!ATTENTION REQUIRED!

North Carolina’s Assumed Business Name Act (ACT) has changed.  Any certificate of assumed named registered BEFORE December 1, 2017, will expire on December 1, 2022.  If you desire to continue using an assumed name, you must register a new Certificate of Assumed Name and pay the $26 fee BEFORE the expiration date.  Once expired, the assumed name cannot be used until a new certificate is filed in accordance with NCGS, Chapter 66, Article 14A. Click the link above for a fillable version of the certificate. 

For more information, click this link to review the full statute (NCGS, Chapter 66, Article 14A).  The NC Secretary of State’s office is responsible for implementing the new registry of assumed names.  The following link provides information and frequently asked questions about the ACT: NC Secretary of State - Assumed Business Names

If you have questions, please contact Business Link North Carolina at [email protected] or 800-228-8443.

The below bill was passed to raise the maximum processing fee allowed under N.C.G.S. § 25-3-506 for returned checks from $25.00 to $35.00. Please note that the law has specific limits on what collection agencies collecting on behalf of principals may collect. This law became effective October 1, 2019.

 §25-3-506. Collection of processing fee for returned checks.

           A person who accepts a check in payment for goods or services or the person's assignee may charge and collect a processing fee, not to exceed thirty-five dollars ($35.00), for a check on which payment has been refused by the payor bank because of insufficient funds or because the drawer did not have an account at that bank.

           If a collection agency collects or seeks to collect on behalf of its principal a processing fee as specified in this section in addition to the sum payable of a check, the amount of the processing fee shall be separately stated on the collection notice. The collection agency shall not collect or seek to collect from the drawer any sum other than the actual amount of the returned check and the specified processing fee. (1981, c. 781, s. 1; 1983, c. 529; 1987, c. 147; 1991, c. 455, s. 1; 1955, c. 232, s. 1; 1997-334, s. 1; 2000-118, s. 1; 2019-77, s. 1(a).)