Starting 2027, private filing ads must identify themselves clearly

Businesses must file an application with the town clerk to record a trade name. Applications give different information for individuals and business organizations, including business contact details and state business record information for organizations. A business organization may apply only if it is active and has filed all required annual reports with the Secretary of the State. New trade name certificates last five years. Trade names recorded before January 1, 2025, expire December 31, 2029, but may be renewed during the five-year period beginning January 1, 2025.

Trade names filed on or after October 1, 2026, must not use specified business-structure terms. The prohibited terms include names or abbreviations for corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, and statutory trusts. A trade name accepted and entered in the state registry with a prohibited term is void, and the Secretary may void its record. A person may not use “company” in a printed business ad in a way that suggests the business is a corporation or limited liability company unless it is one. The trade name restrictions take effect October 1, 2026.

The Secretary may check business filing information and reject data that cannot be authenticated. These powers apply to information filed for businesses listed in the Connecticut Business Registry. If data cannot be verified, the Secretary may take actions allowed by the laws governing that business, including dissolving, forfeiting, revoking, or cancelling its registration. For an unauthorized filing made for a legitimate business, the Secretary may mark the filing as unauthorized and restore the earlier registry information.

Private advertisers charging for state filing or record services must clearly label their offers and provide state filing information. The rules cover private offers to file documents with the Secretary of the State or obtain copies of state certificates and public records. The rules do not cover governments, customer-initiated contact, or ads to people with a current or former commercial relationship with the advertiser. Ads must not look like government notices or suggest the recipient has a legal duty to act. These rules take effect January 1, 2027.

Notaries may charge up to ten dollars for an act, plus a limited travel charge. The limit applies to acts performed by a notary under state law. The travel charge cannot exceed the federal business mileage rate. The fee limit takes effect July 1, 2026.