---
title: HB 158. Commerce and trade; filing of registration statements with the office of the Secretary of State; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb158
cite_as: HB 158, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb158
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb158.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb158/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69596
date: 2026-03-25
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 716
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb158.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 158
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-03
last_action: Senate Read Second Time
sponsors:
  - Lehman Franklin
  - Anne Westbrook
  - Tyler Smith
  - Mike Cheokas
  - Ron Stephens
  - Jason T. Dickerson
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB158/2025
upstream_id: 1945162
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - trade name registration
  - small business filings
  - Secretary of State records
  - court clerk records
  - business ownership disclosure
---

# HB 158. Commerce and trade; filing of registration statements with the office of the Secretary of State; provide

## Text

House Bill 158 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Franklin of the 160th, Westbrook of the 163rd, Smith of the 18th, Cheokas
of the 151st, and Stephens of the 164th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to registration of businesses using trade names, so as to provide for forms
for filing of registration statements and a state-wide registry; to provide for a fee; to provide
for oversight by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority; to provide for
reregistration and cancellation of registrations; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 15
of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to clerks of superior courts, so as to
provide for the development and implementation of an information system for trade names
by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority; to provide for related matters;
to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to registration of businesses using trade names, is amended by revising Code
Section 10-1-490, relating to required registration statement for business using trade,
partnership, or other name not showing ownership, as follows:
"10-1-490.
(a) <del>Every</del> <ins>Beginning January 1, 2027, every</ins> person, firm, or partnership carrying on in this
state any trade, <del>or</del> business, <ins>or profession</ins> under any trade, <del>name or</del> partnership, <del>name</del> or
other name which does not disclose the individual ownership of the trade, business, or
profession carried on under such name shall, within 30 days <del>from March 29, 1937, or
thereafter</del> before commencing to do business, file in the office of the clerk of the superior
court of the county in which the business is chiefly carried on or, in the case of a domestic
corporation using any name other than its corporate name, in the county of its legal
domicile, <del>a</del> <ins>an initial</ins> registration statement, verified by affidavit, <ins>using forms created by
the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority</ins> setting forth the name or names
and addresses of <del>the</del> <ins>each</ins> person, <del>persons,</del> firm, or partnership owning and carrying on said
trade, <del>or</del> business, <ins>or profession</ins> and stating the nature of the business being carried on and
the trade, partnership, or other name used and shall, upon any change of ownership,
likewise file a new and amended statement of registration. <ins>The registration statement, and
any amendments, reregistration or cancellation shall be completed and sworn to by the
registrant, notarized, and shall be electronically filed with the proper clerk of superior
court.</ins> Notice of such filing giving the names and addresses of each person, firm, or
partnership to engage in business under such trade, <del>name or</del> partnership, <del>name</del> <ins>or other
name</ins> shall be <ins>delivered to and</ins> published in the <del>paper in which the sheriff's advertisements
are printed</del> <ins>legal organ of the appropriate county</ins> once a week for two weeks. No person,
firm, or partnership already registered shall be required to reregister except in the event of
<del>a</del> <ins>any</ins> change of ownership <ins>composition.
</ins> (b) <ins>For the purpose of including a trade, partnership, or other name registered prior to
January 1, 2027, but not included in the trade name registry provided for in Code
Section 15-6-97.4, such trade, partnership, or other name may be reregistered for inclusion
in the state-wide registry. Such reregistration shall not adversely affect the date of filing
of any previous registration.
</ins>
<ins>(c) The total fee for registration, amendment, reregistration or cancellation shall be as
provided in paragraph (10) of subsection (g) of Code Section 15-6-77, and the fees
provided for by Code Sections 15-21A-6 and 15-21A-6.1 shall not apply.
(d)</ins> The clerk shall register the <del>same</del> <ins>initial registration, reregistration, amendment, or
cancellation</ins> by filing <del>the verified statement in his office</del> and shall keep an alphabetical
index of all such <del>registrations in a permanent record book to be kept in his office</del> <ins>filings,
</ins> the index to show the trade, partnership, or other name registered and in connection
therewith the names of the owners. <del>The applicant for registration shall accompany each
registration statement with the fee prescribed by Code Section 15-6-77, relating to fees of
clerks of the superior courts, as amended.
</del> <ins>(e) When a person, firm, or partnership that has filed a trade name registration statement
pursuant to this Code section ceases to carry on in this state the trade, business, or
profession under the registered trade, partnership, or other name, such person, firm, or
partnership may cancel the trade, partnership, or other name by filing with the clerk of the
superior court in which the trade, partnership, or other name was registered a completed
affidavit of cancellation using forms created by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks'
Cooperative Authority.
(f) A copy of each trade, partnership, or other name filing or the supporting materials
provided for by this Code section shall be transmitted electronically by the clerk of superior
court to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority pursuant to
paragraph (22) of subsection (a) of Code Section 15-6-61."
</ins> SECTION 2.
Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
clerks of superior courts, is amended in Code Section 15-6-61, relating to duties of clerks
generally and computerized record-keeping system, by adding a new paragraph to
subsection (a) to read as follows:
<ins>"(22) To participate in an information system established by the Georgia Superior Court
Clerks' Cooperative Authority pursuant to Code Section 15-6-97.4 for the purpose of
providing public access to trade, partnership, and other name registrations electronically.
Each clerk of superior court shall provide to the authority or its designated agent, in
accordance with any applicable rules and regulations of the authority, such documents,
data, and other information relating to all trade, partnership, and other name registrations,
reregistrations, amendments, and cancellations filed in his such clerk's office as required
by Code Section 10-1-490."
</ins> SECTION 3.
Said article is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"15-6-97.4.
(a) By January 1, 2027, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority shall
develop and implement a uniform automated information system for trade, partnership, and
other names registered with the clerks of superior court of this state pursuant to Code
Section 10-1-490. Such system shall provide access to all trade, partnership, and other
name registrations and any related documents filed on or after such date.
(b) In furtherance of development and implementation of the system provided under this
Code section, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority is authorized to
contract with the clerks of superior courts and any other parties that the authority deems
necessary. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority shall create forms
for use in connection with filings pursuant to Code Section 10-1-490 and shall have the
authority to develop rules and regulations necessary for the usage of such forms and
implementing such system described in this Code section."
</ins> SECTION 4.
This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.
SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

House Bill 158 would create a statewide electronic registry for Georgia businesses that operate under a trade name, replacing the current county-by-county paper filing system starting January 1, 2027.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia law requires businesses operating under a trade name that doesn't show the owner's identity (often called a "doing business as" or DBA name) to file a registration statement with the clerk of the superior court in the county where the business operates. This bill updates that system by requiring the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority to build a uniform, statewide electronic database of these filings by January 1, 2027.
The bill requires registration statements to be notarized and filed electronically using standardized forms created by the Authority, rather than the current paper-based process. It adds a reregistration option for businesses already on file before 2027 so they can be included in the new statewide registry without losing their original filing date. It also adds a formal cancellation process for businesses that stop operating under a trade name, and sets a single combined fee for registration, amendment, reregistration, or cancellation, replacing separate fees currently charged under other code sections. The changes take effect January 1, 2027.

### What it does

- Requires the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority to build a uniform statewide electronic registry for trade name filings by January 1, 2027.
- Requires trade name registration statements to be notarized and filed electronically using standard forms created by the Authority, instead of paper filings.
- Creates a formal reregistration process so pre-2027 filings can be added to the new statewide registry without losing their original filing date.
- Adds a cancellation process letting businesses formally end a trade name registration once they stop operating under it.
- Sets a single combined filing fee for registration, amendment, reregistration, or cancellation, replacing certain existing clerk fees.
- Requires county superior court clerks to transmit trade name filings and supporting documents electronically to the Authority for inclusion in the registry.

### Who it affects

Georgia businesses, partnerships, and individuals operating under a trade name that doesn't show the owner's identity, county superior court clerks who process these filings, and the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, which must build and run the new statewide registry.

### Why it matters

Business owners would file trade name paperwork electronically and pay one combined fee instead of navigating separate county paper filings and fees. The public, including creditors and consumers, would gain a single searchable statewide database to look up who actually owns a business operating under a trade name.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 10-1-490 to require, starting January 1, 2027, that new trade name registrations be filed electronically, notarized, and made on forms created by the Authority.
- Section 1 adds subsection (b) allowing pre-2027 registrations not yet in the statewide registry to be reregistered without losing their original filing date.
- Section 1 adds subsection (c) setting a single combined fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77(g)(10) for registration, amendment, reregistration, or cancellation, and exempting these filings from fees under O.C.G.A. §§ 15-21A-6 and 15-21A-6.1.
- Section 1 adds subsection (e) creating a formal cancellation process using Authority-created affidavit forms for businesses that stop using a registered trade name.
- Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 15-6-61 to require county clerks to participate in the Authority's electronic information system and transmit filing data to it.
- Section 3 creates new O.C.G.A. § 15-6-97.4, requiring the Authority to build the statewide trade name registry by January 1, 2027 and to create standard forms and rules for it.
- Section 4 sets the Act's effective date as January 1, 2027.

## Status

- Status: Engrossed (2026-03-03)
- Last action: Senate Read Second Time (2026-03-25)
- Sponsors: Lehman Franklin, Anne Westbrook, Tyler Smith, Mike Cheokas, Ron Stephens, Jason T. Dickerson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69596

> The history, votes, and amendments (716 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb158.md?full=1