Under B&P Code 17918, a party that regularly transacts business in California for profit under a fictitious business name may not maintain an action on a contract made in the fictitious business name until a fictitious business name statement is filed. The statute abates the action but does not invalidate the contract. This decision holds that a motion to compel arbitration is an action on the arbitration agreement and may not be brought until the fictitious business name statement is filed. When the business belatedly files the statement, it may then enforce the arbitration agreement unless the court finds that it waived arbitration through its delay in filing the statement, prejudice to the plaintiff from the delay, and substantial invocation of litigation machinery through the appeal.