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Registering a Business Name
source by: www.nolo.com
Why You Must Register Your Fictitious Business Name
States like to keep track of fictitious business names for a couple of reasons. One is to prevent customer confusion between two local businesses that use the same name. Another reason is to give customers a quick way to determine the owner of a company without having to hire a private investigator. This allows customers to easily contact the owners with a complaint or to take legal action against them.
There are plenty of reasons not to shrug off this requirement, the most practical being that many banks won't open an account under your business name unless you have proof that you have properly registered the name. Perhaps even more important, you won't be able to enforce any contract that you sign under the name. Finally, if you don't register your fictitious name, you aren't giving other businesses notice that it's already in use. If a competing business can't find out that you're already using the name, it might take it for its own -- and possibly take away some of your business as well.
How to Register Your Fictitious Business Name
In a few states you register your fictitious business name with the Secretary of State or other state agency, but in most states, including California, you'll register it at the county level. The result is that each county in your state may have different forms and fees for registering a name. The best thing to do is call your county clerk's office to find out its procedures, requirements, and fees.
Though procedures vary, it's usually fairly easy to register a fictitious business name. Many states require you to begin by searching the county or state fictitious name database to be sure that you aren't trying to register a name that's already in use. Once you're sure the name is available, you must obtain a name registration form (over the phone, in person or from the office's website) and submit it with the correct filing fee, typically $10 to $50. Finally, depending on your state's law, you may have to publish your fictitious name in a newspaper and then submit an affidavit (sometimes called a proof of publication) to the county clerk or state agency to show that you have fulfilled the publication requirement. Your local newspaper should be able to help you with this filing if it's required in your state.
Registering Your Business Name as a Trademark
If your business is anything but a small, local service business, registering your name as a trademark is a good idea. It's not required by law, but trademark registration can provide powerful protection if another business later tries to use your business name, or one that's confusingly similar.
Registering your name as a trademark in your state can help prevent another business in the same state from using a name that's likely to be confused with your business name. But if you plan to market your service or product in more than one state -- or across territorial or international borders -- it's wise to file an application for federal trademark protection as well.
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