- 10 Steps to Starting a Business in San Jacinto or Hemet: A Complete 2025 Guide to Local Success
- Step 1: Choose a Business Structure
- Step 2: Register a Fictitious Business Name (DBA)
- Step 3: Apply for an Employer Identification Number(EIN)
- Step 5: Register for California State Taxes
- Step 4: Obtain a Business License in Hemet & San Jacinto
- Step 6: Obtain Business Permits
- Step 7: Open a Business Bank Account
- Step 8: Obtain Business Insurance
- Step 9: Join Local Business Networks
- Step 10: Educate Yourself
A Fictitious Business Name (DBA), or “Doing Business As,” is the name you can use if you want to operate your business under something different from its legal name.
For example, if your business is legally registered as “John Smith Enterprises LLC” but you want to call it “Smith’s Landscaping” to attract customers, you’ll need to file a DBA for that name.
A DBA allows you to legally operate under a name that’s more memorable or marketable without forming a new business entity. Here’s who commonly uses a DBA:
- Sole proprietors who want a business name different from their personal name.
- Corporations and LLCs that want to run different brands or businesses.
- Partnerships that prefer a business name other than the partners’ names.
Registering a DBA is essential because it allows you to legally operate under a new name, open business bank accounts, sign contracts, and market your business. It also ensures transparency for customers, so they know who they’re doing business with.
Famous DBA Examples: Brands We All Recognize Locally
Yum! Brands, Inc. is an excellent example of a parent company using DBAs for its well-known brands. While Yum! Brands is the official company name, it operates under multiple DBAs for each restaurant brand:
- KFC (DBA for Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation)
- Pizza Hut
- Taco Bell
- The Habit Burger Grill
Each brand has its own identity and customer base but operates under the Yum! Brands umbrella, showing how a company can use DBAs to build unique identities across multiple businesses.
In other words, even if you operate as a sole proprietor, where your legal name serves as the business name, you can still use a DBA—like WOW Chicken Life—to create a unique, memorable brand for customers.
How to Register a Fictitious Business Name (DBA) in Hemet or San Jacinto
If you plan to operate under a business name different from your legal name, you’ll need to file a DBA (Doing Business As) with the Riverside County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder.
You can download the DBA form here.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Timing: File your DBA within 40 days of starting business.
- Renewal: Your DBA lasts 5 years, but you’ll need to renew if your business address changes.
- Publication Requirement: After filing, you must publish the DBA in a local newspaper once a week for four consecutive weeks within 45 days.
Filing Options
For locals here in the San Jacinto Valley, you have three convenient options to file your DBA paperwork:
1. File Online
Visit the Riverside County Clerk’s online portal and follow the steps to file your DBA. This option is convenient if you prefer not to visit in person.
2. File In Person
Hemet locals have the option of filing at the County office, located at 880 N. State St # B6, Hemet, CA 92543. Just make an appointment first:
3. File By Mail
Download the DBA form from the Riverside County website, fill it out, and mail it in along with the filing fee.
- Complete the online application.
- Download, print, and sign your form.
- Include a check or money order payable to Riverside County Clerk.
- Send everything to: RIVERSIDE COUNTY CLERK, PO BOX 751, RIVERSIDE CA 92502-0751.
DBA Filing Fees
The fee for filing a DBA is $66.00 for the business name and first registrant, plus $2.00 for each additional name or registrant. This fee includes one certified copy of your DBA statement, and additional certified copies are $2.00 each. With your DBA registered, you’ll be all set to do business under your new name right here in San Jacinto and Hemet… or anywhere in Riverside County.
