Changing an LLC Name in California
A limited liability company, or LLC, is regulated by the business formation and title laws specific to each state. California is no exception, and the West Coast state probably has some of the more extensive laws on LLC creation, maintenance, and changes. Additionally, penalties for non-compliance can be serious; a registered business with the state as a corporation can be shut down and blocked from doing business if it violates state incorporation laws. James Braden can help avoid this nasty LLC nightmare.
Condition in Changing an LLC Name
Generally, all creations of LLCs fall under corporations which are always registered with the California Secretary of State’s office. If an LLC needs to change its name, then the Secretary of State must also make that change. Some states require the old LLC to be terminated and a new one created in its place, but California allows for name changes under specific conditions:
- All business filings need to be on track, correct, and up to date
- A new statement of information is needed if older than the last 90 days
- There should be a name check to confirm the new name hasn’t been used
- A name change application has to be filled out and completed correctly
- Amended articles of organization with the new name are also required
In addition to the paperwork and validation noted above, the existing LLC will need to have had and documented a formal meeting with the LLC members to review the name change and agreement. The filing package, with copies, also needs to include a correct and new certificate of Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation, consistent with Corporations Code Sections 900 et seq.
How to File for Changing an LLC Name
In most cases, you can download the necessary forms for a name change from the Secretary’s agency website. However, that doesn’t mean one should go at it alone, making the technical adjustments and modifications.
The filer is entirely responsible for the content and its accuracy. The Secretary of State’s office will not point out the issue if a mistake is made. They will deny the paperwork’s approval due to being incorrect.
There are also cross-references with the existing file that needs to be checked and verified. Over time, the Secretary of State has changed its reference system, and older company filings have updated information. Using the wrong reference and the application could be fatally flawed.
You Need a Legal Assistance from a Business Formation Attorney
Instead of guessing through the application, working with a qualified business formation attorney makes a lot more sense. Applying the expertise of counsel like James Braden, an LLC name change doesn’t need to be a big Grand Canyon challenge.
Instead, as a San Francisco business lawyer, James Braden can combine the necessary expertise and business record search access to ensure a filing to change LLC name records is done the first time correctly. The results save money, time, and a lot of frustration that could otherwise occur by stumbling through the various channels needed for a correct filing.
As a San Francisco business law firm, the Law Office of James Braden has helped dozens of small businesses and LLCs file for the creation of the incorporation status and update it for correct reference, ownership, and title.
Today’s business legalities move at lightning speed. The last thing anyone wants is to lose out on a new project or bid because their business records don’t match their presentation, a key validation check to close a bid award in many cases. Don’t be a victim to complacency; contact James Braden for necessary LLC name changes and focus your energy on winning new business.