Secretary of State there are certain tax and administrative obligations which must be met to keep the company in Good Standing.  Failing to keep up with those obligations can result in the administrative dissolution of your California company by the California Secretary of State.

The California state fees for Registering a DBA Name are less than the fees for Registering a Corporation in California or Forming a LLC in California and there are no tax or reporting obligation for a Registered California DBA Name.

No. The California Secretary of State will not issue a good standing certificate (Certificate of Existence) for a registered California Fictitious Name. California good standing certificates are issued only for companies which have registered with the California Secretary of State as a Corporation, LLC or LP.

You can renew the California Fictitious Name before the expiration date if you want to retain ownership of the California Fictitious Name.