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Plan for Long Beach, CA

Starting a Business in Long Beach: Licenses, Registrations & Checklist

A step-by-step plan to open a business in Long Beach: what to file first, what depends on what, and which permits come before opening day. Change the business details to fit yours.

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Dates

Permits and registrations specific to Long Beach, CA

Sales tax permitSeller's permit
City of Long BeachHas its own business licenses, taxes or permits (listed below).
Los Angeles CountyHas its own business licenses, taxes or permits (listed below).
Local licenses and permits to obtain
  • City business tax certificate — Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California · City finance/business tax office: Long Beach / Los Angeles County (city)
  • Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Long Beach · Long Beach (Los Angeles County) building department (city)
  • Renew Long Beach business license · City of Long Beach Financial Management, Business License Division (city)
  • File Los Angeles County business personal property return · Los Angeles County Assessor (county)
Register with these California agencies

Startup sequence and prerequisites in Long Beach

Based on your selections, this plan has 13 steps. What you file first decides what you can do next: later registrations and licenses wait on the ones below.

Do these first

  1. Maintain a registered agent in California
  2. File formation documents with the California Secretary of State
  3. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Then, once those are done

  • Register for and file California entity-level taxes — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Notify residents and regulators of a data breach within 30 days (California) — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • City business tax certificate — Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Long Beach — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Renew Long Beach business license — after: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Start planObligations (12)
Government fees

Known charges: $810.00 per year.

Total incomplete: some fees unknown

11 of 13 steps have no fee amount in our data. The figures above count only the 2 steps with a recorded fee. Check each agency's fee schedule.

File formationOct 25, 2026in 7 days
Ready to operateJan 1, 2027in 75 days
Opening dateNot setAdd a target opening date to check the plan fits
Progress0 / 13Saved in this browser

Things the formation documents depend on: a registered agent and any professional approvals.

Suggested planning date: Oct 25, 2026
Ongoing
not individually checked

File the formation documents with the state.

Suggested planning date: Nov 8, 2026
One-time
not individually checked
After: Maintain a registered agent in California

Obtain the EIN (and apply for tax-exempt status, for nonprofits). Most registrations need it.

Suggested planning date: Nov 11, 2026
One-time
not individually checked
After: File formation documents with the California Secretary of State

State tax accounts, trade name, foreign qualification and publication requirements.

Suggested planning date: Nov 25, 2026
Annual
not individually checked
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Suggested planning date: Nov 25, 2026
Per event
checked Oct 16, 2026
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Licenses and permits you need before you operate: state, industry, local and professional.

Suggested planning date: Dec 25, 2026
Annual
not individually checked
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Suggested planning date: Dec 25, 2026
One-time
not individually checked
After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Statutory deadline: Dec 25, 2026 · in 68 days
Annual
not individually checked
Applies because: Business is located in Long Beach, CA. Schedule: Delinquent date printed on the annual bill.After: Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Recurring filings and payments, in the order they fall due.

Statutory deadline: Oct 31, 2026 · in 13 days
Annual
checked Oct 16, 2026
Applies because: Business operates in CA. Schedule: October 31.
Statutory deadline: Apr 1, 2027 · in 165 days
Annual
checked Oct 16, 2026
Applies because: Business is located in Los Angeles County, CA. Schedule: April 1 (penalty after May 7).
Statutory deadline: Apr 15, 2027 · in 179 days
Annual
not individually checked
Applies because: Federal tax treatment is sole_prop. Schedule: April 15.
Statutory deadline: Oct 31, 2028 · in 744 days
fee $20
Every 2 years
checked Oct 13, 2026
Applies because: llc formed in CA. Schedule: Within the anniversary month and the 5 months before it, every 2 years.
fee $800
Annual
not individually checked
Suggested planning dates are allowances, not agency processing times. Statutory deadlines come from the rules and are labeled as such.

Common questions about Long Beach

The state licenses your industry through its own regulator, and the city and county add local permits. These are the authorities and local items on record for Long Beach:

  • Contractor licensing: California Contractors State License Board
  • Real estate licensing: California Department of Real Estate
  • Alcohol licensing: California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
  • Child care licensing: California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing
  • Health facility licensing: California Department of Public Health
  • City business tax certificate — Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California (City finance/business tax office: Long Beach / Los Angeles County, city)
  • Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Long Beach (Long Beach (Los Angeles County) building department, city)
  • Renew Long Beach business license (City of Long Beach Financial Management, Business License Division, city)
  • File Los Angeles County business personal property return (Los Angeles County Assessor, county)

With your current selections, the licenses and permits are: City business tax certificate — Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Long Beach; Renew Long Beach business license. Change the industry above to see yours.

Sources: bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov, ftb.ca.gov, edd.ca.gov

Formation comes first; tax, license and employer registrations wait on it. In your plan the first steps are:

  1. Maintain a registered agent in California
  2. File formation documents with the California Secretary of State
  3. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Sources: bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov, ftb.ca.gov

Known government fees for your plan: $0.00 one-time and $810.00 per year.

Steps without a recorded fee are not counted, so check each agency's fee schedule before you budget.

Sources: bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov, ftb.ca.gov

In your plan for Long Beach, requirements come from four levels. California sets formation, state taxes and employer rules; the city and county add local licenses and taxes.

  • Federal (2): Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN); File federal income tax return: Form 1040 with Schedule C
  • State (6): Maintain a registered agent in California; File Statement of Information (California); Register for and file California entity-level taxes; Pay California minimum franchise tax ($800)…
  • County (1): File Los Angeles County business personal property return
  • City (3): City business tax certificate — Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California; Obtain certificate of occupancy for premises in Long Beach; Renew Long Beach business license

Sources: bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov, ftb.ca.gov

  • Register for unemployment insurance with California Employment Development Department.
  • Workers' compensation: California Division of Workers' Compensation. Required when: 1 employee
  • State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave (employee-funded): applies from 1 employee.
  • Register to withhold California income tax from wages.

Sources: edd.ca.gov, dir.ca.gov, edd.ca.gov

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