To file a Florida fictitious name registration form, publish the name once in a qualifying newspaper in the county where your business is based, then submit the form to the Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) online or by mail with a $50 fee. The form is short, but each field has to be right the first time. An error means a new filing and another $50.
Who Has to File
Florida’s Fictitious Name Act requires registration any time a business operates under a name that isn’t the owner’s legal name. For a sole proprietor, that means any business name that doesn’t include your full legal surname. An LLC, corporation, or partnership doesn’t need to register its official entity name, but the moment it markets or transacts under a different name, it has to file.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 865.09 – Fictitious Name Registration
A few professionals are exempt when operating under their own licensed name: attorneys licensed in Florida, professionals licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and professionals licensed by the Department of Health. If any of them use a separate business name, the exemption drops away and they file like everyone else.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 865.09 – Fictitious Name Registration
Publish the Name in a Newspaper Before You File
Florida law requires you to advertise the fictitious name at least once in a newspaper that qualifies under Chapter 50 of the Florida Statutes. The newspaper has to be located in the county where your principal place of business is or will be.2Florida Department of State. Florida Fictitious Name Registration Most local papers and legal advertising outlets handle these ads routinely; costs generally run between $20 and $100 depending on the publication.
You don’t send proof of publication to the state. Instead, you certify on the form itself that you ran the ad. That certification is signed under your name, and a false statement can lead to administrative cancellation of the registration. Handle the ad before you open the form, because the form asks you to certify publication has already happened.3Florida Department of State – Division of Corporations. Fictitious Names – Frequently Asked Questions
What the Form Asks For
Gather everything before you start. The online portal won’t save a partial submission. You’ll need:
- The exact fictitious name you plan to use. Florida doesn’t require this name to be unique. Multiple businesses can register the same one, and registration doesn’t reserve the name or give you ownership of it.4Florida Department of State. Fictitious Name Registration Instructions
- A mailing address for the business, where correspondence about the registration will go.
- The name and address of every owner. If a business entity is an owner, list it.
- The Florida document number for any business-entity owner. That entity must already be registered with the Division of Corporations and in active status.
- A Federal Employer Identification Number, required for business entities that have one. Sole proprietors without an EIN don’t need to get one just to file this form.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 865.09 – Fictitious Name Registration
- The county of your principal business location. It should match the county where you ran the newspaper ad.
- Your signature certifying the newspaper advertisement.
Notably absent: a Social Security Number. The statute lists the fields above and doesn’t include SSN.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 865.09 – Fictitious Name Registration
How to Submit and Pay
Filing Online
The fastest route is the Sunbiz e-filing portal, run by the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations.5Florida Department of State. Fictitious Name – Division of Corporations The fee is $50, payable by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover), debit card (Visa or MasterCard), or a prepaid Sunbiz E-File Account. The fee is nonrefundable.3Florida Department of State – Division of Corporations. Fictitious Names – Frequently Asked Questions
Once the registration posts to the Sunbiz database, an email confirmation goes to the address on your application within 24 hours. Online filings don’t produce a mailed confirmation.2Florida Department of State. Florida Fictitious Name Registration
Filing by Mail
Download the fictitious name registration PDF from the Division of Corporations website, fill it out, and mail it with a check or money order for $50 made payable to the Florida Department of State. The address is:
Florida Department of State
The Centre of Tallahassee
2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810
Tallahassee, FL 323035Florida Department of State. Fictitious Name – Division of Corporations
Mail filings take longer, and your confirmation comes back by regular mail. If you need the registration quickly to open a business bank account or sign a lease, file online.
Renewals and Changes
A fictitious name registration is valid for five years and expires on December 31 of the fifth year.3Florida Department of State – Division of Corporations. Fictitious Names – Frequently Asked Questions Renewal costs $50 and can be filed online or by mail, with the same payment options as the original filing. You’ll need your registration number to renew online.6Florida Department of State. Fictitious Name Renewal – Division of Corporations
If your mailing address, owner’s address, email, or FEIN changes, you can update those details through Sunbiz without filing a new registration. An owner’s legal name change requires proof submitted to the Division of Corporations.7Florida Department of State. Update Your Information – Division of Corporations
Changing the fictitious name itself works differently. You can’t amend the name. You cancel the existing registration and file a new one at the same time by completing Sections 1 through 4 of the registration form. The combined cancellation and re-registration costs $50 and has to go in by mail with a check or money order.6Florida Department of State. Fictitious Name Renewal – Division of Corporations
What Happens If You Don’t Register
Operating under an unregistered fictitious name has consequences beyond a fine. The biggest one: you can’t file or maintain a lawsuit in any Florida court on behalf of that business until you come into compliance. Your contracts and liens stay valid, and you can still defend yourself if someone sues you. You just can’t be the plaintiff.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 865.09 – Fictitious Name Registration
A party harmed by your noncompliance can also be awarded reasonable attorney fees and court costs against you. The statute classifies failure to register as a noncriminal violation under Section 775.08, carrying a maximum fine of $500.8The Florida Legislature. The 2025 Florida Statutes – Section 775.083 The same penalties apply if you let your registration expire and keep using the name.
Registering a Fictitious Name Is Not the Same as Trademarking It
A Florida fictitious name registration is a public notice filing. It tells the state who’s behind a business name. It doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the name, and it doesn’t stop anyone else from registering the same one.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 865.09 – Fictitious Name Registration Protecting a brand name, logo, or slogan from competitors requires a separate trademark registration through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.9United States Patent and Trademark Office. Search Our Trademark Database
Before you commit to a fictitious name, search the USPTO database. If your chosen name is already a registered trademark in your industry, using it could expose you to an infringement claim, whether or not Florida approves the DBA filing.