Beginning December 1, 2017, North Carolina has a revised set of laws about assumed business names. New Article 14A, Chapter 66 of the NC General Statutes, effective December 1, keeps the filing of assumed business name information at the registers of deeds' offices across the state and has the following new features:

• Establishes a statewide, online, searchable database at the NC Secretary of State's office containing assumed business name filings made on or after December 1, 2017
• Allows filers to designate multiple counties for conducting business on one filing
• Simplifies completion of certificates by removing the notarization requirement
• Requires that filers update the information contained in their assumed business name filings within sixty (60) days of it changing
• Allows for a 5 year transition period, until December 1, 2022, for all pre-existing assumed business name filers to re-file an assumed business name certificate to preserve the effectiveness of their assumed business name designation. See our FAQs for more information.