Legal Definitions - fictitious business name

A fictitious business name is a name that a person or company uses to do business under, which is different from their legal name. For example, if Jane Doe wants to start a catering business, she might use the name JD Catering instead of her legal name. This is called a fictitious business name.

Some states require approval or registration to use a fictitious business name. For example, in New York, a corporation has to file a DBA (doing business as) with the County Clerk where the business is located. The name also cannot include words that could confuse the business with a government agency.

It's important to follow each state's regulations and file the necessary paperwork to use a fictitious business name.

Example: Jane Doe wants to start a catering business. Her legal name is Jane Doe, but she decides to use the name JD Catering for her business. This is a fictitious business name.

Example: ABC Corporation is a company that sells shoes. They decide to use the name XYZ Shoes for their business. This is also a fictitious business name.

These examples illustrate how a person or company can use a name that is different from their legal name to do business under.