Policy On Fictitious Business Name, DBA Filings

Revised March 9, 2026

1. Purpose

This policy establishes uniform procedures for the registration, approval, maintenance, and termination of any Fictitious Business Name or “doing business as” name (each such name, a “DBA”), used in connection with licensed real estate activity conducted under Agentdesks Incorporated as broker of record (“Broker”) in California.

2. Regulatory Authority

California Department of Real Estate (“DRE”) regulations require that a DBA must be filed with the DRE and appear on Broker’s license before the name may be used in conducting activities for which a real estate license is required (“Licensed Activities”).

3. Ownership and Control

All DBAs will be filed by Agentdesks Incorporated.
Individual agents and Broker associates are strictly prohibited from independently filing or registering DBAs related to their real estate activities under Broker.

Each agent or Broker associate remains fully responsible for (a) ensuring that his or her DBA has been filed by Broker prior to engaging in Licensed Activities, (b) maintaining all intellectual property rights related to such DBA, and (c) notifying Broker immediately if such DBA violates the rights of any third party.

Provided that the agent / Broker associate complies with all of the requirements set forth in this policy, Broker shall release ownership of the DBA to such agent / Broker associate within a commercially reasonable period of time following notification to Broker of the transfer of such agent’s / Broker associate’s DRE license away from Broker (each, a “License Transfer”).

Termination of DBA Upon Separation

Subject to the requirements set forth above, within a commercially reasonable period of time following Broker’s notification of a License Transfer, Broker will file the appropriate paperwork with the DRE to terminate its use of the DBA. Broker does not guarantee that such termination will occur within any specific time period, as it is solely within the DRE's control.

Once the DBA is terminated with the DRE, the agent / Broker associate is solely responsible for refilling the DBA with a new brokerage, if applicable.

4. Broker Filing Requirements -

All DBAs must comply with the following:

Filing must be completed in the County of San Francisco, where the Broker’s main office is located.
The DBA must reflect that the business is conducted at the main office location, exactly as it appears in the Department of Real Estate records for the broker of record.
After filing with the appropriate recorder’s office, DRE Form RE204A must be fully completed and submitted to the DRE.
No use of the DBA is permitted until the DRE confirms processing and the DBA is verified at www.dre.ca.gov

5. DBA Filing Fee

The cost to establish a DBA through the Broker is $600, payable upon the Broker's approval of the request.

This fee includes:

Broker’s Internal Compliance Review
Preparation of the DBA filing document for the applicable recorder’s office
Confirmation of filing with the applicable recorder’s office
Preparation and mailing of DRE Form RE204A
Legal advertising of fictitious business name filing and publishing professional legal advertisement as required by the county recorder's office.

The $600 fee is non-refundable once the filing process has commenced.

6. Advertising and Compliance

No advertising, website domain, signage, social media presence, business cards, email signatures, MLS profile updates, or transactional documents may reflect the DBA until the Broker’s Compliance Department provides written confirmation of approval.

Unauthorized use of an unapproved DBA constitutes a violation of Broker’s policy and may result in disciplinary action and termination of the agent’s / Broker associate’s Independent Contract Agreement with Broker (“ICA”).

If the DBA is not on www.dre.ca.gov, you are not authorized to use it.