If you run a business in Silicon Valley under a name that isn't your own, you'll probably deal with two separate government offices. The County of Santa Clara Clerk-Recorder takes your fictitious business name (FBN) statement, which most people call a DBA. The City of San José takes your Business Tax Certificate, which the city says "You may hear this called a business license or business permit."
Both forms ask for addresses, and they don't ask for the same kind. This guide goes through each address field on both filings, what the county publishes in the newspaper, and what changes if you work from home or from outside California. For the general idea of a DBA, see our DBA guide. If you aren't sure your business is inside San José city limits at all, start with which city is my business address in, in California.
We run a mailbox service, so the last section before the FAQ is about where our product fits. We'll say plainly where it doesn't.
What address goes in "ADDRESS OF BUSINESS" on a Santa Clara County FBN?
The county's FBN statement (Rev 12, dated 8/12/2025) gives this instruction for item 2: "ADDRESS OF BUSINESS: Insert the street address of the principal place of business in California, including the county."
State law says the same thing. California Business and Professions Code 17913(b)(2) reads: "If the registrant has a place of business in this state, insert the street address, and county, of the registrant's principal place of business in this state."
The words that matter are "street address" and "principal place of business." This is where the business actually operates. For many one-person companies, that's the founder's home. Our guide to principal place of business explains how that term is usually read.
The county also says why it wants the address. Its filing page states: "The purpose of registering a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) with the County Clerk-Recorder is to ensure that consumers have access to the true name and address of the owners of a business (Business and Professions Code Section § 17920)."
Can you use a P.O. Box or PMB on a Santa Clara County DBA?
This is where the county's own documents disagree with each other. An older version of the county form (Rev. 4, dated 9/29/2017) said this under item 2: "DO NOT USE P.O. BOX, RENTAL DROP BOXES, PMB'S, C/O (IN CARE OF) ADDRESSES."
The current version we could read (Rev 12, 8/12/2025) doesn't contain that sentence. It asks only for "the street address of the principal place of business in California."
We couldn't confirm which version the office applies today. The county's live pages blocked our requests, a newer revision of the form exists that we couldn't open, and the county doesn't state anywhere we read that the PMB wording was dropped on purpose. What both versions agree on is that this line is for the place where your business operates, and a private mailbox isn't that place. Before you file, contact the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder's office and ask directly whether it accepts a PMB in item 2 or item 5.
Which mailing address goes on the registrant line since 2024?
Item 5 of the current county form reads: "The name and mailing address of the registrant(s) is (are):" For an individual, the instruction says "an individual -insert his or her full name and mailing address."
That matches state law. B&P 17913(b)(3) now says: "If the registrant is an individual, insert the registrant's full name and business mailing address if it differs from the business address." The change came from AB 878 (Stats. 2023, Ch. 20), which the Legislature summarized as requiring registrants "to include a business mailing address instead of a residence address." It took effect January 1, 2024.
The older county form asked for something else here: "The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is (are): (DO NOT USE P.O. BOX, PRIVATE MAIL BOX ADDRESSES)." So under the old form your home address went on the registrant line, and under the current form a mailing address does.
The county's form also carries a note worth reading before you choose: "NOTE: This office will always send information addressed to the business name and address identified in section#1 and#2." Sections 1 and 2 are the business name and the street address of the principal place of business, so county mail about your filing goes to that street address, not to the registrant line.
| FBN field | What the current form (Rev 12) asks | What the older form (Rev. 4) asked |
|---|---|---|
| Item 2, business address | Street address of the principal place of business in California, with county | Same, plus "DO NOT USE P.O. BOX, RENTAL DROP BOXES, PMB'S, C/O" |
| Item 5, registrant | Name and mailing address | Name and residence address, "DO NOT USE P.O. BOX, PRIVATE MAIL BOX ADDRESSES" |
| No California location | File with Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder | Same: file with Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder |
Is my home address published when I file a DBA in San José?
Publication is part of the process. The county's publishing page says: "The legal notice must be published a total of four times (once a week for four consecutive weeks)." It adds: "The first publication must appear within 45 days of the filing date." State law in B&P 17917 also sets a second deadline, requiring the affidavit of publication to be filed with the county clerk "within 45 days after the completion of the publication."
On what gets printed, the same county page says: "All information on the Fictitious Business Name Statement including the residence address will be published."
That sentence mentions a residence address, which the current form no longer asks for. The page text may be older than the 2024 change to state law, but the county doesn't say so. If you're filing to keep your home address out of the newspaper, ask the Clerk-Recorder what will be printed from your statement before you pay. Keep in mind that item 2 is published too, so if your home is your principal place of business, a mailing address on item 5 won't keep your home off the notice by itself. We looked at the same problem for company filings in which LLC address becomes public record.
Some summaries you'll find online still say the first publication is due within 30 days. The county page and the statute both say 45.
What if your business has no location in California?
The county form answers this in item 2: "If the registrant has no place of business in California, the proper place to file the Fictitious Business Name Statement is with the Clerk-Recorder's Office of Sacramento County."
Publication moves with it. B&P 17917(a) says: "If the registrant does not have a place of business in this state, the notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Sacramento County." For the business address itself, B&P 17913(b)(2) tells an out-of-state registrant to "insert the street address, and county, of the registrant's principal place of business outside this state."
So an out-of-state founder files with Sacramento County rather than Santa Clara County, and the business address on that filing is the real out-of-state one.
How much does a Santa Clara County FBN cost, and how long does it last?
The fee box on the Rev 12 form reads: "$40.00 ..... Includes registrations of 1 business name, 1 or 2 registrants and 1 certified copy." Each additional business name or registrant costs "$7.00 ...... Each additional business name and/or registrant (must have the same business address and registrant) on the same statement." The form adds "FEES Subject to Change Without Notice," so check the county's current fee before you file.
The county says you can file online ("Online services are now available through our Self-Service portal") or by mail with "a self-addressed stamped envelope to our office, and fees." It says processing takes "Up to 5 workdays."
An FBN statement doesn't last forever. B&P 17920(a) says it "expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk." It can end sooner, because under 17920(b) a statement "expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913." Moving your principal place of business counts as a change in those facts, so a move means a new filing.
Who needs a San José Business Tax Certificate?
The city's registration page is broad: "Anyone or any company doing business in San José must register for a Business Tax Certificate within 90 days of starting their business."
Its FAQ spells out who that covers, including "self-employed professionals; independent contractors; and home-based businesses." It also says: "The San José Business Tax applies to home-based businesses and part-time operations."
A business based outside the city can be covered too. The FAQ asks whether an employer whose business is "not physically located in San José but conducts business in San José" owes the tax, and answers: "Yes, but an employer may be entitled to an apportioned tax rate." It says the rate is pro-rated by the number of days you or your employees do business in San José. We didn't read the city's rate schedule, so we can't tell you what that works out to.
The city's page also notes a state add-on: "California Senate Bill No. 1186 imposes an additional state fee of $4 on any applicant for a local business license or equivalent instrument or permit, or renewal thereof."
Which address does San José ask for?
The city lists what you need to register. Two items involve addresses: "Ownership name(s) & address(es)" and "Address of each location in San José where you do business."
The second field is about operating locations, the places inside city limits where the work happens. A mailbox is where your mail arrives, and the city doesn't say anywhere we read that it counts as a location where you do business. The owner address field is less specific, and the city doesn't say whether a mailing address is acceptable there.
The certificate itself has a physical job. The city says: "Keep your business tax certificate posted at your place of business at all times." It also warns that the certificate "does not mean you have approval for zoning, fire rules, occupancy, or any other permits or licenses."
If you work from home, the city's FAQ says "A Planning permit is not required for a home occupation. However, all home occupations must conform to criteria set forth in Part 9 of Chapter 20.80 of the San Jose Municipal Code." Two of those criteria are "Clients: Only two clients are permitted in the dwelling at one time" and "Employees: Only occupants of the dwelling may be employees or unpaid volunteers of the home occupation." Using a home address for a business comes with other questions too, which we covered in can I use my home address as my business address.
Where a mailbox helps, and where it doesn't
A mailbox address won't work as your principal place of business on the FBN, under either version of the county form. It also isn't a location in San José where you do business, so it doesn't belong in that field on the city application, and it isn't the place where the city expects your certificate to be posted.
Where a mailbox can help is the mail itself. Under the current state law and county form, the registrant line asks for a mailing address. The older county form banned private mailboxes on that line, so check with the county before you rely on it. The county says it sends filing mail to the business address in item 2, so a mailbox won't catch that. What a mailbox can do is give the rest of your business mail a steady place to land if you move or travel.
Auteur is in pre-launch, and orders are open in Silicon Valley. The exact street address is assigned the day the city opens. The Virtual Mailing Address is for personal mail in individual names only. The Virtual Business Address also receives mail in a business or trade name, which matters if county or city mail arrives addressed to your DBA. Every piece gets an envelope photo, and we open and scan only when you ask, for one flat fee per piece. USPS Form 1583 is required before any provider, us included, can receive mail for you.
You can read about the Silicon Valley location or get your address in Silicon Valley. Ordering is free, no card is needed, and nothing is charged. Pricing comes by email with the next steps.
FAQ
Can I use a virtual address on a Santa Clara County DBA?
Not as the business address in item 2. Both the current and older county forms ask for the street address of your principal place of business, and the older form banned P.O. boxes, rental drop boxes, and PMBs outright. The registrant line has asked for a mailing address under state law since January 1, 2024, but the older form banned private mailboxes there too, so ask the Clerk-Recorder before you use one.
Is my home address published in the newspaper when I file a DBA in San Jose?
The county's publishing page says "All information on the Fictitious Business Name Statement including the residence address will be published." The current form asks for a mailing address on the registrant line, so what's printed may depend on what you wrote. The business address in item 2 is published as well, so if that's your home, it will appear.
How long do I have to publish my Santa Clara County DBA?
The county says the first publication must appear within 45 days of the filing date, and the notice runs once a week for four consecutive weeks. The affidavit of publication is due to the county clerk within 45 days after publication is complete.
Do I need a San José business license if my business is outside the city?
The City of San José's FAQ says an employer not physically located in San José that conducts business there is subject to the Business Tax, and may be entitled to an apportioned rate based on days of business activity in the city.
Do home-based businesses in San José need a Business Tax Certificate?
Yes. The city says the tax "applies to home-based businesses and part-time operations." You don't need a planning permit for a home occupation, but you do have to follow the criteria in Part 9 of Chapter 20.80 of the San José Municipal Code.
Where do I file a DBA if my business has no California location?
The Santa Clara County form says to file with the Clerk-Recorder's Office of Sacramento County, and state law says the notice is published in a Sacramento County newspaper.
