# Name Change

### Changing the company name <a href="#block-477e71191d3e42f58f5eb59046b47ec4" id="block-477e71191d3e42f58f5eb59046b47ec4"></a>

#### **DBA ("Doing Business As")**

If a name change is deemed critical for GTM reasons, a DBA (”[doing business as](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/doing_business_as_\(dba\))”) may be considered first. A DBA will trigger additional compliance and tax complications, which should be weighed in as part of the decision process.

**Filing a DBA**

A DBA need to be filed where a company’s offices are located and where the company intends to do business. As a company expands where it is doing business, additional DBA registrations will need to take place in those locations as well, increasing the complexity of the process.

OCV companies seeking to do business under a new name through a DBA (not a legal entity name change) will need to file Fictitious Business Name (FBN) Statements in San Francisco and in Santa Clara counties (as of January 2026, all pre-Seed OCV companies have a physical address located in Santa Clara county).&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
Note: The term “Fictitious Business Name” refers to the *new* business name (DBA name), not the existing (official) business name. Keep this in mind when filling out forms to avoid any delays in filing.
{% endhint %}

**Legal Team** will require physical, wet-signed copies of those statements, as well as a copy of the company’s updated tax registration certificate in San Francisco, which will be mailed to the company after updating the company’s name on the San Francisco business website.

Additionally, Santa Clara County requires the publication of the new business name in a local newspaper. The Legal Team will help facilitate this process (typically takes 6-7 weeks).

Proof of a completed DBA filing will include:

1. Stamped copies of the San Francisco and Santa Clara Fictitious Business Name Statements
2. An updated San Francisco tax registration certificate that includes the company’s DBA name
3. Proof of publication in Santa Clara.&#x20;

Given the requirements for obtaining physical copies and sequential steps, the timeline for completing a DBA may take one to three months.

#### **Legal Entity Name Change**&#x20;

In certain situations, for example, another organization holds trademark rights to your company's name, you may be required to change the corporate entity name legally. OCV (when serving as the [board of directors](https://handbook.opencoreventures.com/how-we-work/board-of-directors)) will only approve legal name change requests when deemed necessary.

Below are steps required for a company name change process.

**Company Name Change Legal Checklist**

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="100">Item</th><th>Requirement</th><th>Responsible Party</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><ol><li><br></li></ol></td><td>Check availability of name in appropriate jurisdictions (DE and CA)</td><td><p>Legal Team </p><p>(to reserve or hold the new name)</p></td></tr><tr><td><ol start="2"><li><br></li></ol></td><td>Conduct trademark searches (and make appropriate reservations / filings) and domain name searches</td><td><p>Company </p><p>(Legal Team can assist upon request)</p></td></tr><tr><td><ol start="3"><li><br></li></ol></td><td>Draft Amendment to Charter with Name Change</td><td>Legal Team</td></tr><tr><td><ol start="4"><li><br></li></ol></td><td>Draft Board consent / obtain Board signature</td><td>Legal Team </td></tr><tr><td><ol start="5"><li><br></li></ol></td><td>Draft Stockholder consent / obtain Stockholder signature</td><td>Legal Team</td></tr><tr><td><ol start="6"><li><br></li></ol></td><td>Obtain signature and / file Amendment to Charter</td><td>Legal Team</td></tr><tr><td><ol start="7"><li><br></li></ol></td><td><p>Update qualifications as a foreign corporation (CA)</p><p>File qualifications as a foreign corporation (other states required to be qualified)</p></td><td>Legal Team</td></tr><tr><td>8.<br></td><td>Notify IRS of the name change for Federal Employer Identification purposes via <strong>Official Letter</strong> OR <strong>Tax Return method</strong> (see separate section below)</td><td>Tax Team or Company </td></tr><tr><td>9.<br></td><td>File Form DE-24 with the CA Employment Development Department informing the EDD of the name change, if applicable.</td><td>Company</td></tr><tr><td>10.<br></td><td>Make appropriate patent and trademark filings, applications, PTO updates as necessary (including foreign)</td><td><p>Company</p><p>(Legal Team can assist upon request)</p></td></tr><tr><td>11.<br></td><td>Contact any governmental agencies (federal, state or local) with which the Company has licenses / faces regulation to determine what actions need to be implemented </td><td><p>Company </p><p>(Finance Team can support)</p></td></tr><tr><td>12.<br></td><td>Contact any regulatory bodies with which the Company has relationships (e.g. FDA, ITC, OSHA, US Customs, etc.) to determine what actions need to be implemented</td><td><p>Company </p><p>(Finance Team can support)</p></td></tr><tr><td>13.<br></td><td>Obtain new business cards and letterhead</td><td>Company</td></tr><tr><td>14.<br></td><td>Notify banks, key subscribers, landlords and any other relevant third parties informing them of the name change as required by such relationships </td><td><p>Company </p><p>(Finance Team can support)</p></td></tr><tr><td>15.<br></td><td>Notify customers, partners, vendors, post office, etc.</td><td>Company</td></tr><tr><td>16.<br></td><td><p>Revise form contracts, documents and marketing materials</p><p>Including: stock option paperwork (including plan and forms), form offer letter and ECIIAA, form consulting and advisor agreements, form(s) of NDA, all other form documents</p></td><td><p>Company</p><p>(Legal Team can assist upon request)</p></td></tr><tr><td>17.<br></td><td>Contact utility and phone directory providers</td><td>Company</td></tr><tr><td>18.<br></td><td>Inform employees that, effective upon filing the Certificate of Amendment with the DE Secretary of State, all business should be conducted in the new name</td><td>Company</td></tr></tbody></table>

### IRS Notification of Name Change

***Standard Method:***

Send physical letter to the IRS via Certified Mail notifying the IRS of Name Change. IRS may take about month to respond with confirmation.

Also print and include in the envelope a copy of the stamped Delaware Certificate of Amendment (provided by Legal Team).\
\
**Letter Template:**\
\
"\ <mark style="color:red;">\[Date]</mark>\
Via Certified Mail\
\
Department of the Treasury\
Internal Revenue Service\
Ogden, UT 84201-0012\
\
Re: Employer I.D. Number: <mark style="color:red;">\[Company EIN]</mark>\ <mark style="color:red;">\["New company name", Inc.]</mark> (formerly: <mark style="color:red;">\["former company name", Inc.]</mark> )

Dear Sir or Madam:\
\
This letter is to inform you that the name of the above-referenced taxpayer has been changed to <mark style="color:red;">\["New company name", Inc.]</mark> as evidenced by the enclosed filed-stamped copy of the Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on <mark style="color:red;">\[Date of Amendment Filing]</mark>. Please update your records accordingly.&#x20;

Please contact me at <mark style="color:red;">\[founder email]</mark> if you have any questions. Thank you very much.\
\
Sincerely,\ <mark style="color:red;">\[Founder Name]</mark>

"\
\
\&#xNAN;***Tax Return Method:***\
\
If you are currently preparing for an upcoming tax return, then the Tax Team can usually help submit the name change on the tax return itself. Double check with the Tax Team for eligibility and provide the team with the Certificate of Amendment to file along with the tax returns.