§ 17920 Fictitious Business Name Expiration

• •A fake business name lasts for 5 years after you file it, unless something changes earlier.
• •If you change important info about your business (like your address), the name expires after 40 days.
• •If you stop using the fake business name and tell the county, the name expires right away.

You open a lemonade stand called 'Sam’s Sweet Lemonade' and file the name with the county.

If you don’t change anything, the name is yours for 5 years. But if you move your stand to a new street and don’t update the county within 40 days, the name expires. Or if you close the stand and tell the county, the name expires immediately.