If you operate a business in San Diego County under any name other than your legal personal name (or the full name of every owner), California Business and Professions Code §17900 requires you to file a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) statement — commonly called a DBA ("Doing Business As"). Filing is a two-step process: register with the County Clerk, then publish the statement in a newspaper of general circulation for four consecutive weeks.
This guide walks through every step for San Diego County, including where to file, the 30-day publication deadline, and how NewFBN handles the publication for a flat $66.
Step 1 — Choose Your Business Name
Before filing, make sure your proposed name isn't already registered to another business in the county. Avoid names that include misleading words like "Corporation," "Inc.," or "LLC" unless your business actually has that structure. You can search existing names through the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk.
Step 2 — File the FBN with the San Diego County Clerk (ARCC)
Submit the FBN statement to the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC):
- Main Office: 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101
- Branch Offices: San Marcos, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Kearny Mesa
- Online & details: sdarcc.gov
The county charges a filing fee for the fictitious business name statement, plus a small fee for each additional business name or registrant on the same statement. County fees change periodically — confirm the current amounts at sdarcc.gov. The Clerk returns a stamped copy of your statement; that stamped copy is what you publish.
Step 3 — Publish the FBN in an Adjudicated Newspaper
Within 30 days of filing, you must publish the FBN in a newspaper of general circulation for San Diego County, once a week for four consecutive weeks (Business & Professions Code §17917). NewFBN handles this step for $66 flat — snap a photo of your stamped San Diego FBN statement, pay online, and we run it for 4 consecutive weeks in a San Diego County court-adjudicated newspaper.
Start Your $66 San Diego Publication
Step 4 — Keep Your Proof of Publication
After the 4th weekly publication, the newspaper provides a signed Proof of Publication affidavit. NewFBN emails it to you automatically after the final run — keep it with your business records (and file it with the County Clerk if requested). We also email an unsigned proof right after checkout so you can open a business bank account or apply for a license without waiting four weeks.
Step 5 — Renew Every 5 Years
FBN registrations in California are valid for 5 years. Before the expiration date, file a renewal with the County Clerk. If the information hasn't changed and you renew before expiration, re-publication is not required.
Summary of Costs for a San Diego County FBN
- County filing fee — paid to the San Diego County ARCC (per the current sdarcc.gov schedule), plus a small fee per additional name or registrant
- Newspaper publication (NewFBN) — $66 flat, includes 4 weekly runs plus the Proof of Publication affidavit
- Additional business names on the same filing — $5 each (NewFBN)
- NewFBN publication is a flat $66 — the lowest-cost way to satisfy the San Diego County publication requirement, fully online.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to file an FBN in San Diego County?
- San Diego County charges a filing fee to the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC) for the statement, plus a small fee for each additional name or registrant. County fees change periodically — confirm at sdarcc.gov. Then you must publish the statement; NewFBN charges a flat $66 for the required 4 weekly publications plus the Proof of Publication affidavit.
- Where do I file an FBN in San Diego County?
- File with the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC). The main office is at 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101, with branch offices in San Marcos, El Cajon, Chula Vista, and Kearny Mesa, plus online filing at sdarcc.gov.
- How long do I have to publish my FBN after filing?
- California Business and Professions Code §17917 requires publication within 30 days of filing, once a week for four consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation for San Diego County. Order publication as soon as you receive your stamped statement.
- How long is an FBN valid in California?
- An FBN registration is valid for 5 years from the date of filing. After 5 years you must file a renewal and (if the information changed or the filing lapsed) publish again.