County Clerk Idoni’s Office Can Help with your Business Certificate

March 15, 2010

women staff

A photography studio in Bedford Hills, a deli in Croton-on-Hudson, a specialty coffeehouse in Cross River, and a beauty salon in Mount Vernon were among the many recent businesses started by women in Westchester County. National trends show that more women spurred by a sagging economy are taking on entrepreneurial opportunities to offset a declining job market. And this trend is evident right here in Westchester County with more new business start ups.

“As the jobs market continues to struggle, jobseekers, particularly women, are exploring options for self-employment,” stated Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni.  Idoni’s office accepts business certificates, with 2,687 filed in 2009 and more than 525 filed in the first two months of 2010.  The county clerk projects approximately 3,000 business certificates will be filed this year. That is why County Clerk Idoni offers the following tips for women starting a business in Westchester:

If you are doing any business in Westchester under a name other than your own, and are not a corporation, limited partnership or a limited liability company, you are required to file a Business Certificate in the Office of the Westchester County Clerk.

The County Clerk’s Legal Division staff is ready to help customers who visit the office in order to start a business.   Staff will help customers conduct a search of a business name to be sure the name is not already in use. 

Once it is determined that a desired business name is available, customers can use a kiosk in the public area of the Legal Division to complete a Business Certificate.   

County Clerk Legal Division staff can act as Notary Public as long as you can present valid identification.   

The Business Certificate filing fee is $25.00.  Certified copies of your filing can be provided for $5.00 each.  Visit our website for more information.  

The public can visit the Legal Division located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  For more information on our Legal Division, please call 995-3070 or visit our website at www.westchesterclerk.com.