Contra Costa County at a glance
Contra Costa County: $55 to file, then four weeks of newspaper publication. Contra Costa's trade-name counter is in the county seat of Martinez, and its web pages live on the county's elections site.
- BPC §§ 17910–17920
- County fee: $55 base, $5 each additional
- File within 40 days of first using the name; publish within 45 days of filing
- Our price: $149 + county fee + publication at cost
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026
Where to file in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, County Clerk Division
555 Escobar Street, Martinez, CA 94553
Confirm hours on the county site before visiting.
Contra Costa County cost table
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base filing | $55 |
| Each additional owner or business name | $5 |
| Newspaper publication | Billed at cost as its own line (varies by newspaper) |
| Corp USA service | $149 |
Our all-in price line: $149 + county fee + publication at cost.
Local tip for Contra Costa County
The County Clerk Division is part of the elections and clerk-recorder website, contracostavote.gov. Searchers looking for a 'county clerk' site often miss it for that reason.
The Martinez office serves businesses based in Concord, Richmond, Antioch, Walnut Creek and San Ramon. The $55 base fee took effect January 1, 2026.
Six-step checklist
- Search existing names on the county index.
- Complete the county statement form. Bring government ID; the county form includes an identity affidavit.
- File with the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, County Clerk Division and pay the fee, within 40 days after you first do business under the name (BPC § 17910).
- Publish the statement once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, starting within 45 days after filing (BPC § 17917(a); Gov. Code § 6064).
- File the affidavit of publication with the county clerk within 45 days after publication is complete (BPC § 17917(d)).
- Calendar your renewal: the statement expires 5 years after filing (BPC § 17920), or sooner if the facts change.
Common trap: Filing in the county where you live instead of the county of your principal place of business.
Common trap: Skipping publication: banks may ask for the filed-and-published statement.
Common trap: Giving up on finding the clerk because the site looks like an elections page. FBN information is on contracostavote.gov.
Some county handouts still say 30 days for publication. The statute says 45 days, and sooner is safer. A refile of an expired statement made within 40 days of expiry, with no changes, does not need to be republished (BPC § 17917(c)). If the county has no newspaper of general circulation, an adjoining county's paper is used; with no California place of business, publication is in Sacramento County.
DBA vs LLC
A fictitious business name does not create a legal entity or give you liability protection.
| DBA (FBN) | LLC | |
|---|---|---|
| Creates a legal entity | No | Yes |
| Liability protection | No | Yes |
| Where filed | Contra Costa County (county) | California Secretary of State |
| State filing fee | County fee ($55 base) + publication | $70 (LLC-1) |
| Renewal | Every 5 years | Statement of Information every 2 years |
FAQ
Official sources
- Contra Costa County Clerk: fee schedule (effective January 1, 2026) and FBN fees
- BPC § 17910
- BPC § 17917
- BPC § 17920
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Private information and filing service; not a government agency.