Fictitious Business Name

NOTICE: CLERK SERVICES AT 1450 COURT ST, SUITE 108 ARE UNAVAILABLE EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 9AM TO 11AM FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. 

Fictitious Business Name Statements (FBN)

Also called - Doing Business As (DBA) 
 

A Fictitious Business Name Statement is designed to make available to the public the identities of persons doing business for profit under a fictitious name.

• For an individual, it is a name that does not include the surname (last name) of the individual, or a name that suggests the existence of additional owners such as “Company”, “& Associates” and the like.
• For a corporation, it is a name that is not the same as in the Articles of Incorporation filed with the State.

If a business closes or is sold to a new owner, the original owner shall file and publish a Statement of Abandonment.

If a partner is interested in withdrawing from a multi-partner FBN, that partner shall file and publish a Statement of Withdrawal. 

Search Shasta County Fictitious Business Names

You may file in-person at the County Clerk’s office or by mail.

• The person signing the FBN statement must provide valid, photo ID when filing in-office. 
• All necessary documents will be provided at the time of filing.
• There are two options for filing/renewal.
   

Follow one of the processes below:
 

In-Person Application Process:

• Complete and submit the Fictitious Business Name Application electronically.
  • Do not print. We do not need printed copies.
  • It will display the fee, but you cannot pay online.
  • We will receive the application electronically. 
• Visit our office to complete the process.
• We will review the previously submitted electronic application, collect your payment, and print your documents at your appointment.
  • We can make any needed corrections/adjustments at this time.
• We accept payment in cash, pre-printed checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards. There is an additional convenience fee for paying with credit or debit cards. We do not accept American Express or Apple Pay.

OR
 

Mailed Application Process:

• Complete and sign an original Fictitious Business Name Statement, Abandonment, or Withdrawal application.
• Print and sign.
• Make three copies.
• Mail all pages along with payment and a self addressed stamped envelope to the County Clerk’s office. 
  • If the application is complete you will receive three copies of your filed documents back in the mail, with instructions.   
  • If the application is NOT complete or corrections need to be made, your documents, payment, and return envelope will be mailed back to you with a letter stating what information is missing. Please complete and return as soon as possible.
• We accept pre-printed checks, money orders, or cashier checks as payment for mailed applications. Make payable to Shasta County Clerk. 

Please Note:

• An FBN must be filed no later than 40 days from the time you start doing business.
• You must file with the County Clerk in the county in which your primary place of business is located.
• FBN statements are valid for five (5) years.
  • If at any time there are changes to the facts of the filing, for example, ownership, business name and/or address change, a new statement must be filed.
  • A reminder notice that a filing is set to expire is mailed from the County Clerk within two weeks of the expiration date.
  • If your statement is expired, you have 40 days from the date of expiration to renew.
    • 41 days after the expiration date it is considered a new filing. You will need to publish. 
• All information contained in the statement is a PUBLIC record.
• Filing a name does not reserve the name for your exclusive use.
  • The County Clerk’s office cannot refuse to file an FBN statement because the name is already being used by someone else. If there is a conflict between business owners using the same or similar names, it becomes a legal matter between the business owners.
• The filer is responsible for confirming that all information in the statement is correct and complete before filing it.
  • You cannot make any updates to the statement once it has been filed and issued. Any changes require the filing of a new statement, payment of the filing fees again, and newspaper publication fees.

Publication:

• Newly filed FBN statements or FBN renewals where the facts have changed require publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
• You may use any of the two adjudicated newspapers in Shasta County:
  • Intermountain News - (530) 725-0925, intermountain.news@icloud.com
  • Record Searchlight - (833) 790-0905, RSLegals@redding.com
• The newspaper will publish once a week for four consecutive weeks. Failure to publish timely will require a new filing along with all filing fees.
  • The first week of publication must be within 45 days of the date the statement was filed in the County Clerk’s office. 
• There is no need to republish the statement if it is filed timely and there has been no change in the information contained in the previously filed statement.

State of California - Secretary of State - Business Programs

Business and Professions Code 14411 and 17900