Instructions for Filing a Fictitious Name Renewal On-line

General Information:

A fictitious name registration is valid for 5 years and is due to renew in the 5th year. The renewal must be filed by December 31st of the 5th year to remain active and in good standing. If a registration fails to file the renewal, the registration will "Expire". An "Expired" fictitious name can not be renewed or reinstated. You would need to file a new fictitious name registration.

The Renewal Application renews the fictitious name registration for an additional 5 years. There is a $50.00 fee to renew the fictitious name registration. The Renewal Application will allow you to change the mailing address of the registration, the Florida county of the principal place of business, the FEI/EIN number of the registration (if applicable), and to change the name(s) and/or address(es) of the owner(s) of the registration. The registration name can not be changed on the renewal application. If the registration name is to be changed, you will need to file a cancellation re-registration by completing sections 1-4 of an Application for Registration of Fictitious Name. This application can not be filed on-line. You can access the application by clicking on the following link: http://form.sunbiz.org/pdf/CR4E001.pdf. For your convenience, you can type the information onto the form, then print it and mail it to the address provided. The fee to file this application is $50.00.

You must use the registration number assigned to your fictitious name when it was originally registered, to file your Renewal. Your document number is listed in the electronic notice or on the application you received from the Division of Corporations. If you don´t know your number or you can´t find it, you may SEARCH our web site by entering the name of your business entity. (Click on SEARCH). Please make sure you search the FICTITIOUS NAMES and not COPORATIONS, TRADEMARKS, LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS etc.

In order to file the renewal on-line the fictitious name must be due to renew during the current year.

A fictitious name that has filed a cancellation, has been voided, or is inactive can not be renewed.

Payment options include: credit card (Master Card, Visa, Discover, or American Express), or by using your pre-established Sunbiz E-file Account.

Processing Time: Payment by Credit or Debit Card or Sunbiz E-File Account: Renewals filed using a credit or debit card, or Sunbiz E-file account are processed in a batch job that is run daily at 6 pm Eastern Standard Time and the reports will be posted within 24 – 48 hours. The posting is not immediate.

Signatures: For the purpose of filing documents online, the typed name of the individual "signing" the document is sufficient under s.15.16, Florida Statutes. Electronic signatures have the same legal effect as original signatures. Typing in someone's name/signature without their permission constitutes forgery.

Filing a False Document:Pursuant to s.817.155, Florida Statutes, it is a 3rd Degree Felony to knowingly file a false document with the Division of Corporations.

STEP-BY-STEP FILING INSTRUCTIONS

If you are a first-time filer or have not filed online before, please print these instructions and use them to complete your renewal.

Step 1: Return to our homepage at www.sunbiz.org and place your cursor on E-FILING SERVICES at the top of the page, or by clicking on ELECTRONIC FILING on the left side of the page under POPULAR LINKS. If you select E-FILING SERVICES a drop down menu should appear, move your cursor down to FICTITIOUS NAME RENEWAL and click on it. If you select ELECTRONIC FILING, scroll down until you see FICTITIOUS NAME RENEWAL and click on it. In both cases you will be taken to a page titled ONLINE FICTITIOUS NAME RENEWAL FILING.

Step 2: Read the information provided and then enter your registration number in the space provided at the bottom of the screen. Please use the original registration number that was assigned when the registration was first filed. Click on the "Submit" button. (Note: The registration number is 12 digits with the first digit being the letter "G" and the remaining 11 digits being numeric. Do not use the letter "o" on your keyboard for a zero.)

Step 3: Enter your Federal Employer Identification (FEI/EIN) number in the space provided, or correct the FEI/EIN Number currently listed. if not correct. The FEI/EIN number is optional and not mandatory for filing. Call the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 1-800-829-4933 to obtain a FEI/EIN number. Please do not enter a Social Security Number.

Step 4: You may request a certificate of status and/or a certified copy of your fictitious name renewal when filing your Renewal. These certificates are optional.

All certificates of status and/or certified copies requested when filing your renewal will be returned electronically and will be sent to the email address provided, regardless of the payment method you choose. If you do not want to receive your certificate and/or certified copy via email, you will need to wait for the renewal to post, then make a written request to our office along with the appropriate fee. The certificate of status/certified copy will be emailed to you once the renewal has posted on our records. Because the certificate of status/certified copy is electronically generated it cannot be returned to you by U.S. mail. The email containing the certificate of status/certified copy as an attachment will be sent from "OnlineWebFIC". Please be sure to check your spam or junk mail folder for this email if you have a spam blocker.

Certificate of Status: Only 1 certificate of status can be requested at the time of filing. A certificate of status will certify the fictitious name is registered with the Department of State, and was registered on a specific date, and provide the registration number. It will also certify the fictitious name registration is active, and that the registration filed a renewal on a specific date and will expire on December 31st in 5 years. To request the certificate of status, check the box. The certificate fee will be added to your renewal fee. The fee for a certificate of status is $10.00.

Certified Copy: Only 1 certified copy can be requested at the time of filing. A certified copy will certify the attached is a true and correct copy of the Renewal of Fictitious Name Registration for the registration and it was filed on a specific date. A copy of the application will be returned as an attachment in the email. To request a certified copy, check the box. The certified copy fee will be added to your renewal fee. The fee for a certified copy is $30.00.

Step 5: An email address is required to file the renewal. If you do not have an email account, you will need to establish an online email account for yourself or company before you attempt to file your renewal. There are many search engines (i.e., Google, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) that will allow you to establish a free email account. Enter or correct your Email address. Be careful! Double-check your email address for typos! We will use this email address to return your Certificate of Status and/or Certified Copy (if requested in Step 4) and for all future emails from our office.

Step 6: Correct the mailing address if it has changed. A post office box is acceptable. The address can be in care of an individual. An out-of-state address is acceptable. Please include the zip code. If you have an out-of-country address, please enter the address to the best of your ability. Verify the Florida county of the principal place of business and update it if necessary.

Step 7: Verify the owner(s) listed. We are able to display up to 5 owners, if the registration has more than 5 owners, file the renewal listing the first 5 owners, then please contact our office at 850-245-6058 for instructions on how to have the remaining owners attached to the filing. An owner can be an individual or a business entity. The owners can be both individuals and business entities. You can not list an individual and a business entity in the same owner block. Example for Owner #1 you can not list Smith, Joe in the Name field and JOE SMITH´S PLUMBING, INC. in the Entity Name field.

If the owner is an individual: Please verify the owner name in the following order: last name, first name, and middle name. Make any changes required. Next verify the address and make any corrections. Do not list a Document Number or FEI/EIN Number.

If the owner is a business entity (i.e. corporation, limited partnership, limited liability, etc.): Please verify the owner name. Make any changes required. If changing the business entity owner name, or listing a new business entity owner name, please list the business entity owner name in its entirety as it is filed with the Division of Corporations. Verify the address and make any corrections. Verify, and change if needed, the entity Document Number assigned by the Division of Corporations. Verify, or submit the FEI/EIN Number, check the appropriate block: "Listed Above" if a number is present; "Applied For" if no number is present, but one has been applied for; or "Not Applicable" if the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has determined a FEI/EIN Number is not required. You will need to contact our office at 850-245-6058 if the owner is a business entity that is not registered with the Division of Corporations for instructions.

Step 8: The Renewal must be "electronically signed" by one of the owners listed on the application. If the owner is a business entity, an individual authorized to sign on behalf of the business must sign the application. The individual "electronically signing" must type his/her name in the designated signature block and type the appropriate abbreviation for his or her title next to their name. (Example: ABC CORP. is the owner, John Doe is the president, the application would be signed John Doe, Pres.)

Step 9: Scroll up and down to review the data entered on your renewal and make corrections if necessary. Next, click the "Continue" button.

Step 10: This screen displays the data you entered and the data you did not change. Review this data once again! Use the back button on your browser to return to the previous page to make corrections. Once the corrections are made, click the "Continue" button. Using the browser "Forward" button will not capture and save the changes. If no corrections are necessary, click the "Continue" button to proceed.

Step 11: Here you will be prompted to review your data for the last time. This is your last chance to make any changes or corrections. No changes can be made to your Renewal after you select your payment method.

Step 12: Review and select one of the two payment options: credit card or Sunbiz E-file account. Next, follow the instructions displayed on the screen for the payment option you selected. The renewal should be processed and posted on our Sunbiz web site within 24-48 hours. The fee to file is $50.00, plus any additional certification fee(s) if requested.

Once the Renewal is processed and posted by the Division of Corporations, it is immediately available on www.sunbiz.org and an image of the renewal can be downloaded free of charge. It may take an additional day from the posting of the renewal before an image of the renewal is available.

If your filing concerns were not addressed, or if you have additional questions, please direct your inquiries to the following sections:

For specific Renewal filing questions, please call the Fictitious Name Section at 850-245-6058. To speak to an examiner, please press 2.

For technical questions concerning the online application process or payment problems, please call the Internet Support Section at 850-245-6939.