Cannabis Business Readiness Guide:
2. Register Your Business

Return to Cannabis Business Readiness Guide

This can be done once you determine the most appropriate operating structure for your business, and have determined its name. All documentation must be approved by the State of California before the business can become a legally-recognized entity.

Register with the California Secretary of State

Registration requirements and forms may be found at the California Secretary of State website: www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs

Sonoma County Fictitious Name Statement

If you plan to conduct business under a name that does not contain the surname of any and all owners, or is a corporation that will do business under a different name than is registered with the State, you will need to file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the County of Sonoma Clerk-Recorder's Office.

This application must be filed within 40 days of business start date.

For more information, please see Fictitous Business Names