Licensing and Registration
Contact the city where your business is located. If you are unsure of who to
talk to or are in an unincorporated area contact your County Clerk. Also check
with the County Clerk about the name you plan to use and to register your fictitious business name. For most of you, your County Clerk can be reached as follows:
Santa Barbara County: www.sbcvote.com, (805) 568-2550
Ventura County: www.recorder.countyofventura.org, (805)654-2263
Los Angeles County: www.lavote.net, (800) 815-2666
Orange County: www.ocgov.com/recorder, (714) 834-2500
San Bernardino County: www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/acr, (909) 387-8322
Riverside County: www.riverside.asrclkrec.com, (951) 486-7000
San Diego County: www.arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us, (619) 238-8258
Your business will require a Federal Tax Identification number. To get one call the IRS at (800) 829-4933 or go to www.irs.gov.
Before hiring employees you will want to have a California employer account number and tax rate information. Contact the Employment Development Department at (888) 746-3886 or visit them at www.edd.ca.gov.
To sell taxable items you will need a Resale Number issue by the State Board of Equalization. Contact them at (800) 400-7115 or go to www.boe.ca.gov.
For building codes, permits and zoning contact the Planning Commission and the Department of Public Works for your county. Your County Clerk will know how to reach them.
Finally, if you do not know what types of permits are necessary for your business see the California Government Online to Desktops (CalGold) website at www.calgold.ca.gov. CalGold offers direct internet links and contact information to state, local, regional and federal permitting authorities for guidance.
