Fictitious Business Name Filing Process
Step 1
Check index to see if the business name you have chosen has not already been registered.
There are three ways to check the Fictitious Business Name Index:
- Search online - Fictitious Business Name Search
- Search at our office:
Kern County Clerk
1115 Truxtun Avenue, First Floor
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(661) 868-3743
Open to the Public from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
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Search by mail:
Mail a written request
- Include the name of a business
- Include the address of the business, if known.
The search fee is $8.00. If the search reveals the business name, the copy fee is .75¢ or $2.00 for a certified copy. A check or money order payable to Kern County Clerk must accompany the request and should also include a self addressed stamped envelope. The search fee is a non-refundable. A "No Record Found" statement will be issued if a record is not found.
Note: It is your responsibility to check sources other than the Kern County Clerk’s Fictitious Business Name index to ensure that you are not
infringing on other business trademark or common law rights. Other suggested sites are the
Secretary of State’s
Business Division, the
U.S. Patents and Trademark Office, or the Kern County Public Library.
We cannot conduct Fictitious Business Name searches over the telephone.
Step 2
There are several ways to file your statement:
- By mail: Print out your completed
Fictitious Business Name Statement Form and mail to our office at 1115 Truxtun Ave, First Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301. You must
include the corresponding fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Be sure to also include your notarized Affidavit of Identity. If filing as a Corporation,
Limited Liability Company, or Limited Liability Partnership, an original Certificate of Status issued by the Secretary of State
must be included.
- By coming in person: Our office is located at 1115 Truxtun Avenue, First Floor, Bakersfield, California.
You will complete your Fictitious Business Name Statement form on our internal computers. If filing as a Corporation, Limited Liability Company, or Limited
Liability Partnership, please bring in an original Certificate of Status issued by the Secretary of State.
- By sending someone in for you: your messenger can bring in your signed completed
Fictitious Business Name Statement Form into our office at the above address. Please note: your messenger will need to enter the information into our internal
computers upon arrival. All parts of your signed form will need to be complete and correct; your messenger cannot add or modify anything on the form.
Be sure to also include your notarized Affidavit of Identity. Your messenger will also need to complete an Affidavit of Identity – Authorized Agent Form
here in the office or if dropping off only, provide the notarized Affidavit of Identity – Authorized Agent Form in the packet. If filing as a Corporation,
Limited Liability Company, or Limited Liability Partnership, an original Certificate of Status issued by the Secretary of State
must be included.
Step 3
For initial filings or renewals with changes, you must publish with one of the newspapers on the
Adjudicated Newspaper Listing
within 30 days from the date of filing, once a week for 4 consecutive weeks.
Please Note: Be sure to contact the newspaper company early enough as they may not be able to publish immediately.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- A Fictitious Business Name Statement is considered a PUBLIC record and is open for public review. If you list your phone number,
this will be available to the public. A phone number is not required to file your statement.
- Any abbreviation or variation of a fictitious business name is considered a different business name and MUST be filed or may not
be used for business (for example: Apple Computer Store, AC Store, A.C.S., A-C-S, A C S, and ACS are all considered different business names).
Additional filing fees are required.
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You may file more than one Doing Business As (DBA) on the same form, if all other facts regarding the businesses are identical, i.e. same location and owners.
If listing more than three businesses or registrants, please complete information using Fictitious Business Name Addendum.
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Be certain the information in the statement is correct and complete before filing it. You cannot make changes to the statement once it has been filed. Any changes would require the filing of a new statement, payment of the filing fees again, and publication in an adjudicated newspaper in Kern County. There are absolutely no refunds.
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Our office does not accept strikeovers, whiteouts or alterations made on a FBN Form, Abandonment Form or Withdrawal Form.
Forms sent to our office with such alterations will not be processed and will be sent back for completion of a new form.
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When you file a fictitious business name statement, it does not reserve the name for your exclusive use.
The filing is for consumer protection and is a requirement under Business & Professions Code Section 17900.
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State Law requires the disclosure of actual street addresses for the place of business and EACH owner's place of residence.
Do not use a mailing address such as a P.O. Box, postal suite, postal drop box, mailing suite, etc. For the business address, use the address of the physical
location of the principal place of business. If you operate the business out of your home, use the home address. If no street address is assigned,
give the exact location of the business plus the rural route, slip number, or other number assigned. For the residence address,
use the street address - not a mailing address.
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The statement is a REFILE WITH NO CHANGE if NO information (including residence address of the owner(s)) changed from the previous filing.
Statements filed as a REFILE WITH NO CHANGES, do not need to be published provided it is re-filed before the expiration date of the current statement.
The customer is responsible for determining whether publication on a re-filed statement is required.
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Unless the statement expires earlier under (1) or (2) below, a fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the
office of the county clerk. A renewal statement must be filed before the expiration date.
A fictitious business name statement expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement, except the following changes:
- A change in the registrant's residence address, if the residence address is different than the business address, or
- Filing a statement of withdrawal from partnership by a withdrawing partner whose residence address is not the business address.
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A new statement must be filed within 40 days after a change in the facts. Publication will be required.
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When renewing your Fictitious Business Names, all information must be exactly the same as on your original filing. If any information on the form, other than the phone number, has changed or is different, you will be required to publish your filing, just as you did the original. There are no exceptions.