City Business License

[WHAT]

The City Business License is a license to conduct business in Anaheim.

[WHY]

You will need to apply for and obtain a City Business License because “city law states that no person shall engage in business or transact and carry on a business, trade, profession, calling or occupation in the City without having procured a license from the City to do so or without complying with any and all applicable provision of Title 3 of the City ordinance relating to a business license.” (Anaheim City Website).

[WHERE]

A blank City Business License can be downloaded from the city of Anaheim’s website as a PDF.

[HOW]

Have the following information available when filling out the license application:

• specific business description
• business operation starting date at this location
• names of the owners or officers of the business and their addresses
• type of business entity (e.g., partnership or corporation)

Additionally, the following identification numbers will be required:

• State Board of Equalization Sales Tax Account Number
• Driver’s License Number
• Federal Employer I.D. Number
• State Employer I.D. Number
• Social Security Number (if no Federal or State I.D. number is provided)
• State Contractor’s License Number (if applicable)
• State Contractor’s Classification (if applicable)

[COST]

The processing cost of a City Business License application in 2013 is $27.00. Now some bad news, additional fees will be charged when you submit the Home Occupational Permit form.

Home Occupational Permit

[WHAT]

The Home Occupational Permit is for home-run businesses which are “incidental to and subordinate to the principal residential use and located on the same lot with such residential use.” Anaheim Municipal Code Section 18.92.110.

[WHY]

In other words, you will need a Home Occupational Permit if you run your business within a home.

[WHERE]

A blank Home Occupational Permit form can be downloaded from the anaheim.net website as a PDF.

[HOW]

The permit requires the following information: name, residence, and business description. Permit approval is subject to compliance with code 18.38.130. The following are some common reasons permits are rejected:

1. Sales of products or services are prohibited unless the sale is by mail, delivery service, the internet, or telephone.
2. There may be no significant increase in pedestrian or vehicle traffic because of the operation of the business.
3. There may be no significant noise, odor, vibrations, fumes, or smoke as a result of operating the business.
4. Storage of business supplies must be enclosed and out of the public view.
5. The exterior structure of the building where the business is run must continue to be recognized as a residence.

[COST]

The processing cost of a Home Occupational Permit can be found at the following website and is subject to change.

http://www.anaheim.net/departmentfolders/planning/Fees/feeschedule.pdf

Fred will need to completely fill out and submit the license and permit applications, and pay the City of Anaheim’s Business License Division the required fees for the processing of those applications. Once submitted and processed, Fred will receive an Anaheim City Business License and a Home Occupational Permit confirming that his home business is registered.

For more assistance or to ask an orange county business attorney specific questions about your business, please contact us at info@galeandvallance.com, or (714) 634-1414, or www.galeandvallance.com.