Why California and Ohio Reject Licenses Over Name Mistakes

Last month, a client called us sounding equal parts confused and annoyed. Their California renewal had bounced back with a warning that their “company name didn’t match their marketing name.” They double-checked the paperwork, and everything looked right.

Except it wasn’t.

Their factory signage said ABC Company. Their California license application said ABC Company Inc.

That tiny “Inc.” — which they never use publicly — was enough to stop the entire application in its tracks. And this happens more often than you think. California and Ohio are two frequently mentioned states when it comes to name accuracy. One extra word, missing letter, or abbreviation, and your license can get delayed or denied.

If you sell products in California or Ohio, you’ll want to keep reading. And before you read this article and get worried, know that GRS will reach out if any additional information is needed. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact your compliance specialist. We’re here to help!

Why Accurate Business Names Matter More Than You Think

Name accuracy isn’t a nitpicky technical requirement, it’s part of a much bigger consumer-protection framework. States want to ensure that the company listed on a law label or registration is the same business name consumers see on packaging, storefronts, websites, and signage.

This is also why GRS continually monitors regulatory trends, because across the country, enforcement is tightening. For example, North Carolina recently expanded its regulated product categories, a move that caught many manufacturers off-guard.

California and Ohio fall squarely into this pattern: they want clarity, consistency, and full transparency in how your business represents itself.

California’s Marketing-Name Rule, What It Means, and Why It Trips Up Many Manufacturers

California’s Bureau takes a different approach than most states: California regulations don’t allow additional wording if it’s not part of the name consumers see. Their goal is to ensure that the license’s marketing name reflects the business identity customers interact with.

Your marketing name is the name a customer would see on your:

• building signage
• website header
• catalogs
• marketing materials and packaging

California wants the name you’re marketing as — not your legal entity name, shortened name, or your “official” version that includes qualifiers like Inc, LLC, or Ltd. If your business presents itself publicly as ABC Company, then your California license must list ABC Company exactly. Examples of what not to use includes:

• ABC Company Inc
• ABC Company LLC
• ABC Company Ltd
• ABC Co.

Violations and Warnings Are Increasing

We’ve seen California issue more warnings this year related to name mismatches. A reminder: these aren’t optional corrections. California can hold or deny a license if the name doesn’t match the marketed version.

A quick internal audit now can prevent a bigger compliance problem later.

The 65-Character Barrier

California’s current system can’t process license names longer than 65 characters. That means if your business name is long or includes multiple components, the system may simply reject it. This limitation surprises many manufacturers, especially those with multi-division or multi-descriptor names.

To prevent this, you can:

• Shorten the marketed name (if that shorter name is in actual use)

or

• Request a manual certificate from the bureau

Ohio’s Exact-Match Rule: Zero Exceptions, Zero Abbreviations

While California focuses on marketing names, Ohio focuses on registered names. And when Ohio says “exact match,” they really mean it.

The name and address on your law label must have identical spelling, spacing, and punctuation to what is on file in Ohio’s licensing system.

No Room for Creativity Or Abbreviations

If your Ohio registration says Global Registration Services, your law label cannot be shortened to GRS, have attached qualifiers like Inc or LLC, Global Registration Svcs, or miss any letters from its name. 

Ohio enforces this strictly because it strengthens traceability, a principle widely supported in regulatory literature.

DBAs: The Most Common Ohio Mistake

Ohio requires full DBA structures to be printed exactly as registered.

If your registration says ABC Company dba Alphabet, your label must also say ABC Company dba Alphabet. You cannot print ABC Company or Alphabet. 

This catches many businesses off guard, especially those used to other states with more flexible DBA rules. When it comes to Ohio, precision is the rule—not the exception.

What This Means for Your Brand 

If your products are sold in California or Ohio, these two states’ name rules should be on your radar year-round. Here’s how to stay proactive:

1. Audit the Name You Market Under - Compare your signage, website header, packaging, and marketing materials. If the name differs from your legal entity name, California will expect the marketing version.
2. Compare Your Ohio Registration Against Your Labels - Print out the registered name and hold it next to your latest artwork. Every character must match - even the punctuation.
3. Check for 65+ Character Names in CA - If your marketed name is long, address this early so renewals don’t stall.
4. Review DBA Structures Carefully - California and Ohio treat DBAs very differently.

   • California focuses on your marketing name and will only accept a DBA if your company publicly markets itself exactly as “ABC Company dba Alphabet.” The issue is that most brands don’t actually use the “dba” wording in their marketing, which causes delays or rejections.
   • Ohio will accept any of the following options if and only if that exact name is on the law label:

     • the official company name itself
     • the DBA name itself
     • the full legal name + DBA structure, if and only if that exact name is on the law label.

5. Don’t Wait for a Rejection to Fix the Issue - A small review now saves a big delay later.
6. Lean on GRS. This Is What We Do Every Day!

We catch name mismatches immediately because we review thousands of applications, labels, and renewals. We know where states are picky, where they’re flexible, and where small errors cause big headaches.

If you want to prevent denials, avoid warnings, or check whether your company name passes CA and OH standards, get in touch! A quick audit now can save weeks of delays later.