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My business’ California Registration was rejected because there is already the same business name in use, what should I do?

Vanessa Kruze, CPA, is a leading expert in startup taxes and tax compliance. Her team at Kruze Consulting has filed thousands of tax returns for companies that have raised billions in VC funding, and her work has been diligenced by leading VCs, attorneys, and M&A teams at the largest technology companies.
Vanessa Kruze, a highly-experienced CPA, brings valuable tax expertise to startups, drawing from her rich background at Deloitte Tax and as a financial controller for a $20 million startup. As the leader of Kruze Consulting, recognized multiple times in the Inc 5000 list, she specializes in navigating the complex tax landscape for startups. Her firm is known for delivering precise and strategic tax solutions, delivering tax credits utilizing advanced tools to ensure compliance and optimize tax benefits for startups throughout the United States.

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If you submit your California Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation and there is already a company using that exact same company name, the state is likely to reject it. If you call CA to ask about it (we’ve done this!) they are going to tell you that you CAN use the same name as another company - but under a pretty serious condition. You have to get permission from the original, similarly named company. That permission has to be written on that company’s official letterhead and appropriately signed. So it’s a real pain, and may run you some legal bills plus the time to get that other party on board. And who knows how the other company will react to you using the same name. 

What we suggest, and what a much more efficient method is, is for you to submit an application with a DBA. (DBA means “doing business as”).

For example, if you are named “Newco, Inc.” Change the name on the application to “Newco, Inc. which will do business in California as Here Co.”

Other California compliance tips - check out our California tax compliance calendars, which lists deadlines that CA Delaware C-Corporations face when trying to stay up to date on tax compliance and paperwork.  We’ve published calendars for San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Monica and Mountain View. 

 

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