California Private Investigator Practice Exam

Where must a private investigator go to obtain information on a fictitious business statement in Fresno or San Diego?

1. City Hall

2. County Recorder

3. Public Library

4. State Secretary's Office

The correct answer is: County Recorder

To obtain information on a fictitious business statement in Fresno or San Diego, a private investigator must go to the County Recorder's Office. This is because fictitious business names, often referred to as "doing business as" (DBA) registrations, are typically filed at the county level. Each county maintains a public record of these filings, which provides details about the business, its owners, and other pertinent information. While City Hall may handle various municipal records and regulations, and the public library may have resources related to business information, they do not maintain the official filings for fictitious business statements. The State Secretary's Office also has a role in business registration, particularly for corporations and limited liability companies, but for DBA registrations specific to counties, the County Recorder's Office is the authoritative source. This makes it the correct destination for a private investigator seeking records regarding fictitious business statements in those cities.