File a DBA in California

What is a DBA in California?

A DBA in California is a registered fictitious business name—the official term California law uses for what most people call "doing business as." It lets you operate under a name different from your legal name by filing an FBN statement with your county clerk. It applies equally to sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations.

Registering a DBA opens up several practical advantages.

• Brand flexibility: Market under a memorable name without forming a new legal entity.
• Banking access: Most banks require a filed FBN statement before they'll open a business account under a trade name.
• Multiple business lines: A single LLC or sole proprietor can run several distinctly branded operations under separate DBAs.
• Low cost: County filing fees typically start around $26–$40, making it one of the most affordable business registrations in California.

DBA vs. fictitious business name vs. trade name: Are they the same thing?

In California, all three terms point to the same registration.

• DBA ("doing business as"): The everyday shorthand most business owners use.
• Fictitious business name (FBN): The official California legal term, used in county clerk forms and in California Business and Professions Code §§ 17900–17930.
• Trade name: An informal term sometimes used interchangeably with DBA. California has no separate trade name registration. If you're operating under a trade name, you're filing an FBN statement.

What a DBA does not do

A DBA is a naming tool, nothing more. It does not create a separate legal entity, and it does not shield your personal assets from business debts or lawsuits. That protection requires forming an LLC or corporation.

A DBA also does not give you exclusive statewide rights to the name. Another business in a different California county could register an identical name without infringing your registration. If protecting your brand matters, you need a state or federal trademark. The DBA vs. LLC vs. trademark section later in this guide addresses this in full.

Who needs to file a fictitious business name in California?

If the name you're doing business under doesn't match your legal name or your entity's registered name, you need a fictitious business name statement. Under California Business and Professions Code § 17910, the requirement applies to individuals, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations alike.

Here's who that captures.

• Sole proprietors operating under any name other than their own surname
• General partnerships operating under any name that doesn't include the surnames of all general partners
• LLCs operating under any name other than the exact name on their articles of organization
• Corporations operating under any name other than the exact corporate name on their articles of incorporation
• Foreign entities doing business in California under a name different from their registered legal name

One clear exemption: this chapter does not apply to nonprofit corporations or associations, including churches, labor unions, fraternal and charitable organizations, foundations, and similar organizations.

Entity-specific rules at a glance

The rules you’ll need to follow when filing a DBA in California will depend on the type of business entity you choose. 

• Sole proprietors: You must file if your business name doesn't include your last name, or if it implies additional owners with words like "& Associates" or "& Sons." For example, "Robert Johnson's Plumbing" requires no filing, but "Bob's Plumbing" or "Johnson Plumbing Services" both do.
• General partnerships: A partnership must file when operating under a name that does not include the surname of each general partner, or a name that suggests additional owners. If even one partner's surname is missing, the FBN statement is required.
• LLCs: Any name other than the name in the LLC's articles of organization triggers the filing requirement. An LLC formed as "Smith Consulting LLC" that markets itself as "Clarity Business Solutions" must register that operating name as a fictitious business name. For more, see adding a DBA to an existing LLC and whether your LLC can use both its registered name and a DBA.
• Corporations: Any name other than the corporate name in the articles of incorporation requires a fictitious business name filing. An officer must sign the FBN statement and include their title.

One naming restriction applies to all entity types: no person may adopt a fictitious business name that includes "Corporation," "Corp.," "Incorporated," or "Inc." unless they are actually a corporation, and no person may adopt a name including "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "LC" unless they are actually an LLC. The county clerk will reject any statement that violates this rule.

How to file a DBA in California: Step-by-step

Filing an FBN statement involves five steps: search for an available name, complete the FBN statement, file with your county clerk, publish a notice in a local newspaper for four consecutive weeks, and file the affidavit of publication. The entire process typically runs six to ten weeks, most of it consumed by the publication period.

Step 1: Search for your California DBA name

California has no single statewide DBA name database. Availability is county-specific — a name taken in Los Angeles County might be open in Sacramento County.

Search the fictitious business name index maintained by the county clerk's office where your business is located. Most county clerk offices provide a free search tool on their websites.

California also imposes naming restrictions you need to know upfront.

• No misleading entity designations. Your DBA cannot include "Corporation," "Corp.," "Inc.," "LLC," or "Limited Liability Company" unless your business actually holds that structure. See California Business and Professions Code § 17910.5 for the full statutory language on prohibited designations.
• No deceptively similar names. The county clerk will file any appropriately completed statement, meaning more than one business can hold the same fictitious name. Filing does not resolve legal conflicts between similarly named businesses.

Because the county clerk doesn't screen for name conflicts before accepting your filing, running that search before you file is the only way to avoid discovering a conflict after paying fees and starting publication.

Step 2: Complete the fictitious business name statement

Your county clerk's office provides the FBN statement form on their website or in person. Have the following ready before you start.

• Fictitious business name(s) you intend to register
• Principal place of business address (a physical street address; post office boxes are not acceptable)
• Registrant's full legal name (for sole proprietors) or the registered legal name of your LLC or corporation
• Business structure (sole proprietor, general partnership, LLC, corporation, etc.)
• Business mailing address. As of January 1, 2024, FBN forms no longer require the registrant's residential address; a business address is now mandatory.

The statement must be signed by the registrant. Stamped or digital signatures are not acceptable. For corporations and LLCs, an officer must sign and include their title.

Double-check every detail before filing. Any corrections require a new filing and an additional fee. At the time of in-person filing, you or your agent must present a California driver's license or other government-issued identification acceptable to the county clerk.

Step 3: File with your county clerk

File your FBN statement with the clerk of the county where your business has its principal place of business. Filing methods vary by county — some accept online filing; others require in-person or mail submission. See the county comparison table in the next section for details on six major California counties.

If your business has no principal place of business in California, file with the Sacramento County clerk.

In-person filing is generally processed the same day. Mail-in filings can take up to ten business days.

You must file within 40 days of first using the fictitious business name. If you've already been operating under the name longer than that, filing now will restore your ability to enforce contracts under that name.

Step 4: Publish your fictitious business name notice

California law requires you to publish the fictitious business name statement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where you filed. The notice must run once a week for four consecutive weeks in a legally adjudicated newspaper.

State law sets a general publication deadline of 45 days after filing, but some counties, including Sacramento, require publication to begin within 30 days. When in doubt, plan for 30 days to stay safely within any county's requirements.

If you miss the publication deadline, the statement automatically expires, and you must file a new statement and pay all applicable fees. No extensions are available.

Your county clerk's office can provide a list of approved newspapers. The newspaper handles scheduling and formatting. You don't need to write the notice yourself.

Step 5: File the affidavit of publication

Once the four-week publication run is complete, the newspaper prepares an affidavit of publication confirming the notice ran as required. You must file this affidavit with the county clerk to complete your DBA registration.

State law sets a general window of 45 days after the completion of publication; some counties require it within 30 days. Confirm the local requirement with your county clerk.

After you file the affidavit, the county clerk provides official clearance confirming the fictitious business name is valid and active. Keep a copy of the filed affidavit and your stamped FBN statement. Banks routinely ask for both when you open a business account under the DBA name.

California DBA costs: what you should budget

A California DBA registration carries two mandatory costs: the county filing fee paid to the county clerk, and the newspaper publication fee paid to the adjudicated newspaper. In most major California counties, budget a combined total of roughly $50–$125. High-fee counties or larger newspapers can push that figure to $200 or more.

County filing fees by major county

Filing fees cover one fictitious business name and one registrant. Additional names or registrants cost extra. Here's a breakdown of fees across California's major counties.