Los Angeles County fictitious business name
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk charges $26 to file a fictitious business name statement for one name and one registrant. A renewal costs the same $26, and a filed statement expires five years after its filing date.
Los Angeles County filing fees
The county's fee page lists $26 for a first-time filing covering one business name and one registrant. Filing online adds a service fee that the county's filing page states separately.
| Item | County fee | County page |
|---|---|---|
| First filing, one name and one registrant | $26 | Fees |
| Each additional name or registrant | $5 | Fees |
| Renewal, one name and one registrant | $26 | Renewals |
| Online filing service fee | $10.75 | Filing |
| Name search through the office, per name | $5 | Fees |
| Certified copy of a found search record | $2 per document | Fees |
The county's fee page marks the search fee as non-refundable, so a miss still costs the $5.
Who files in Los Angeles County
The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk says anyone doing business for profit under a fictitious name must file. The statement is filed in the county of the principal place of business. It may also be filed in other counties once the home-county requirements are met.
All owners must be listed with their business mailing addresses. Since January 1, 2024, filers give a business mailing address instead of a residence address. That applies to statements of abandonment and withdrawal as well. An LLC or corporation must also show proof of current existence and good standing from the California Secretary of State. The county accepts no other state's evidence. The business name search and the California state page cover the state side of that check.
Filing steps in Los Angeles County
The county's pages describe this order:
- Search the name with the county's online fictitious business name search.
- Complete the application online, then file online, by appointment or by mail.
- Publish the filed statement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.
- File a renewal before the five years end.
The county says registered business owners can file completely online, and that covers identity proof, signature and payment, so no office visit is needed. An in-person filing needs an appointment, which can be booked up to three weeks ahead once the online application is complete. Mail filings go only to the Norwalk headquarters and must include a notarized Affidavit of Identity form.
Filing by mail in Los Angeles County
Mail filings are processed only at the Norwalk headquarters. The county's FAQ page says the procedure may take 6-8 weeks, and a mail request must include a notarized Affidavit of Identity form.
Publication deadline and the two county pages
The Publication page gives 45 days from filing and the General Info page gives 30 days, so confirm with the County Clerk. The statement then runs once a week for four consecutive weeks.
The Publication page says state law requires the registrant to publish the statement in a newspaper of general circulation. Renewals are different, and the county says they need no newspaper publication.
Searching Los Angeles County records
The clerk's online fictitious business name search holds statements from April 2011 to the present. A second tool, the county's open-data portal, covers statements filed from February 2024 to the present. The clerk's search reaches back furthest, to April 2011.
If the search through the office finds your name, a certified copy of the found record costs $2 per document. The county calls searching for a name already in use quick and easy.
Five-year term and renewal
A statement expires five years from the date it is filed with the County Clerk. The renewal must be filed before the expiration date, and the county sets it at $26 plus $5 for each additional name or registrant. Adding a second registrant at renewal therefore costs $5 more, the same as at first filing.
The renewal does not have to be published in a newspaper of general circulation. The county's renewal page says the renewal must be filed prior to the date of expiration.
What the statement does and does not do
The County Clerk says its office does not issue business licenses. Those come from the city or the county business license office. An LLC is not a business license, and the County Clerk does not issue one.
The county also quotes Business and Professions Code section 17918. In short, no one can sue on a contract made under a fictitious name until the statement is executed, filed and published.
Los Angeles County fictitious business name: more questions
Who signs a Los Angeles County statement for an LLC?
The county says the business's owner signs, and for a limited liability company a manager or officer signs.
Does a Los Angeles County nonprofit file a fictitious business name statement?
The county says nonprofit corporations, organizations or associations are not required to file one. Anyone doing business for profit under a fictitious name must.
Next: how each state labels a DBA, San Diego County statement fees and publication and why an LLC is not a business license.
7 official sources
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, General Info, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Frequently Asked Questions, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Filing, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Fees, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Publication, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Renewals, retrieved November 12, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Fictitious Business Names, Fictitious Business Name Search, retrieved November 12, 2026.