How FBN Publication Works
A few minutes on your side. We take it from there and email you a copy of the signed affidavit when it's done.
New to all this? Read FBN publication, explained.
Before You Order
- Starting a new business name, or changing one? Have your county-stamped FBN statement ready.
- Closing a business name? Use the stamped Statement of Abandonment instead. It's published the same way, for the same price.
- Renewing an existing statement? Check first: an unchanged renewal refiled by the expiration date or within 40 days after doesn't need publication.
What You Send, What You Get
You send
- A photo or PDF of your county-stamped statement (JPG, PNG, or PDF, up to 25MB). We read the county, file number, filing date, and number of names from it; you only fix anything that's wrong.
- Your contact details, and whether it's a new or changed filing or an abandonment
- One flat payment through Stripe's secure checkout. It covers the four notices, the affidavit filing, and your emailed copy. No account to create.†
You get
- Email #1Order confirmationRight away: your order reference, county, amount paid, and your own reference if you added one.
- Email #2First publication dateOnce the newspaper schedules your notice, with all four dates. If anything is unclear, we email you to clarify before scheduling publication.
- Email #3Publication confirmationIn the first week of publication, with a link to your notice if the newspaper publishes it online.
- Email #4 · PDFSigned affidavit of publicationAfter the fourth weekly notice, the affidavit is submitted to the county clerk and a PDF copy is emailed as soon as we receive it from the newspaper.
Add an email address on the order form (the owner or your client) and every email goes to them too. Track every step on your order status page.
†Flat price for one business name and one registrant (owner). Each additional business name or registrant on the same statement is $10. Fresno County: the newspaper mails you a printed copy of the paper instead of us emailing an affidavit copy; a copy of the affidavit is optional (+$12).
* Publication dates are estimates based on the newspaper's usual schedule. The actual first publication date may vary with the newspaper's production schedule for that week. We email your confirmed publication dates as soon as the newspaper confirms them.
We use your statement only to place your notice and arrange the affidavit filing. See our privacy policy.
How We Choose the Newspaper
We use newspapers that a California superior court has adjudicated for your county and that accept FBN notices, chosen for their publication schedule and reliability. The newspaper's name and your publication dates appear on the affidavit you receive.
What "Proof" Means Here
| Document | What It Is | Do You Get It? |
|---|---|---|
| Signed Affidavit of Publication | The newspaper's sworn record of your four publication dates | Yes, emailed to you |
| Submission Confirmation | Our confirmation that the affidavit was sent to the county clerk | Yes, by email |
| County Acknowledgment | Confirmation from the clerk that it's on file | Only if the county issues one; you can also ask the clerk |
Does the Newspaper File the Proof for You?
You don't have to file it yourself. The law puts the affidavit filing on the registrant (Business and Professions Code §17917(d)), within 45 days after the fourth publication. When you order through PublishProof, we arrange the filing with the county clerk and email you a copy of the signed affidavit. In Fresno County, the newspaper files the affidavit with the county clerk instead and mails you a printed copy of the paper.
Timeline
Three time limits under California Business and Professions Code §17917:
- First publication within 45 days after your statement is filed.
- Four weekly notices, once a week for four consecutive weeks.
- Affidavit of publication filed with the county clerk within 45 days after the fourth notice.
Orange County and San Diego County clerks state that a statement not published within 45 days expires and must be refiled. A renewal with no changes doesn't need publication as long as it's refiled by the expiration date or within 40 days after. Missed the 45 days? What to do next.