0890 Secretary of State
Program Descriptions

10 - FILINGS AND REGISTRATIONS PROGRAM

The Business Programs Division is the first stop for anyone wanting to do business in California. The California Business Portal provides online resources and services to businesses, connecting people with electronic versions of important documents and handbooks, searchable lists of registered businesses, a step-by-step guide to starting a business, and assistance for international businesses wanting to operate in California.

The Business Entities Section files articles of incorporation, foreign qualifications, and related documents to ensure that corporations and other business entities are properly formed, merged, amended, and dissolved in compliance with California law.

The Uniform Commercial Code Section provides for the filing of documents that allow lending institutions to verify the existence of collateral prior to making loans and to establish a priority scheme for property repossession in case of debtor default or bankruptcy.

The Notary Public and Special Filings Section appoints and commissions eligible notaries public. A notary public is a public official who performs services to the legal, business, financial and real estate communities by certifying or witnessing signatures on official documents. Special Filings include trademarks and service marks as well as bonds that certain business entities are required to file, joint power agreements, city and county charters and claims for successor-in-interest. This Section also has disciplinary functions with regard to notaries public and immigration consultants.

The Safe at Home Program provides public records address protection, name change confidentiality, and confidential voter registration for more than 2,000 survivors of domestic violence and stalking and their family members, and providers, employees, volunteers, and patients of reproductive health care facilities.

The Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) Registry maintains AHCDs, which allow a person to indicate to their medical treatment preferences if they cannot speak or make decisions for themselves. The AHCD also may designate someone else to make decisions regarding medical treatment. AHCDs and related information can be provided upon request to the registrant's health care provider, public guardian or legal representative.

The Domestic Partners Registry registers same-sex couples regardless of the age of the partners, and opposite-sex couples in which one partner is at least 62 years old, as domestic partners in California when they file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership.

The Victims of Corporate Fraud Compensation Fund provides restitution to victims of corporate fraud who are unable to collect through other means on a judgment against a corporation for corporate fraud.