Almanac note · Rules and licenses
A Santa Clara County DBA starts with the Clerk-Recorder
Santa Clara County fictitious business name filings start with the Clerk-Recorder, with search, filing, renewal, and publishing steps to check.
In Santa Clara County, a DBA filing helps the public connect a business name with the real owner behind it.
Start with the Clerk-Recorder when the public name of the business is different from the owner’s legal name. This can come up for a San Jose shop. It can also come up for a tech side job, food business, contractor, online seller, or neighborhood service business.
The county filing is separate from a city business tax certificate. It is also separate from a seller’s permit, state filing, zoning question, or professional license.
Before filing, search the business name. Gather the owner name, address, and main place of business. Then check filing, refile, renewal, fee, and publishing steps.
A name can feel finished once the form is filed. Publishing or renewal details may still need attention.
Where to see it
Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder fictitious business name page.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 3, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
Related notes
Keep following this thread.
These are picked from nearby places, shared tags, and the same California topic shelf.
Santa Clara County records start with the kind of paper
Santa Clara County record errands are easier when you first name the paper: birth, death, marriage, deed, official record, fictitious business name, notary filing, or recorded real estate document.
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