(a)        A person signing a certificate under this Article that the person knows is false in any material respect with intent that the certificate be delivered to the register of deeds for filing is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

(b)        A person failing to file an assumed business name certificate or a certificate of amendment as required by this Article is liable to any person injured by the failure for the reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by the person in ascertaining, for a reasonable purpose, the information required to be stated in the assumed business name certificate or certificate of amendment. Notwithstanding this subsection, a person is not liable for expenses caused by an error or ambiguity in describing the nature of the business in an assumed business name certificate under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-71.5 or a certificate of amendment under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-71.7 ?(2016-100, s. 2; 2017-23, s. 1; 2017-102, s. 14.3.)