California Business Permits & Licenses
Every filing this guide covers, and — the part most sites get wrong — whether California issues it at all. Several of these are city or county permits with no state office behind them.
Depending on the state this recurring amount is called an annual report fee, a franchise tax, or a business privilege fee. It is the amount an LLC pays the state to stay in good standing. In California it is charged every two years, not annually. Both figures above apply to an LLC — other entity types and other permits are priced separately.
All permits & licenses covered
- LLC Formation — anyone starting a business as a legal entity · state agency
- Business License — any business operating in a city or county that requires local licensing · city or county
- Food Truck Permit — mobile food vendors, food trucks, and mobile food carts · city or county
- Short-Term Rental Permit — Airbnb, VRBO, and other short-term rental hosts · city or county
- Cottage Food License — home bakers and home food producers of non-hazardous foods (bread, jam, cookies, granola) · state agency, plus local
- Sales Tax Registration — any business selling taxable goods or services in the state · state agency
- Employer Registration — any business with W-2 employees · state agency
- Contractor License — general contractors and specialty trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing) · state agency, plus local
- Home Occupation Permit — anyone running a business from their residence · city or county
- DBA Filing — sole proprietors, partnerships, and LLCs operating under a name different from the legal registered name · city or county
- Sign Permit — commercial businesses installing exterior signage · city or county
- Sidewalk Cafe Permit — restaurants and cafes wanting to serve on the public sidewalk · city or county
- Building Permit — property owners and contractors doing structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work · city or county
- Health Department Permit — restaurants, food retailers, and any business serving prepared food to the public · city or county
- Alcohol License — restaurants, bars, and retail stores selling beer, wine, or spirits · state agency, plus local
- Cosmetology License — hair stylists, estheticians, nail technicians, and barbers · state agency
- Massage Therapy License — licensed massage therapists (LMT) · state agency
- Childcare License — in-home daycare providers and childcare centers · state agency
- Professional License — regulated professionals (real estate agents, insurance producers, financial advisors, private investigators, notaries) · state agency
- Reseller Permit — wholesalers and retailers buying inventory tax-free for resale · state agency
Largest cities in California
Local permits are issued by the city, or by the county for unincorporated addresses. Each of these runs its own process, so the answer to "what does it cost" changes between them.
The four general California offices
These four handle entity filings, tax and employment. They are not the issuer of most permits on this site — liquor, food, childcare, contractor and professional licensing each sit with a different agency, named on the individual pages above.
- Business filings: https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov
- Secretary of State: https://www.sos.ca.gov
- Tax authority: https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov
- Labor / workforce: https://www.edd.ca.gov