Business Registration

If you plan on conducting a for-profit business through a sole proprietorship or general partnership under any name other than your own, you are required by law to file a Business Certificate (also called a Certificate of Assumed Name). You must file the certificate in the office of the County Clerk in the county where your business is located. 

Get the Certificate of Assumed Name form.

You can also get the form at the County Clerk's office in your borough.

Filing Fees

For sole proprietors and general partnerships, the filing fee varies by county. In New York City, the fees are as follows:

• Bronx County: $100
• Brooklyn (Kings County): $120
• Manhattan (New York County): $100
• Queens County: $100
• Staten Island (Richmond County): $120

In addition to the filing fee, you can purchase extra certified copies of the filing receipt for $10 per copy.

Name Availability Search

You must complete a name search to assure that the name you are choosing for your business is not already in use.

The County Clerk’s office will conduct a search on its system at the time of the filing to check the availability of the name. You can also search all New York businesses to see if your intended name is already in use by searching the State's Corporation and Business Entity Database.