Under Nevada law, if you are doing business (or wish to do business) under a different name than what your company is registered as with the Nevada Secretary of State, then you must obtain a Fictitious Firm Name (or FFN). FFN’s are obtained through Clark County and include a fee as well as filing out paperwork before attempting to file.
FFN’s, as alluded to above, allow a business owner to utilize their business entity under different names. Many times, business owners wish to open different storefronts under different names, but control them under one business entity. Obtaining an FFN allows business owners to do just that. FFN’s also allow business owners to create a veil of anonymity if they are interested in maintaining a more private status.
If a business owner didn’t want their LLC name to be stated on their storefront, all they would need to do is obtain an FFN and utilize that to run and advertise their business. While the use of the term “FFN” can sometimes be confusing, these are exactly what DBA’s (“Doing Business As”) do for people in other states.
It is also important to know that filing for an FFN does not create an intellectual property (IP) right for that business owner. This merely keeps other businesses from using the same name as other companies. If you wish to protect your business name (for example, in the form of a trademark), then you must file a trademark application with the United States Patent & Trademark Office, not the County you’re doing business in.
Half Price Lawyers For Business can help you with all of your FFN and other legal business needs. Call today for a free consultation!
Half Price Lawyers
732 S. 6th Street Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV 89101
