Business licenses, permits and EIN
Forming the entity is only half of it. Here is the other half: your federal EIN, your city license, your sales tax permit and whatever your specific trade requires.
This is where new owners get caught. You form the LLC, you are proud of it, and three months later a city inspector asks for a business license you did not know existed. Forming the entity and getting permission to actually operate are separate things handled by different levels of government — the state registers your entity, the city licenses you to do business there, a state agency issues your sales tax permit, the IRS issues your EIN, and your county may want a health or fire clearance on top.
The EIN is the one piece that works identically everywhere, because the IRS is federal. Everything else varies: by state, and then by city within that state. A food truck in Santa Ana needs a different stack than a general contractor in Irvine, an online retailer in Long Beach, or a landscaper in Phoenix.
What we give you is the complete list for your business and your city — not a generic checklist — and then we prepare the applications. If part of what you need is a state professional or contractor license, we will tell you that plainly and point you to the right board. Those come from licensing boards with their own examination and experience requirements, and no filing service can shortcut them.
What we handle
- Federal EIN (employer identification number) — required for a business bank account, employees and most license applications, in every state
- City business license or business tax certificate for your city
- State sales tax permit — the California seller's permit through the CDTFA, or your state's equivalent
- Fictitious business name filings where a permit application requires one first
- Guidance on county health permits, fire clearances and zoning or home-occupation requirements
- A written, city-specific list of everything your business needs, in order, with what each one costs
Licenses and permits in California
Nearly every California city requires a business license or business tax certificate, and it applies to home-based businesses and independent contractors, not just storefronts. Cities run these themselves, so the name, the fee structure and the application differ from one city to the next — Los Angeles issues a Business Tax Registration Certificate through its Office of Finance, while Long Beach, Santa Ana and Anaheim each run their own.
If you sell tangible goods in California you also need a seller's permit from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. There is no fee to obtain one, though a security deposit is required in some cases, and it also lets you buy inventory for resale without paying sales tax on it.
- A city business license in nearly every California city, home-based businesses included
- A home occupation permit in many cities if you operate from a residence
- A CDTFA seller's permit if you sell tangible goods
- A county health permit for anything involving food
- Contractor licensing through the CSLB — which requires their exams and documented experience
You almost certainly need these if you…
- Are opening any business inside city limits — nearly every city requires a business license
- Sell physical products, whether in a store, at events or online
- Will hire even one employee
- Need to open a business bank account or apply for business credit
- Prepare, serve or sell food or drinks
- Operate out of your home and need a home-occupation permit
How it works
How we sort your permits out
We map your business
Business type, state, city, whether you sell goods, whether you have employees and whether the public comes to your location. That determines the whole list.
We prepare the applications
EIN, sales tax permit and city license prepared and submitted, with the supporting documents each one requires attached.
You get the full checklist
Everything issued, everything still pending, and every renewal date written down so nothing lapses.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is an EIN and do I need one?
An EIN is a federal tax ID number issued by the IRS that identifies your business the way a Social Security number identifies a person. You need one to open a business bank account, to hire employees, and for most permit applications, in every state. Corporations and multi-member LLCs need one regardless. It is free to obtain from the IRS directly; we prepare and file the application as part of our service.
Do I need a city business license if I work from home?
In most cities, yes — the license is tied to doing business in the city, not to having a storefront. Many cities also require a home-occupation permit that sets conditions on customer traffic, signage and storage. We check the rules for your specific city.
What is a seller's permit?
It is the state registration that lets you collect and remit sales tax. In California it comes from the CDTFA and is required if you sell or lease tangible personal property that would ordinarily be subject to sales tax. Other states call it a sales tax permit or resale license. It also lets you buy inventory for resale without paying sales tax on it.
Can you get me a contractor's license?
No, and no filing service can. A contractor's license comes from a state licensing board — the CSLB in California — and requires documented experience and passing their exams. We can form the entity behind the license and handle your DBA, city license and EIN, but the license itself goes through the board.
How much do permits cost?
Government fees vary a great deal by city and permit type — a city business license may be under a hundred dollars or scale with your gross receipts, and health permits run higher. We give you the actual figures for your city before you apply, and those fees are paid to the agencies, not to us.
Important: California New Business Bureau is a private document preparation and business filing service. We are not a government agency and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by any Secretary of State, the IRS, or any other government body. We are not a law firm or a CPA firm, we do not provide legal or tax advice, and we do not represent you before any agency. Government filing fees are set by the agencies and are separate from our service fees. Self-filing directly with the agency is always an option and forms are available from the agencies at their published fees.
Other filings we handle
LLC Formation
Form an LLC in any state. Formation documents, EIN, operating agreement and the compliance calendar your state expects.
Learn moreDBA / Fictitious Name
Operate legally under a business name. We file it with the right office and handle the newspaper publication California requires.
Learn moreIncorporation
C-Corp, S-Corp or nonprofit, in any state. Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, stock certificates and the S-Corp election.
Learn moreReady to get your paperwork started?
Call us or request a free consultation. We will walk you through exactly what your filing needs in your state, what it costs and how long it takes — and if you are in Southern California, you are welcome to come in.