How Long Does It Take to Get a Fictitious Business Name in California?

One of the first steps you must take when opening a business in California is to register your company name. You must apply for a fake business name (FBN) with the county clerk’s office if you conduct business under a name other than your actual legal name. But how long does it take in California to register a bogus business name? The response is dependent on a few elements.

An FBN application in California normally takes two to four weeks to complete. This includes the amount of time needed to submit your application to the county clerk’s office, the amount of time needed for your application to be processed, and the amount of time needed for your FBN statement to be published in a local newspaper. You must provide a copy of the proof of publication to the county clerk’s office after your statement has been made public.

It’s crucial to remember that depending on the county you file in, the time it takes to get an FBN can change. There can be a backlog of applications in some counties, which might affect how quickly applications are processed. Additionally, the process will take longer if your application is rejected because it is insufficient or contains errors, forcing you to reapply.

You might be asking if you can register a business name and not use it if you’re unsure whether you want to utilize a specific business name. You can, is the response. While registering a company name does not require you to utilize it, it does stop someone else from doing so. It’s a good idea to register a business name even if you’re unsure of its suitability for you in order to safeguard it.

You must submit a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) statement to the county clerk’s office in the county where your business is situated in order to obtain a DBA certificate in California. After submitting your FBN statement, you must publish it in your neighborhood newspaper and submit proof of publication to the county clerk’s office. You will then be given a DBA certificate.

An LLC may have a DBA, yes. You must apply for a fictitious business name (FBN) with the county clerk’s office in the county where your business is located if you want to operate your LLC under a name other than your legal name. You will receive a DBA certificate that displays both the legal name of your LLC and your DBA name once your FBN statement has been submitted and published.

You might also wonder if FBN and DBA are interchangeable. The answer is that they are comparable but not identical. A “doing business as” (DBA) name is referred to legally in California as a “fictitious business name” (FBN). In essence, you are registering your DBA name with the county clerk’s office when you apply for an FBN. A DBA certificate displaying both your legal name and your DBA name will be given to you once your FBN statement has been submitted and published.

In conclusion, the time it takes to obtain a fake company name in California varies based on the county and how thoroughly your application is filled out. You are not required to use the business name you register, and an LLC is permitted to use a DBA. FBN is the legal term for a DBA name in California. FBN and DBA are related but not precisely the same.