General business licenses in California are governed by each individual city where you do business or county in unincorporated areas of California. They are also called by different names, even though they are cities in the same State! Some cities in the State of California call them a business license, others call them a California business tax certificate.
For example, if you have a restaurant business in Anaheim and then open another restaurant in San Diego, you will need a business license in Anaheim and a business tax certificate in San Diego, but they are really both the same thing. The reason for this is that each city in California is allowed to charge fees for any business located in its jurisdiction as a tax collection mechanism and also as a way to track economic development statistics.
So, if you are going to open several business locations you need a business license in every city in California where you open a location with employees. For most businesses, the problem with filing for a business license and paying the fees in multiple locations is not a problem. This would most likely apply to franchises and large retail chains.
However, do not be confused about the general business license required by each city, and the other types of licenses applicable to businesses that are required by counties and the State of California.
Several county and California state licenses are required for different types of trades and businesses in order to protect the public health and safety, such as gun dealers and tattoo artists. Some cities require these types of licenses too. For more general information about county and state business licenses, go to our main business license page by clicking here.
This is usually not a common factor, as most businesses in California are small businesses. If you need a small business license California cities often have special small business license or home-based licenses or permits.
Many larger cities now allow you to apply for a business license online! Therefore, getting a business license in California is relatively easy. While most cities do not have a California business license verification search or California business license lookup service online, they do allow you to apply for a new business license over the Internet.
Visit your city's business license website by choosing your city from the list below. Every city has a different business license forms and California busienss license requirements, however, most of them are very similar.
You can expect to be asked the following information:. In many cities, there is an annual fee that is required to be paid every year. For some cities, the fee is fixed, but for others it depends on your sales revenues. Most businesses require licenses or permits in order to operate. Please click on each of the resources below to determine if your business requires any licenses or permits. California Public Utilities Commission Certification. Disclaimer: The information and links to various websites, including various non—governmental sites, are provided for your convenience.
The information on this website is constantly updated; however, there may be omissions or additional requirements not represented here. This is unintentional and does not exempt any individual or institution from complying with the laws and regulations of the State of California and the federal government. Inclusion of links to other websites is not an endorsement of those sites by the California Secretary of State, the State of California or the federal government.
Step 1 It is helpful to begin with a business plan. Step 3 Choose a business structure. A brief overview of the following types of legal business structures available in California can be found on our Entity Types website: Corporation Limited Liability Company Limited Partnership General Partnership Limited Liability Partnership Sole Proprietorship Step 4 Your next step will be to file your tax and employer identification documents.
Step 5 Most businesses require licenses or permits in order to operate. Call Us
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