Assumed Business Names
NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING CERTIFICATES OF ASSUMED BUSINESS NAMES
EXPIRATION OF FILED CERTIFICATES OF ASSUMED NAMES
North Carolina law requires individuals, limited and general partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations and other persons that engage in business in this state under an assumed name to file a certificate with a register of deeds in a county in which the person or entity will be engaging in business.
EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2017, certificates must comply with content and execution requirements specified in the statutes for certificate of assumed business name. The requirements are different than they were for a certificate of assumed name recorded under prior law.
Amendments to and withdrawals of certificates of assumed business names also must comply with the new content and execution requirements.
Certificates of assumed business names and amendments to and withdrawals of them will be transmitted into a statewide central database maintained by the N.C. Secretary of State, which will be available for searches by the public. A single registration can be effective for multiple counties. The Secretary of State will maintain a website for this purpose at: www.sosnc.gov/abn/search
The Secretary of State will assign an identification number (SOS ID) to each assumed business name that is recorded, to which amendments and withdrawals must refer.
∗ ∗ Certificates of assumed names filed under the prior law will EXPIRE DECEMBER 1, 2022 ∗ ∗
Someone desiring to engage in business in N.C. under an assumed name after the above date must file an assumed business name certificate using the new form.
Compliant blank forms are available from Registers of Deeds upon request or may be downloaded below:
Fee for recording
Assumed Name is the same fee as for other real estate documents: $26 for the first 15 pages and $4 for each additional page.
*Forms must be completed in accordance with NCGS 161-14.*
For information on starting your own Business, contact the Small Business Center at Gaston College, phone number 704-922-6449 or visit www.blnc.gov.
Small Business Center at Gaston College and www.blnc.gov.