Business Formation Archives
Entrepreneurship and Dynamic Capitalism: The Economics of Business Firm Formation and Growth (Praeger Studies in American Industry)
Small Business Formation Handbook
Business formations Made E-Z
Fictitious Business Name
Know All About The Fictitious Business Name
There are many people who would rather use a fictitious business name in order to sell their products instead of their own legal name. This can be easily accomplished online. You need to apply to the State to get a fictitious name (Your own fictitious business name) that will give you legal authority to use the name in a particular geographical area. The fictitious business name also gives you the power to file a case in any court of law with ease. You have to apply for a legal document called the fictitious business name certificate that will allow you to use an approved name of your choice, as long as it doesn’t conflict with another similar name on record. You may also the need to serve a public notice to the public while you file for the fictitious name certificate. Most states require this as this allows the other entities to file any complaints against them if necessary. The fictitious name also allows the company to conduct business under the tax identification number of another legal identity. It is a name that the company can use for operation of business. In actuality you would “be doing business as” that particular fictitious business name.
The fictitious business name has to be cleared before registering it by the State in order to make sure that no other business is using it. With the help of this name you can open a bank account under the fictitious business name and transact business. The banks require legal proof and the fictitious business name certificate is the best proof that can be provided to them for this purpose. The fees for filing the certificate differs from state to state and this can range from 6.00 to $100 depending upon the State. The fees depend on the provisions of the State where the business is based.
Whether the business entity filing for registration of the fictitious business name is in the form of a corporation, partnership, LLC, or just an individual who wants to begin a proprietorship, a fictitious name can be used by all of these structures if they wish to use a name other than there own legal name to transact business.
You can do-it-yourself by going to the State for which you wish to apply and fill out the necessary application form. Generally this can be accomplished by going online and using your computer or it can be done in person. Another inexpensive way to get the task completed properly is to go online and use the services of a large, reputable Legal Document Services Company such as LegalZoom. They have the educational information, a questionnaire where you fill in the require information and complete the registration for you.



