California Code, Financial Code - FIN § 5403

(a) Before filing an application for an organizing permit with the commissioner under Section 5400, an organizer shall file with the Secretary of State an application for a certificate of a reservation of the name for the proposed association in accordance with the provisions of Article 5 (commencing with Section 5650).

(b) The application filed with the Secretary of State shall recite the fact of the application to be filed under Section 5400 and the Secretary of State shall issue a certificate of reservation of name upon payment of any required fee.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (c) of Section 201 of the Corporations Code, the name contained in the certificate of reservation of the name shall be reserved to the applicant until (1) the commissioner denies the petition for a certificate of authority, or (2) if a certificate of approval of articles of incorporation is issued, as long as it continues in effect, or (3) for a period of up to one year from the date when the certificate of reservation of the name is issued, whichever of these occurs first.

(d) The Secretary of State may, upon the request of the applicant and the approval of the commissioner, extend the reservation of the name for an additional six months.