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HomeCorporations CodeCh. 21§ 2101 Foreign Corporation Name Registration

§ 2101 Foreign Corporation Name Registration

Corporations Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 2101 Foreign Corporation Name Registration

This law lets companies from other states or countries save their name in California if they aren't doing business here yet. It's like reserving a username so no one else can take it.

Key Takeaways

  • •Only companies not already doing business in California can use this
  • •You must prove your company is real and in good standing where it's from
  • •You have to renew every year between October and December to keep the name
  • •You can cancel the name reservation anytime if you change your mind

Example

A toy company from Texas wants to sell toys in California next year but isn't ready yet.

They can file papers to save their company name in California so another toy company can't steal it before they start selling here.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 2101 Foreign Corporation Name Registration

(a) Any foreign corporation (other than a foreign association) not transacting intrastate business may register its corporate name with the Secretary of State, provided its corporate name would be available pursuant to Section 201 to a new corporation organized under this division at the time of such registration. (b) Such registration may be made by filing (1) an application for registration signed by a corporate officer stating the name of the corporation, the state or place under the laws of which it is incorporated, and that it desires to register its name under this section; and (2) a certificate of an authorized public official of the state or place in which it is organized issued within the past six months from the submission of the application for registration in California stating that such corporation is in good standing under those laws. Such registration shall be effective until the close of the calendar year in which the application for registration is filed. (c) A corporation that has in effect a registration of its corporate name may renew such registration from year to year by annually filing an application for renewal setting forth the facts required to be set forth in an original application for registration and a certificate of good standing as required for the original registration between the first day of October and the 31st day of December in each year. Such renewal application shall extend the registration for the following calendar year. (d) A corporation that has in effect a registration of its corporate name may cancel the registration by delivering to the Secretary of State, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State for filing, a certificate of cancellation of foreign name registration signed by a corporate officer containing the name of the corporation and the Secretary of State’s file number of the corporation. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 617, Sec. 32. (SB 1202) Effective January 1, 2023.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

foreign corporationcorporate nameSecretary of Statecertificate of good standingregistrationrenewal

Related Statutes

  • § 2106.5 Insurer Name Approval Requirement
  • § 2102 Foreign Corporation Agent Designation
  • § 2104 Foreign Lender Service Process
  • § 2106 Foreign Corporation Qualification
  • § 2107 Foreign Corporation Name Change

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Corporations Code. Section 2101.
View Official Source