Why to register a sole proprietorship in San Mateo County?

Every business owner is interested to start a business in San Mateo County, California under a legal name or want to add an additional name under Corporation or Limited Liability Company, is required to register with the San Mateo County Clerk's office in order to transact business officially.

Requirements to register a sole proprietorship in San Mateo County?

• A fictitious business name (FBN) is not required to register, if using a legal name to advertise.
• The business name must be distinguished from others.
• You can search name availability online or in person.
• Business name is valid for five years only.
• FBN form must be signed and notarized before submitting to the county clerk's office.
• Business owner filing  the Fictitious Business Name Statement is responsible for running advertising it in a general circulation newspaper distributed in San Mateo County. The advertisement must be published once a week for four consecutive weeks. The newspaper selected should be one that circulates in the area where the business is to be conducted. We will provide you with a list of newspaper publishers in San Mateo County to help you contact them and fulfill this advertising requirement.
• After running advertisements, the newspaper publisher will file an affidavit of publication with the County Clerk’s Office to confirm that the advertising requirement was met.  It is their responsibility to file the affidavit within 30 days after your last advertisement appeared.
• The fictitious business name statement will be canceled by the county, if you do not run publication within the specified time.
• The FBN will be re-filed, if you want to make any change in the existing structure.
• You can file it by mail or in person.

Other legal requirement

• You may have to contact with a professional or your county to check, if you need a business license to operate in San Mateo County.
• Employer Identification is required to apply to the Internal Revenue Service, if you are hiring employees.
• Sellers permit is required for the Board of Equalization, if you are selling taxable products and services.
• Sole proprietorship cannot be transferred from one county or state to another.
• Sole proprietorship cannot convert to own a corporation or a Limited Liability Company.

How to file taxes?

• You report income to loss on Form 1040.
• You do not file a statement of information and franchise taxes for a sole proprietorship.
• It is the simplest form to conduct business.