Small Business

Small business, seller permits, and local licenses

Find the first official source for a small business paper. This can mean a local license, seller's permit, business filing, tax account, hiring step, food permit, special license, or EIN.

Official link Last reviewed June 30, 2026

Why it matters

Starting a business is rarely one form. A city or county may handle the local license. The Secretary of State handles many business filings. CDTFA handles seller's permits and sales tax accounts. FTB handles state business taxes. EDD handles payroll tax accounts. DIR handles many worker rules. Some work needs a license board. Start with the office that owns the paper.

Directory shelf

Start here

Find the right public office for everyday paperwork.

Open official source Browse this shelf

Route selector

Select the business paper.

First moves

1
Write down what you are doing. Are you selling goods, offering services, hiring workers, forming an LLC, using a business name, working from home, serving food, selling alcohol or cannabis, or opening an industrial site?
2
Write down the business name, owner name, address, city, county, website, product or service, employees, and start date.
3
Use CalGold to see which permits may apply. Then confirm with the local office.
4
For an LLC, corporation, limited partnership, or many name filings, start with the Secretary of State.
5
For a seller's permit or sales and use tax account, start with CDTFA if you may sell taxable goods.
6
For state income or franchise tax, start with FTB.
7
If you will pay workers, check EDD for payroll taxes. Check DIR for wage, safety, and workers' compensation requirements.
8
If the work is licensed, check DCA or the specific board before taking money.
9
For food, alcohol, cannabis, or industrial stormwater, use the special official source early. Check before signing a lease.
10
For an EIN, use IRS directly. The IRS EIN application is free.

Watch for

1
A city business license is not the same as an LLC, seller's permit, EIN, health permit, or professional license.
2
The mailing city is not always the office that controls zoning or business licensing. Check city limits and county rules.
3
A business name search does not settle whether the name is safe for every use. Names, trademarks, DBAs, domains, and licenses are different.
4
A seller's permit, resale certificate, sales tax return, income tax return, and payroll tax account are different papers.
5
Hiring one worker can add new steps. Check payroll tax, wages, workers' compensation, safety, and records.
6
Home businesses can still need zoning, HOA, landlord, health, fire, or local permit checks.
7
Some fields have extra licenses. Check food, alcohol, cannabis, construction, beauty, repair, health, finance, and child care before you start.
8
If a lease, loan, tax bill, worker issue, license denial, fine, lawsuit, or safety issue is involved, use the official source and get qualified help.

Directory paths

Keep moving through the directory.

Use the nearby shelf when this is the right lane, or jump back to the full directory if the task changed names.

ShelfStart hereFind the right public office for everyday paperwork.DirectoryPaperwork & MoneyReturn to the full tools shelf.Nearby toolLocal office routerA practical map for deciding whether to start with a city, county, state agency, court, utility, or special district.Nearby toolContractor, mechanic, and complaint helpFind the safer first stop for contractor trouble, auto repair problems, licensed professional complaints, insurance claims, scams, refund disputes, business-name checks, or small claims questions.A-ZFind another California pathUse the directory index when the task has a different name.