California Fictitious Business Name (DBA) Checker
Find out whether you need to file a DBA with your county, and get your filing, newspaper-publication and expiry dates.
If you do business under any name other than your own legal or registered name, file a fictitious business name statement with your county clerk within 40 days. Then publish it in a newspaper within 45 days of filing, file proof of publication, and renew it before it expires 5 years after the filing date.
Answer three questions below. Whether you need a DBA depends on your business structure and how your business name compares to your legal name.
Fictitious Business Name Checker
Your DBA Requirement
File With County By
Publish By
Statement Expires
How this is calculated
California requires anyone who regularly does business for profit under a fictitious business name to file a statement with the county clerk within 40 days of starting (Business and Professions Code §17910).
What counts as a fictitious name
What counts as "fictitious" depends on the structure (§17900): for an individual, any name that doesn't include their surname or that suggests other owners (such as "Company," "& Sons," "& Associates" or "Brothers"); for a general partnership, any name that doesn't include each general partner's surname or that suggests additional owners; and for a corporation, LLC or limited partnership, any name other than the exact name on file with the Secretary of State.
Deadlines and publication
If a DBA is required, the tool adds 40 days to your start date for the filing deadline. Within 45 days after filing you must publish the statement in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for 4 consecutive weeks, and file proof of publication with the county clerk within 45 days after publication is complete (§17917).
When the statement expires
The statement expires 5 years after the date it was filed, and also expires 40 days after any change in the facts it states (§17920), so a change of name, address or owner means filing a new one. If you haven't filed yet, the dates shown assume you file on your last permitted day; filing earlier moves them earlier.
Costs
The county clerk sets the filing fee and each newspaper sets its own publication price, so this tool does not show costs — there is no statewide figure. A DBA is not a business license or a state registration; it only records the name you operate under.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a DBA (fictitious business name) in California?
You need one if you regularly do business for profit under a name that is not your own legal or registered name. An individual's name is fictitious if it does not include their surname or suggests other owners (like "Company" or "& Sons"); a partnership's name is fictitious if it does not include each general partner's surname; a corporation or LLC needs one for any name other than the exact name in its articles.
How long do I have to file a fictitious business name statement?
You must file with the county clerk no later than 40 days after you start doing business under the name (Business and Professions Code section 17910).
Do I have to publish my DBA in a newspaper?
Yes. Within 45 days after filing, you must publish the statement in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for 4 consecutive weeks, then file proof of publication with the county clerk within 45 days after publication is complete (section 17917).
How long does a California fictitious business name statement last?
It expires 5 years from the date it was filed. It also expires 40 days after any change in the facts stated in it, so you would need to file a new statement, and it expires early if you file a statement of abandonment (section 17920).
What happens if I don't file a DBA?
Until the statement is executed, filed and published, you cannot bring a court action on contracts made or transactions had under the fictitious name (section 17918). The statute's misdemeanor penalty applies to knowingly false statements, not to simply filing late.
How much does a DBA cost in California?
There is no single statewide fee. The county clerk sets the filing fee and each newspaper sets its own publication price, so both vary by county. Contact your county clerk-recorder's office for current amounts.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not legal advice. Confirm your requirement, deadlines and fees with your county clerk-recorder's office or a licensed attorney.