PublishProof
Menu

Before You File

How to File a Fictitious Business Name Statement in California

You file your FBN (DBA) statement with the county where your business has its principal place of business. Pick your county for its filing steps, fees, and the official county pages.

The Same Four Steps Everywhere

  1. Search the name in the county's FBN index to see whether someone already filed it.
  2. Complete the statement on the county's form or online system, listing every business name and registrant.
  3. File it and pay the county fee. The clerk stamps it with a file number and date.
  4. Publish within 45 days of that filing date: once a week for four weeks in an adjudicated newspaper in the same county, then file the affidavit of publication.

Renewing with no changes, by the expiration date or within 40 days after? You may not need to publish. County facts last checked October 2026; the county's own pages are the final word.

After You File: The 45-Day Publication Step

Once the clerk stamps your statement, California law gives you 45 days to start publishing it in an adjudicated newspaper, once a week for four weeks. Upload a photo or PDF of your county-stamped statement and we handle the publication and the affidavit filing for one flat price.

Upload & Get My Price Check My 45-Day Deadline